Article — Gury-Ballerini, Compendium of Moral Theology (8th ed., 1884)
Article I. On Sponsors
Sponsors are, as it were, spiritual fathers, who lift the baptized person from the sacred font, and, in default of the parents, undertake care of him upon themselves.
- Principles. - I. In solemn Baptism, under grave obligation, at least one sponsor must be used, whether the sponsor is a man or a woman; nor can more than two licitly be used. Thus the Council of Trent established, sess. 24, c. 2, on Reformation. But if the Parish Priest admitted more than two sponsors, he would sin gravely, because he would harm the precept of the Church imposed under grave obligation, lest relationships be multiplied. - St. Ligorius, n. 154, at the end.
II. That someone be truly a sponsor, the following conditions are required: 1. that he have the use of reason, and himself be baptized; 2. that he have been designated as sponsor by the parents or the Parish Priest; 3. that he touch the baptized person by himself, or at least through another; 4. that he have a true intention of carrying out the office of sponsor. - St. Ligorius, n. 146.
- Questions. - QUESTION 1. What are the obligations of sponsors?
Resp. They are bound to fulfill the office of teacher in a case of necessity, or when the parents of the little spiritual child are lacking. Hence they are bound to instruct the baptized person concerning the Faith, morals, various obligations, etc. But they are freed from every obligation when they can prudently presume that the baptized person is diligently instructed by the parents. - St. Ligorius, n. 147.
From this, the Priest, after Baptism has been conferred, must admonish the sponsors concerning the obligations undertaken, and besides concerning the spiritual relationship contracted. - But concerning that relationship contracted through Baptism we shall speak where the impediments of matrimony are treated.
QUESTION 2. Whether in private Baptism a sponsor must necessarily be used?
Resp. No, because it does not seem to be required by the Church except for solemn Baptism. Nevertheless, even in private Baptism a sponsor can be used, and is more laudably used. - Thus commonly. - St. Ligorius, n. 147, who nevertheless, n. 149, more probably judges that then spiritual relationship is not contracted.
QUESTION 3. Whether sponsors can be two males or two females?
Resp. No, because Trent established that at most two sponsors can be used, namely a man and a woman. But it is probable that it is only venial if it is done thus. Nevertheless, several with Bonacina think it to be mortal. - This seems truer, says St. Ligorius, n. 155, if the sponsors were of different sex from the infant, because thus relationships would be multiplied, which Trent wished to prohibit; otherwise if they were of the same sex.
- QUESTION 4. Whether the sponsor of a male, if he is the only one, must be male, and of a female, female?
Resp. No, more probably; because Trent says: Whether a man or a woman; therefore a man or a woman can be used indiscriminately. - St. Ligorius, ibid.
QUESTION 5. Who are prohibited from being sponsors?
Resp. Validly indeed, but illicitly, the following are sponsors: 1. an Abbot and Monk, or a Religious and Nun of any Order; 2. spouses with respect to spouses, and parents with respect to children; 3. all who are of wicked morals and lost reputation, as heretics, etc. - St. Ligorius, n. 156.