Question:

Dear Father, I would like to ask whether the Church can authorize the removal of a godfather/godmother from baptism due to behaviors contrary to their responsibilities as such.

Answer:

Canon 872 of the Code of Canon Law states: “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. A sponsor also helps the baptized person to lead a Christian life in keeping with baptism and to fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent in it.” If the godparent does not fulfill these obligations, they cannot be removed.

Formerly, in the 1917 Code, being a godfather or godmother of a person impeded contracting marriage with that person, since godparenthood creates a religious kinship. The godparents act in the place of the parents, assist in the Christian formation (initiation) of the godchild, and present them, together with the parents, for their spiritual birth through the sacrament.

This is the reason why one cannot be removed from one’s godchild once one has undertaken the commitment at Baptism. The analogy (in a very broad sense) with the removal of parental authority, which civil law provides for in extreme cases where parents fail to adequately fulfill their parental obligations, does not apply here.

This is why the choice of godparent is so important, especially in light of their moral qualities and their commitment to a life in accordance with the Catholic faith. It often happens that, even when one chooses well, people change, but this is not in our hands. What we must always do is pray for our godparents, because God has also disposed that, through godchildren, godparents may change their lives, just as, through children, wayward parents may do so.

Fr. Jon M. de Arza, IVE

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