canon law godparents

Role of Godparent (Canon Law 872-874) The godparents, together with the parents are present to profess the church’s faith, in which the child is being baptized. . The 1917 Code of Canon Law, also referred to as the Pio-Benedictine Code, was the first official comprehensive codification of Latin canon law. This means they have received all three Sacraments of Initiation, which are Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. I thought that the two godparents must be a man and woman or just be one godparent (male or female) at minimum according to Canon Law. Godparents Law and Legal Definition A godparent is chosen by the parents of a newborn Catholic. When I saw this, I felt like something was off, but I’m not 100% sure what the Catholic Church … According to Canon law; • Insofar as possible, a person to be baptized is to be given a godparent/sponsor who assists an adult in Christian initiation or together with the parents present an Canon Law Requirements for Godparents for Baptism . Can. 1079. According to Canon Law 874, Godparents must be at least sixteen years of age and fully initiated in the Roman Catholic Church. 872 – Insofar as possible, a person to be baptized is to be given a sponsor who assists an adult in Christian initiation or together with the parents presents an infant for baptism. 874.1). Stanislaus Woywood [New York: Joseph F. Wagner, Inc., 1952], p. 420). Canon law says godparents must be practicing Catholics, be at least 16 years old (with some exceptions) and have received the three sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation and … be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has received the Blessed Eucharist, and who lives a life of faith which befits the role to be undertaken (canon 874, Code of Canon Law). — C.L., Potomac, Maryland. Canon Law is a code of ecclesiastical laws governing the Catholic Church. Indeed, had that been so, emergency baptism would have proved impossible. Although the Common Worship: Christian Initiation: Emergency Baptism (Note 2 at Below is a Canon Law citation regarding the selection of godparents. Strictly speaking, a person only needs one sponsor for baptism — male or female, but may have two sponsors, one male and one female. (Cf. book iv : the sanctifying office of the church (cann. Yes they can, Code of Canon Law from 1983 by Saint John Paul II allows it. B. Strictly speaking, a person only needs one sponsor for baptism — male or female, but may have two sponsors, one male and one female. There may only be up to 2 godparents: one male and one female. 867-868; Catechism of the Catholic Church 1251) Basic Guidelines and Information for Infant (to include young children) Baptism (Code of Canon Law, cc. The 1917 Code of Canon Law maintained this impediment with regard to sponsors and baptismal candidates (canon 1079), but abolished it with regard to Confirmation sponsors (A Practical Commentary on the Code of Canon Law, by Rev. What are the requirements for godparents? Canon law - Canon law - Development of canon law in the West: From about 300 until about 550, canon law in Western churches had a certain unity through the acceptance of the Eastern and North African councils and the binding factor of the papal decretal law (answers of popes to questions of bishops in matters of discipline), which did not exist in the East. Code of Canon Law, No. Could I have greater/fewer than 2 godparents? In accord with Canon 874 of the Code of Canon Law, the Church can admit a person to the role of Godparent/Sponsor if, He or she is not less than sixteen years of age; and; Has been confirmed and has already received the blessed Eucharist ; Lives a life of faith which befits the role to be undertaken, and When our son was born, we were Anglican and had him baptized there, with my brother-in-law and his wife as godparents. The child is baptized in the faith of their parents, godparents and of the Church. Dr. Robert J. Matava, Dean of the Christendom College Graduate School in Alexandria, wrote an article for the Arlington Catholic Herald that explains the requirements of a godparent as listed by the Code of Canon Law. Namely in canons : Can. Ex baptismo spiritualem cognationem contrahunt tantum cum baptizato baptizans et patrinus. Canon law doesn't seem to prohibit consecrated people from becoming godparents. The individual(s) named as godparent(s) must satisfy the requirements of canon law … . Three years later, our daughter arrived, and we asked the same brother-in-law and his wife to be godparents again. It was promulgated on 27 May 1917 and took legal effect on 19 May 1918. The Code of Canon Law from 1917 forbids it. 768. Code of Canon Law, No. As actions of Christ and of the Church, they are signs and means by which faith is expressed and strengthened, worship is offered to God and our sanctification is brought about. Westminster, CO 80030 Tel. (or Canon) 934, §2, 1°. There seems to be some confusion when Godparents are being considered between wanting to have one’s best friend or another relative or acquaintance be the God parent. 834 – 848) part i : the sacraments. Can. The 1983 Code of Canon Law contains 1752 canons, or laws, most subdivided into paragraphs (indicated by "§") and/or numbers (indicated by "°"). In the Latin or Western Church, the governing code is the 1983 Code of Canon Law, a revision of the 1917 Code of Canon Law. Canon Law (Canon 872-874) & Commentary articulates the responsibilities of Sponsors (Godparents) and the prerequisites for selecting them for Baptism. Therefore, in order to be appointed sponsor, the person must be suitable for this role and have the intention of fulfilling it. title i: baptism (cann. Godparents accompany the catechumen at the parish’s optional Rite of Sending, during the obligatory Rite of Election at the diocesan cathedral and through all the remaining RCIA activities. 1 – What Canon Law & Commentary tells us about sponsorship for Baptism. They stood beside us and answered affirmatively to all the vows, photos were taken, cake was consumed, tra la la la. The Code of Canon Law requires godparents for infant baptism “insofar as possible” (CIC 872); they are not an absolute requirement for valid baptism. Canon 872 and 874 of the code of Canon Law lists these requirements for valid and lawful sponsorship in Baptism. No. 849 - 878) chapter iv : sponsors Canon law, body of laws made within certain Christian churches by lawful ecclesiastical authority for the government both of the whole church and parts thereof and of the behavior and actions of individuals. To be a godparent, a person must be one “who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on” (CIC 874 §1). Your brother and his wife do not qualify because of their irregular marriage. 1. ... Godparents today follow in this tradition, and while they are often viewed in a … Canon 874 tells us that a sponsor should be (1) at least 16, unless the bishop or pastor makes an exception; (2) a practicing Catholic who has already been confirmed and made his first Communion; (3) free of any canonical penalty; and (4) neither the father nor mother of the person to be baptized. Because the godparent is an official witness to the baptism of the child, it is not an office for which a “replacement” can be made. It was in force until the 1983 Code of Canon Law took legal effect and abrogated it on 27 November 1983. During the Sacrament of Confirmation, as during the Sacrament of Baptism, in accordance with Paragraph # 1311 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Canon Law # 892-893, the child will need at least one Godparent, a maximum of two, a male and a female. In a wider sense the term includes precepts of divine law incorporated into the canonical codes. A separate but parallel Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, issued in 1990, governs the Eastern Catholic churches. CANON LAW RELATED TO CONFIRMATION PART I : THE SACRAMENTS Can. The sponsor's role is to … Hence a citation of the Code would be written as Can. Involvement of parents, guardians and godparents 1. 303-428-3594 X 19 What are the duties and responsibilities of Godparents? When this idea was put forth here, an assistant pastor – a canonist – advised (and strenuously maintained/demanded) that no "proxy" was possible, but in fact a sponsor is the physical witness to the Confirmation. (This practice is not written into canon law.) To be admitted to undertake the office of [baptismal] sponsor, a person must: . Baptisms | Canon Guidelines 7595 North Federal Blvd. The canon law has never required the consent of a parent before a child is baptized. The answer is in the Code of Canon Law. sacraments, Christian Initiation. This distinction is made since a witness cannot be expected to assist in raising a Catholic child in the Catholic faith. Subdivisions. Here the Code of Canon Law wants to eliminate the practice of having numerous sponsors, … Hi Everyone, A few months ago, I witnessed a baptism of a newborn at my church and I noticed that the two godparents of the little baby were two women. 840 The sacraments of the New Testament were instituted by Christ the Lord and entrusted to the Church. Formerly it was forbidden, they were considered to have spiritual kinship. Under Canon Law 872-874, there are specific requirements to qualify as a godparent. Canon 873 states one sponsor, male or female, is sufficient; but there may be two, one of each sex. Godparents must also be active Catholics in a state of grace. Canon law (#873) specifies that candidates for baptism may have a male or female sponsor, or one of each sex. A: There was a general restriction on priests, religious and other consecrated souls acting as godparents that stemmed from the 1917 Code of Canon Law. Can these canons help us define the responsibilities and prerequisites for Sponsor Couples for those preparing for Matrimony? The current Code of Canon Law reflects this early Christian custom. Canon law talks about two types of godparents: “sponsors” and “witnesses.” A sponsor is a Catholic, and a witness is a baptized Christian of another denomination. 874.1). But there may only be up to 2 godparents: one male one! On 19 may 1918 one female the prerequisites for sponsor Couples for those preparing for Matrimony Catholic. 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