Section II. On Sponsors

I. Notion. Sponsors, or receivers, are those who lift the baptized person from the sacred font or receive him from the minister of Baptism. St. Thomas sets forth the reason for this institution in these words: "Spiritual regeneration, which is effected through Baptism, is in a certain way likened to carnal generation; hence it is said in 1 Peter 2: 'As newborn infants, desire the rational milk without guile.' Now in carnal generation the recently born little child needs a nurse and teacher; hence also in the spiritual generation of Baptism someone is required who performs the office of nurse and teacher, by informing and instructing him, as one newly received into the faith, concerning those things which pertain to the faith and Christian life" (III, q. 67, a. 7).

II. The obligation of taking a sponsor. 1. From the most ancient custom of the Church, no one is to be baptized solemnly unless, so far as it can be done, he has his sponsor (canon 762, § 1; Council of Trent, session 24, chapter 2, on reform of marriage). Also in private Baptism a sponsor is to be used if one can easily be had; if he was not present, he is to be used when the baptismal ceremonies are supplied (canon 762, § 2). When Baptism is repeated conditionally, the same sponsor is to be used, so far as it can be done, who perhaps was present at the former Baptism; outside this case, in conditional Baptism a sponsor is not necessary (canon 763, § 1).

It is said, so far as it can be done; hence Baptism is rather to be conferred without a sponsor than to be deferred for a long time because of the lack of a sponsor.

2. Only one sponsor, even of a different sex from the one to be baptized, or at most one male and one female, are to be used (canon 764). It makes no difference of what sex the sponsor is; but if several are used, they must be one male and one female; more than two cannot be admitted.

3. The obligation of taking a godfather or godmother is grave if solemn Baptism is in question; if private Baptism or the supplying of ceremonies is the matter under discussion, the obligation seems only light, just as also the obligation of using the same sponsor if Baptism is repeated conditionally. He who takes two male sponsors or two female sponsors sins lightly if both are of the same sex as the one to be baptized; gravely, if they are of different sex, because kinships are multiplied contrary to the mind of the Church (St. Alphonsus, VI, 155, 159).

III. The requisites for someone to be taken as sponsor. 1. In order that someone be validly constituted sponsor, it is required: 1. that he be baptized, have attained the use of reason, and have the intention of carrying out that office; 2. that he belong to no heretical or schismatical sect, nor be excommunicated or infamous with infamy of law by condemnatory or declaratory sentence, or excluded from legitimate acts, nor be a cleric deposed or degraded; 3. that he be neither father nor mother nor spouse of the person to be baptized; 4. that he be designated by the person to be baptized himself, or by his parents or tutors, or, these failing, by the minister; 5. that in the act of Baptism he physically hold or touch the one to be baptized, either by himself or by a procurator, or immediately lift or receive him from the sacred font or from the hands of the one baptizing (canon 765).

Note. If more are designated than the law permits, some judge that all those designated become sponsors whether they touch simultaneously or successively, unless it is known who were designated first, in which case only these are constituted sponsors. Others with St. Alphonsus (VI, 154, doubt 2) distinguish and teach: if they touch successively, the first man and the first woman who touch become sponsors, not others; if all touch simultaneously, according to some no one, according to St. Alphonsus all are constituted sponsors.

2. In order that someone be licitly admitted as a sponsor, it is required: 1. that he have reached the fourteenth year of his age, unless for a just cause something else seems good to the minister; 2. that he not be excommunicated or excluded from legitimate acts or infamous with infamy of law because of a notorious delict, even though no sentence has intervened, nor be interdicted or otherwise publicly criminal or infamous with infamy of fact;¹ 3. that he know the rudiments of the faith; 4. that in no religious institute he be a novice or professed, unless necessity urges and the permission of at least the local superior is expressly had;² 5. that he not be constituted in sacred orders, unless the express permission of his own Ordinary is added (canon 766). It was said licitly, which does not prevent all those excluded from being able to be validly taken, with the things saved which were set forth under 1. Besides, whenever someone must be rejected, he can nevertheless, if otherwise grave inconvenience would follow, be permitted to assist at the Baptism as a witness, omitting the things which belong to sponsors³ (St. Alphonsus, VI, 156). For the rest, one who is ignorant that touching must be done is very easily kept from touching; commonly it suffices not to warn him. Finally, the minister of Baptism, if he wishes to act as sponsor, which is licit for him,⁴ should choose a procurator who fulfills the parts of the sponsor, namely so that the observance of the ceremonies may be better provided for.

3. In doubt whether someone can validly or licitly be admitted to the office of sponsor or not, the pastor, if time permits, should consult the Ordinary (canon 767).

¹ By common law there are not excluded, for example, those who do not assist at Mass on Sunday or have neglected, even several times, the precept of annual confession or of Easter Communion. For the rest, the same persons are not included in different regions under the name of publicly criminal persons or persons infamous with infamy of fact.

² Nor can a religious who has been made bishop undertake the office of sponsor (cf. canon 627, 2).

³ Holy Office, 9 December 1745; 5 July 1878 (Collectanea de Propaganda Fide, nn. 345, 447, 1495).

⁴ Sacred Congregation of Rites, 14 January 1873.

IV. The choice of sponsors per se belongs to the person to be baptized, if he is his own master; otherwise to the parents or tutors; but if these are lacking, to the pastor (canon 765, 4).¹ Therefore it is prohibited to the pastor, and indeed under grave obligation, to reject suitable persons chosen by the person to be baptized or by his parents or tutors, and to substitute others; indeed this kind of illegitimate substitution seems to be invalid, since someone, in order validly to be a sponsor, must be designated by the minister only when the person to be baptized and his parents or tutors are lacking (cf. canon 765, 4).

Note. The Provincial Council of Utrecht wisely admonishes:² "If the pastor understands before Baptism that an unworthy person has been chosen by the parents for the office of sponsor, let him teach them the law of the Church in time, and prudently induce them to choose another. If an unworthy person presents himself unexpectedly, let the priest signify to him in an honorable manner that the law of the Church does not permit him to be admitted, but let him by no means rebuke him before others; indeed, let him easily permit him to assist as a witness; and lest, Baptism having been delayed to another time, the infant be exposed to danger of dying without it, let him baptize even without any sponsor."

¹ Council of Trent, session 24, chapter 2, on reform of marriage; Roman Ritual, 2, chapter 1, n. 24.

² Page 76.

V. The effects of sponsorship. 1. From Baptism only the one baptizing and the sponsor contract spiritual kinship with the baptized person (canon 768). This kinship, concerning which more fully in the treatise on Matrimony, is not contracted: 1. if a sponsor is used in supplying the ceremonies (canon 762, § 2); 2. when Baptism is repeated conditionally, neither by the sponsor who was present at the former Baptism nor by him who was present at the later one, unless the same sponsor was used in both Baptisms (canon 763, § 3).

2. The kinship which has been contracted constitutes an impediment diriment of marriage between the baptized person and the one baptizing and the sponsor (canon 1079), and causes a sin of lust committed by the aforesaid persons with the baptized person to be spiritual incest (St. Alphonsus, VI, 146, 147). Now "the receivers are to be admonished concerning the spiritual kinship which they contracted with the baptized person";¹ likewise concerning the impediment that has arisen.

3. It belongs to sponsors, from the office undertaken, to have the spiritual child perpetually commended to themselves, and, in those things which concern instruction in the Christian life, diligently to see to it that he show himself throughout his whole life such as, in the solemn ceremony, they promised he would be (canon 769). The obligation of sponsors is grave, but it binds only when parents or tutors are lacking. Practically, sponsors, where the baptized are "nourished among Catholic Christians, can sufficiently be excused from this care, presuming that they are diligently instructed by their parents; yet if in any way they should perceive the contrary, they would be bound, according to their manner, to spend care on the salvation of their spiritual children" (St. Thomas, q. 67, a. 8).

¹ Roman Ritual, title II, chapter 2, n. 31.