Dear Fr. Kerper Can a Non-Catholic Be a Godparent for My Child?

your questions answered by a local pastor Dear Fr. Kerper Can a non-Catholic be a godparent for my child?

Dear Father Kerper: Six months ago, my The Catechism of the Catholic wife and I had our fi rst child. I wanted my best friend Church teaches that godparents Kevin to be the godfather. The priest told us that this “must be fi rm believers, able and wasn’t permitted because Kevin’s a Lutheran. This ready to help the newly baptized seems like discrimination. I also know that priests on the road of Christian life.” (CCC have allowed Protestants to be godparents. I don’t 1255) To fulfi ll such a task, one get it. The church’s rules seem arbitrary and unfair. must hold the beliefs of the Cath- olic Church and live by them. ongratulations! Seeing new life, espe- Let’s say that you hope your cially a fi rst-born child, causes many daughter will excel at ten- parents to think deeply about spiritual nis. Imagine that she has such matters. The tension around the selec- prodigious skill in the sport that Ction of your child’s godfather can open the door to a you seek a private coach. Surely, richer understanding of these essential connections. you would hire a tennis coach, Let’s begin by putting aside some ideas about god- not a swimming coach. Imagine a parents. The godparent is not a “replacement parent.” swimming coach trying to teach Some believe that godparents get custody of godchil- tennis! Perhaps an excellent swim- form of Christian faith. dren if their parents die. Others designate godpar- ming coach could help her with You also bring up the point ents as a way of honoring close friends or favorite physical training, general athletic that you have encountered priests relatives. By asking someone to serve as a godparent, principles and sportsmanship, but who allow non-Catholics to serve a parent manifests trust and esteem. Some also hope not the specifi cs of tennis. as godparents. We need to refi ne to secure a permanent relationship with a friend by A godparent is much like a our terms here. The church does formally linking the friend to the godchild. coach. Just as it’s unfair to ask a indeed allow baptized non-Cath- I suspect you chose Kevin as godfather because superb swimmer to coach tennis, olics to act as Christian witnesses. of friendship and your desire to honor him. These it’s equally unfair to ask someone Apart from witnessing the event, are noble motives, but the role of godparent is not who is not a committed Catholic they have no religious responsi- about friendship or good personal example. Rather, to share in the spiritual coaching bilities toward the child. Though the godparent agrees to exercise an offi ce on behalf of a Catholic child. Moreover, often called godparents, they re- of the parents and the Catholic Church. Is this reli- it puts the non-Catholic in the ally aren’t. Every baptized person gious discrimination? awkward position of participat- needs at least one baptized and Civil law recognizes discrimination in employ- ing publicly in Catholic rituals, confi rmed Catholic godparent. ment, housing, banking and so forth. Religious specifi cally the child’s baptism, Hence, one can never have two discrimination is wrong also, but not necessarily fi rst Communion, and confi rma- Christian witnesses. in matters involving religion itself. It’s one thing tion. Think of how uncomfort- At fi rst glance, some church to refuse to rent your apartment to Lutherans just able it would be for a committed disciplines, like the ones about because they’re Lutherans. It’s quite another thing Lutheran, whose beliefs about godparents, seem unreasonable. to insist that godparents be Roman Catholics. In the Eucharist differ from ours, However, a careful examination the fi rst, religion is irrelevant; in the second, it’s to share in your daughter’s fi rst usually shows that such prac- absolutely crucial. Communion celebration. tices make sense. They can guide For example, candidates for ordination must be As your good friend, Kevin people to what’s truly good for baptized and confi rmed Catholics. Here we have may have an enormously posi- everyone involved – children, positive distinction favoring Catholics and exclud- tive infl uence on your daughter’s parents, godparents, and the ing others. No reasonable person would regard character and spirituality. How- whole community of faith. this church law as anti-Protestant. Just as the priest ever, he’s not equipped to “coach” – Father Michael Kerper is the pastor of receives an offi ce, so too does the godparent. her in the specifi cally Catholic Corpus Christi Parish in Portsmouth.

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