Question — Noldin, Summa of Moral Theology
Question Fifth. On Sponsors of Baptism
77. From the most ancient times the Church has used sponsors in the conferral of baptism, who would offer the person to be baptized, bear testimony concerning his morals, in default of parents teach him the rudiments of faith, and stand as sureties, as it were, for him that the Christian life was to be led by him. The law concerning sponsors now in force in the Church was laid down by the Council of Trent and modified by the new Code of Canon Law.1
The law in force. 1. In solemn baptism, under grave obligation, at least one sponsor must be used, whether man or woman, and more than two cannot licitly be used.
At least one: one suffices, who can indiscriminately be a man or a woman; but if two are used, they must be a man and a woman. Besides, since the office of sponsor can also be exercised through a proxy, and the office of proxy can be performed by a man for a woman and vice versa, in fact it can happen that two men or two women are present as sponsors.
Not more: the Church does not admit more than two sponsors, lest spiritual relationships be multiplied. Therefore if a pastor admitted more sponsors, he would indeed sin gravely, because he would injure a grave precept of the Church.
A man and a woman: St. Alphonsus judges (n. 155) that where two men or two women are admitted, a grave sin is committed if they are of a sex different from the one to be baptized, but a venial sin if they are of the same sex as the one to be baptized, because only in the former case, not in the latter, are spiritual relationships multiplied contrary to the mind of Trent.
Also in private baptism a sponsor is to be used, if he can easily be had. If he was not present, he is to be used when the ceremonies of baptism are supplied. But in this case he contracts no spiritual relationship.
If baptism is repeated under condition, the same sponsor, as far as can be done, should be used who perhaps was present at the first baptism. Outside this case, in conditional baptism a sponsor is not necessary.2
In baptism repeated under condition, spiritual relationship is contracted only if the same sponsor was used in both baptisms; therefore neither the sponsor who was present at the former baptism nor the one who was present at the latter contracts it.3
1 Sess. 24, c. 2, De ref. matr. Cn. 762-769. Cf. Roman Ritual, tit. 2, c. 1, n. 22-26.
2 Cn. 763, 1.
3 Cn. 763, 2.
78. Conditions required that someone validly be a sponsor:1
That he have the use of reason and the will of performing the office of sponsor, because one who does not have the mind of undertaking it cannot undertake the obligation.
That he be baptized, because he cannot be a father who himself has not yet been born.
That he be designated by the one to be baptized himself, or by his parents or guardians, or, in their default, by the minister.
a. The right of designating sponsors indeed belongs to these, but it always belongs to the minister to admit those designated; and he who is not admitted by the minister is not a sponsor.2
b. If no one has been designated either by the parents or by the pastor, there is no sponsor, even if someone touched the infant with the intention of performing the office of sponsor.
- That he belong to no heretical or schismatic sect; nor by condemnatory or declaratory sentence be excommunicated, or infamous by infamy of law, or excluded from legitimate acts; nor be a cleric deposed or degraded.
If a heretic or schismatic already designated by the parents cannot be removed without great offense, he could be admitted as a witness, without being admonished about touching the infant in the act of washing. Indeed, if without grave evil he could not be prevented from touching the infant, for avoiding so great an evil that too could be permitted, since the matter is not intrinsically evil; but no relationship would arise, since he is not a sponsor.
- That he not be the father or mother or spouse of the one to be baptized, because this would be contrary to the end of this institution, since parents already have the office of educating.
If solemn baptism is to be conferred and no one is present who may hold the person to be baptized except the father (which can happen in mission regions), let him take the place of sponsor, materially holding his child and answering for him to the one baptizing; but he does not contract spiritual relationship or the impediment of asking the debt, since he does not become sponsor.
That through himself or at least through a proxy he physically hold or touch the one to be baptized; mere assistance is not sufficient.
That the baptism be valid; therefore he does not become sponsor who performs the office of sponsor where only the ceremonies are supplied and where baptism is invalid for any cause whatever.
1 Cn. 765.
79. Obligations of the sponsor. a. The office of the sponsor is to exercise spiritual care over his little child and to instruct him in Christian faith and morals. This obligation is grave, since it concerns a grave matter; the office of taking care that the spiritual son show himself such as he had promised he would be extends to his whole life.1
b. From the office of sponsor in baptism, both solemn and private, there arises spiritual relationship between the sponsor and the baptized person. But if the office of sponsor is exercised through a proxy, the office of educating and the spiritual relationship are contracted not by the proxy but by the mandator.2
1 Cn. 769.
2 Cn. 768.
80. Conditions required that someone licitly be a sponsor:1
That he have reached the fourteenth year of age, unless for a just cause something else seems right to the minister.
That he not be unworthy, such as those who, on account of a notorious delict, are excommunicated or excluded from legitimate acts or infamous by infamy of law, although no sentence has intervened; interdicted persons, or otherwise publicly criminal or infamous by infamy of fact.
That he know the rudiments of faith.
That he not be a novice or professed member in some religious institute, unless necessity urges and the express permission of the superior, at least the local superior, is had.
That he not be established in sacred orders, unless the permission of his proper Ordinary is added.
a. By the name of religious institute is understood any religious society approved by the Church, in which public vows are emitted, perpetual or temporary yet to be renewed when the time has elapsed.2
b. Nowhere in law is the one baptizing himself prohibited from being sponsor, although it is opposed to the custom prevailing in the Church. In this case the one baptizing would have to perform through a proxy those things which belong to the sponsor in solemn baptism.3
Whether it is licit for a Catholic to be sponsor of an infant of heretics when a heretical minister baptizes. - The Holy Office on 10 May 1770 decreed: "it is absolutely not licit either by oneself or through others to perform the office of sponsor in baptisms which are ministered by heretics to the children of heretics."
There are indeed authors who permit this where that action cannot be judged an approval of a non-Catholic rite. These authors thought, namely, that in circumstances of this kind the hope of the future education of the infant in the true faith was a sufficient reason on account of which that communication with heretics could be permitted. But, even apart from forbidden communication in sacred things, it is never licit to ask what another cannot perform without sin; but the sponsor asks for baptism, which the heretical minister cannot confer without sin.4
Note. In rejecting the unworthy from the office of sponsor, the pastor must be very prudent and cautious, lest he offend others or create troubles for himself. Hence: a. when baptism is requested, let him ask who the sponsors are; and if he observes that by the prescription of the Church they ought to be rejected, let him admonish them concerning this before the persons to be rejected come to the church. b. Let him carefully abstain from every injurious word and take care not to disclose the cause of rejection, but in a gentle manner say only that according to the prescriptions of the Church he cannot admit him as sponsor. c. If he cannot prevent a heretic from coming to church to act as sponsor, first let him ask that they choose a Catholic man as sponsor, but use the heretic as witness. But if they are unwilling to do this, let him take care, as far as possible, that the heretic not touch the infant in the act of baptism. But if this can in no way be prevented, it is better to admit it than to omit baptism or give occasion for the infant to be baptized by a non-Catholic minister.
1 Cn. 766.
2 Cn. 488, 1.
3 As to the sacrament of confirmation, S. C. R. expressly declared this on 14 Jan. 1873, n. 3305.
4 Cf. Lehmkuhl, Theol. mor., II, n. 71 (n. 99).