Godparents for Infant Baptism FOR PARENTS How to choose godparents This is a big day for your family, and you want to do the right thing. Can I keep asking uncomfortable questions? Timmy's godparents Wanda and Cosmo have ideas of their own and always lead Timmy on interesting adventures. Godparent _____ Name of Child to be Baptized At the very beginning of the Rite of Baptism in the Roman Catholic Church, the priest or deacon speaks to the parents and says, “You have asked to have your child baptized. excellent references, btw! I guess to be a godparent you need to be rich? Saul, before he became St. Paul, is an example of the kind of person the Christians sought to avoid. As well-wishers share their delight over the new addition to the royal family, those closest to Prince Harry, 34, and Meghan, 37, will be eagerly waiting for news of who will be godparent. As a parent, you’re choosing someone to be a lifelong spiritual role model to your child. The parents of the child who will be baptized choose a godmother or godparent to represent the child who is unable to respond during the baptismal ceremony. Questions such as, what is the faith background of the prospective godparents, and will the prospective godparents be around throughout the child's life, play a large role in the decision making process. Accept and nurture Being a godparent means loving your godchild unconditionally. Are they concerned about whether or not my child will make it to heaven? Accept the role and exercise whatever positive Catholic influence you can by doing things to commemorate the child’s baptismal anniversary, saint name-sake feast day (if applicable), etc. He accepted that I cared for him and for the girl. He was not at all religious, just sort of accepted that there was a big man in the sky. 5 out of 5 stars (4,536) AU$ 6.99. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It is traditional in Latino weddings for the padrinos and madrinas to help cover the costs of the lavish celebration. Especially if you know that child will not be raised in the faith. This lavendar purple card with soft butterflies has the perfect message to say thank you for being asked. Before all others, parents are bound to form their children, by word and example, in faith and in christian living. Only incredibly special people make good Godparents - they must be patient, kind, loving & have a great sense of humor - which is why I want YOU. It’s a lot more than helping to dress a baby on a special day and smile for pictures. I want her to understand that I am here for her, no matter what, to help guide and lead her toward the best version of herself. One child … The godparent for an infant takes on a lifetime commitment: Should the parent be unable or unwilling to raise the child in accordance with the precepts of the Catholic Church, then the godparent(s) assumes that responsibility. rachael w(16) 2/23/2008 at 8:46 PM. Consequently they are bound to watch over their godchildren when there is need for them to do so: for instance when and where children are brought up among unbelievers. But please understand that even if we disagree, nothing changes regarding our responsibility, our blessing as a Mom or a Dad to unconditionally love, accept and affirm our gay children - as God has done with us. Are you ready to answer for that soul when pressed at the pearly gates? As a couple, you are honored to be asked to be Godparents for a special little baby. Parents must take the decision seriously, and the choice of whether or not to accept and embrace the role of a godparent shouldn’t be downplayed either. Feel free to ask them questions about the role, like what they’d be comfortable doing for your child and if they intend to stay in the area. What a lovely idea Kelly. Just because your sibling, cousin or childhood best friend asks you, doesn’t mean you need to accept. And yes, the godparents should already have been baptized. Apr 1, 2017 - Explore Patty Bautista's board "Fun Ways to ask Godparents!" Questions such as, what is the faith background of the prospective godparents, and will the prospective godparents be around throughout the child's life, play a large role in the decision making process. St. Thomas Aquinas,  Summa Theologica III-67-8: Clearly, godparents have a role in making sure their godchild is raised in the Catholic faith. Taking on the job of godmother for a younger sister means more than just accepting vows at baptism. xx #1 ILoveShoes, May 7, 2011. Being a godparent is all the joy of having a baby with none of the pain, bleeding or boob issues. Godparents and sponsors are there to help the child remain close to Christ but are not by necessity the ones to act as guardians. They should also be at least 16 years old and must be an active member of the church who has received the sacraments of confirmation and communion. They must be willing to accept the responsibilities that comes with the position. There is no set age when godparents must be appointed, even for baptism purposes. They must be free of church penalties and have been appointed by the parents, but not be the biological parent of the child. xx #2 ILoveShoes, May 7, 2011. 1. But if they are brought up among Catholic Christians, the godparents may well be excused from this responsibility, since it may be presumed that the children will be carefully instructed by their parents. The godmother’s responsibilities start at the baptismal service and … In my view, that is to have one (or two) faithfully Catholic godparents, if at all possible. There can be up to two godparents, a male and a female, for a single child. The godmother or godfather should accept their responsibilities with open arms. Kimmy25 Well … This letter should include why you have selected the person, what you expect from that person, and how excited you are about having that person in your corner. Back To Home Back to Frequently Asked Questions Frequently Asked Questions about THE QUALIFICATION REQUIRED TO BE A GODPARENT. It is such an honor to be asked to be a godparent, and yet I don’t think many people fully understand the commitment they are making when they stand next to the baptismal font and agree to help raise that adorable baby into a faithful Catholic adult. Just kidding. Choosing them is one of the biggest decisions you will make. I’m keeping the house one step above a ‘Hoarders’ episode and finding additional busy work to pass the time. Excellent question … the standard answer is that a godparent has to be baptised. Here are 10 creative and effective ways of how to ask godparents to do your family the honor of saying yes. Godparents are like another set of parents for your child in case something happens to you. 5 out of 5 stars (2,621) $ 7.22. The candidate can not be a parent, step-parent or guardian of the one they are looking to represent, nor their spouse. The same obligation binds godparents and those who take the place of parents. In hindsight, I over-analyze our choices for godparents. Text in a decorative cursive font reads: Be my Godparents? Do you know how frustrating it is to sign off and make kissy faces at a blue default silhouette? If your godchild is being raised by parents actively practicing their faith, your role will be as an understudy. Thank You for Being Godparent You can't know how honored we feel to have you accept the role of godmother to our little Michaela Rose. As a godparent, you’re accepting a lifelong commitment to be a top-notch Catholic role model. Often godparents are chosen and they have no idea of what is expected of them, so it’s a good idea to be clear from the start about what you’re anticipating they will be, or do, for your child. The letter can be handwritten and personally delivered to the godparents, or it … Timmy schemed to make Chloe give them up. A document called the baptismal certificate, issued whenever a child is baptized in the church, lists the names of the sponsors. If, however, they perceive in any way that the contrary is the case, they would be bound, as far as they are able, to see to the spiritual welfare of their godchildren. • The individual lived too far away and felt he/she could not fulfill the physical commitment of a Godparent. For more great information on the role of the godparent click here. I want to show her I know her and don’t judge her. i know im a bi*ch for saying this but i think the only reason we were asked to be godparents is because we own 2 restaurants and want their baby girl to be showered with gifts. However, parents and godparents can revitalize the importance of godparents and ensure that the role becomes central to our children’s lives once again. All godparents must be considered eligible. Why, it’s an offer you can’t refuse right? Then, have EACH godparent complete and submit the Godparent Eligibility Form. Rather, in Church teaching, a godparent “helps the baptized person to lead a Christian life in keeping with baptism and to fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent in it” (Code of Canon Law, 872). Must be a Christian (One Godparent must be a Catholic) At least 16 years of age. Timmy and the Fairy World could have resolved the issue by splitting up Cosmo and Wanda. big hugs to you jo x. Are you willing to pray fervently for that child and his or her parents? He wanted both godparents to himself. A godparent is for life, people will eventually get over not being asked. Our child could not be more fortunate to have you as godparents, and I am excited to travel this road together. Be clear with expectations. Keeping all that in mind, choose “someone who can serve as an authentic example of Christian charity—someone who could demonstrate holiness of life,” … Maybe you feel as confused about it as that statement sounded. Being a godmother is not a legal commitment but a spiritual one. I try to pray daily for my godchildren, but I’ll admit, I sometimes forget. Thanks for any advice you can give on February 15, 2012 at 8:59 pm | Reply christenings. If your godchild is being raised by parents actively practicing their faith, your role will be as an understudy. In the earlier days of the Church, the emphasis for those who wished to be baptized was less about what you knew regarding the teachings of the Church and more how you lived the life of faith. Timmy had a hard time accepting it. A few key factors can turn an ordinary godparent into an extraordinary one. Here’s also what to bear in mind when you ask: The first thing you should think about is if these persons are responsible enough to care for your child. Here are some godparent proposal etiquettes that you may like to keep in mind to keep any kind of awkwardness at bay: Be prepared to take ‘No’ for an answer and accept it graciously. Reply. This gives the godparents a chance to bond with the baby from birth. Thank You to Godparents Thank You to Godmother Thank You to Godfather Thank You to Godparents #1 I want to thank you both for your commitment to our family. My child has a Catholic and non-Catholic godparents so that worked out as one of them fitted the previous category. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Traditionally, godparents were responsible to raise the child should anything happen to the parents. Godparents are an important part of a child's Christian upbringing and therefore, much thought goes into the decision of who the Godparents will be. I’d want my child to be raised to accept people of all different races and religions and I know she’d be an excellent godparent. It is important to clarify if this is expected ahead of time and to be ready for that responsibility. Thanks! Clearly, godparents have a role in making sure their godchild is raised in the Catholic faith. on Pinterest. A response letter to a request is a letter, which is an answer to some initial letter. Godparents must be chosen by the parents or guardian and cannot be the child’s mother or father. Godparents today aren’t there merely to oversee the spiritual welfare of a child, and neither would they be likely to become the child’s guardians were the parents to die. Often it can be down to the religious aspect that people are not comfortable with, or perhaps they don’t feel they fulfill the responsibility of the role. Joined: Apr 13, 2009 Messages: 6,716 Likes Received: 0. Custom requests welcome. Required fields are marked *. Godparents must have been baptized in the Orthodox Church, must be in full sacramental communion, and must be a member in good standing of a local Orthodox parish. Two of the three times the video from Tony’s end was completely non-existent. The godparents serve as the official witnesses that the child was baptized. 5 out of 5 stars (18,201) $ 4.25. No, yes—congratulations! The Church expects the godparent to live in such a manner that demonstrates the virtues taught by our Lord Jesus. For now, I’m very happy. A person may not serve as a godparent if his or her marriage has not been blessed by the Orthodox Church, or, if civilly divorced, he or she has not been granted an ecclesiastical divorce, or if for any other reason he or she is not in communion with the Orthodox Church.In addition, they cannot be a minor, the parent of the child, or a n… Your email address will not be published. Or should Mark accept, but take a new, more serious look at his own faith? Accepting responsibility for a child in any capacity shouldn't be taken lightly and if you're not ready the best thing to do is be honest. Q. The godparents need to be chosen before baptism; they're supposed to be at the baptism. #2 We are grateful to you both for stepping … Oaxacans take the role of godparents seriously, since it is a form of compadrazgo, kinship, between families and for this reason thanking someone for their participation as a godparent is crucial. To qualify as Godparent, does the person have to meet certain requirements? I want her to be able to come to me … | Theme by ThemeinProgress People chosen to be godparents at baptism are also expected to be sponsors for confirmation. We have a few ideas. Visits from a godparent should generally focus on the child. Godparents are an important part of a child's Christian upbringing and therefore, much thought goes into the decision of who the Godparents will be. That person might not be a sibling, cousin or childhood best friend, as much as you may want to choose them. If your child will be baptized at three to five weeks old as is typical, ask the godparents as soon as you set the baptism date. They should feel ready to make some big promises about faith for your child in church. First, you have the wrong idea about what a godparent does. The people you choose to be your child’s godparents are very important. Product Id: 1341094 view card add to cart. No one should be forced to fill the role, even out of obligation, as they must be committed to fulfilling the duties that comes with the position. Godparents today aren’t there merely to oversee the spiritual welfare of a child, and neither would they be likely to become the child’s guardians were the parents to die. You can edit text inside.