Were you ever asked to be a Godparent?

Alligatorob said:
No, I think that is mostly a Catholic thing and we are not Catholic. Could be wrong about the mostly Catholic thing though...
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I don't really know if this is accurate or not, @Alligatorob , but it's what I grew up thinking, too... I've always thought it was a Catholic practice and to answer the original question, no, I've never been asked.
 
Godparents are more common in Anglicanism than in other Protestant denominations. I am the godmother of one of my nieces who was baptised in a Catholic church, even though I am not RC.

In my church, the Uniting Church of Australia (a coalescing of Methodists, Presbyterians and Congregationalists in 1977), we don't have a place for godparents in the baptism service but if the parents want them then we adapt to accommodate the request.
 
Jamala said:
Godparents to a Catholic child have to be practicing Catholics.

Baptized non-Catholic Christians may not be "official" godparents for the record book, but they may be Christian witnesses not Godparents for a child.
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Interesting. I was under the impression that to accommodate the non-catholic godmother another godmother who is baptistised Catholic is also chosen. My niece had 2 godmothers and 1 godfather. I wasn't under the impression that I was just a token godparent.

That be as it may, I was the only person who ever took my nieces to Mass. It was I who educated all the lapsed catholics who attended the girls' first communions about the changes to the Mass that occurred after Vatican II. It was an interesting experience seeing them all go forward to receive the Host while I stayed behind in the pew because I was "non catholic".

There is only one baptism and the baptism certificates that are given to the parents in my church acknowledge that the child has been baptised into "the one holy, catholic and apostolic church". These are the words contained in the Nicene creed. The baptism is valid in all mainstream denominations in Australia.
 
No..................i thought being a god parent , is to take the responsibility away from the parents for presents etc ,
and looking after them, as in babysitting , when they go out or away,
and fostering/adopting them, if anything happens to the parents .. ??
 
Warrigal said:
Interesting. I was under the impression that to accommodate the non-catholic godmother another godmother who is baptistised Catholic is also chosen. My niece had 2 godmothers and 1 godfather. I wasn't under the impression that I was just a token godparent.

That be as it may, I was the only person who ever took my nieces to Mass. It was I who educated all the lapsed catholics who attended the girls' first communions about the changes to the Mass that occurred after Vatican II. It was an interesting experience seeing them all go forward to receive the Host while I stayed behind in the pew because I was "non catholic".

There is only one baptism and the baptism certificates that are given to the parents in my church acknowledge that the child has been baptised into "the one holy, catholic and apostolic church". These are the words contained in the Nicene creed. The baptism is valid in all mainstream denominations in Australia.
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Oh no, you’re not just a “token Godparent”…you are very important in the child’s life in many areas. However a non Catholic cannot be recorded in the church records as a Godparent (according to the Pope).

You see, the main purpose of Catholics having Catholic Godparents is that the Godparents would assist the child with religious teaching according to the Catholic faith.
 
Both of my children have godparents, and we are not Catholics.
If you are baptizing your children in a church, godparents are often involved in the ceremony. They are also given a certificate/booklet stating time and date of acceptance, with the child's name included, of course.
Godparents are accepting responsibility to raise the child if the parents are not able to for any reason. You are entrusting the adult with your child.
 
Jamala said:
Oh no, you’re not just a “token Godparent”…you are very important in the child’s life in many areas. However a non Catholic cannot be recorded in the church records as a Godparent (according to the Pope).

You see, the main purpose of Catholics having Catholic Godparents is that the Godparents would assist the child with religious teaching according to the Catholic faith.
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Of course. However I was at that time teaching in a girls catholic school and was part of the RE team teaching religion. I knew more about the sacraments than any of my son in law's family. Edit - brother in law

I really didn't care whether or not my name was recorded in a book. I took my obligation seriously. Can't say the same for the other godmother and the god father.

It wasn't even a real baptism, it was a reaffirming of the baptism received in her humicrib in hospital. She was very premi, having been born at only 28 weeks and the priest was called to the hospital to deliver the sacrament in case she didn't make it. Her second ceremony was held when her little sister was being baptised. Nevertheless, I made pledges that I intended to keep. I have always felt that solemn vows and pledges are commitments. My word is my bond, so to speak.
 
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Warrigal said:
Of course. However I was at that time teaching in a girls catholic school and was part of the RE team teaching religion. I knew more about the sacraments than any of my son in law's family.

I really didn't care whether or not my name was recorded in a book. I took my obligation seriously. Can't say the same for the other godmother and the god father.

It wasn't even a real baptism, it was a reaffirming of the baptism received in her humicrib in hospital. She was very premi, having been born at only 28 weeks and the priest was called to the hospital to deliver the sacrament in case she didn't make it. Her second ceremony was held when her little sister was being baptised. Nevertheless, I made pledges that I intended to keep. I have always felt that solemn vows and pledges are commitments. My word is my bond, so to speak.
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This child is very luckly to have you in its life Warrigal. Many Godparents unfortunately do not take their pledge seriously. Circumstances change etc.etc.

Our children have Godparents, but we also had legal guardians for them.
 
Right Now said:
Godparents are accepting responsibility to raise the child if the parents are not able to for any reason. You are entrusting the adult with your child.
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That happened with my brother's kids. I agreed to take them if he and his wife died, and they put it into their wills to make it legal. However there was no religious aspect to it, and I was never called a God parent. Now they are old enough I am out of danger...

I have always liked the Godfather movies, but am just as happy not to have a Godfather like that in real life.
 
Being a Godparent has no legal standing and doesn't mean the kids become yours if the parents die. It simply means you will see to the kids religious upbringing if the parents can't.

I think it's a very outdated practice but one that has hung on out of habit.
 
Trila said:
only to find that the lock on our gate was frozen! So we drove back to the house and got the propane torch and lighter.
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Do you ever carry a can of de-icer? Or matches so you can heat the key up?

Right Now said:
Godparents are accepting responsibility to raise the child if the parents are not able to for any reason. You are entrusting the adult with your child.
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Many don’t realize it.
 
Godparents are mostly a ceremonial title these days. If parents die, it's hard to imagine custody courts would split up surviving minor children according to church godparent records. In the absence of legal documents directing their care, it's likely the child/children would be awarded - as a group if there's more than one - to a close relative who petitions for custody and can demonstrate suitability.

Very early on, DH & I established guardians and successor guardians in our wills. These relatives were asked if they would be willing to take on the responsibility of raising our children should we be unable to do so. We made it clear that ample financial resources were to be directed to the guardians so our children wouldn't create housing or other financial burdens.

We have been named successor guardians for our daughter's children.
 
As far as I know, of various religions that is, godparents aren't exclusive to the Roman Catholics. The Anglican church does as well as Church of Scotland, the latters I believe it's up to the parents if they want them or not, it's a choice. But that's my 2-pence worth lol!

I grew up with a few too many religions and gave up after an atrocious funeral service in the 70s. My own godparents, well one was there for me but the other wasn't both dead now. For our children, daughter's couldn't be bothered and they've died, son's the same, no bother but still alive. I felt bad for a while, wondering if I should tell my son's godparents that he'd died but decided against as they couldn't be bothered while he was alive.

Oh the phone calls from them with accusations which were all false, at the end of the day, since they didn't want the honour in the first place they should have said no.

I was told that I was going to be godmother to my nephew. I paid every birthdays but found out he never got his funds as intercepted by his mother for booze. After I got married, found out the godfather had died and his common-law partner took over as she believed it was her rights. Long-story-short, I was always there for my nephew but I got nowhere he wasn't interested.

Personally, I was given the job just to babysit. Oftentimes, never a thanks not even when I saved his life at 2 months old. Got emergency operation. Okay, I'll leave it at that, but I did my duties but it went unappreciated. I now politely refuse lol!

I've spoken to my daughter about it, so that when she has children she can make her own choice and discuss with the father.
 

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