Godparents Role

Lots of questions here that I don’t know the answers to either. Hopefully everyone will figure it out before the baby is born. But I’m with everyone who says they don’t need to be at the hospital during labor. I’m sure they didn’t want them in the room then. Also, I’m pretty sure DS and FDIL don’t know the other godparents. I don’t really have a say either way but wanted to get other’s opinions. If I get answers, I’ll come back and post.
 
I don't get wanting a crowd at the hospital when in labor and just after baby is born.

We had 4 kids. I only wanted dh and the medical staff there. And any of them were subject to dismissal if they stepped out of line. Lol

Family/friends were welcome hours later that day or the next or at home.
 
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We are not Catholic.

Thanks for your speedy replies! I always thought the role was to raise the child(ren) in the death of the parents also. And another weird thing is, they're different denominations so it's not about raising the child in their chosen faith. I think it's more a symbolic thing maybe? FDIL was the one who told me about being at the hospital and when I asked DS about it and he didn't know anything about it.

Neither of the couples is Catholic and as far as everyone knows, the baby is perfectly healthy.

I am confused, where does being Catholic fit in? if you family isn't and the new parents aren't??

DS and his fiancee have been asked to be godparents for their friend's baby. They were told that when she goes into labor, they have to go to the hospital immediately. This is okay if it's on the weekend I guess but DS is a paramedic and FDIL is a dental assistant, so they can't just leave work at a moments notice. I think it's a lot to ask of a young couple who needs to work. I think getting to the hospital as soon as possible after the baby is born should be sufficient. The couple expecting the baby have another child and it's godparents are someone else if that matters. I realize it it totally none of my business but I was wondering if anyone else had heard of this or what everyone's take on it is.

Um this sounds like a couple that are about to impose greatly on your DS/FDIL! Never ever ever heard of this, sounds like they made it up and it sounds like they expect them to be highly involved .... I would be coming up with a "sorry I don't feel prepared for the role and you need to ask someone else." I mean if they expect them at hospital I can't imagine they type of other "support" they might want.

Maybe like Lilac's DH family .... never ever heard of that one either. o_O

In DH's family, the Godparent is there to pay for everything the parents don't want to pay for. The Baptism, the party...the 1st birthday....1st communion....graduation party....etc - there is always a hand out, waiting for money. I think they mainly just pick godparents so the kid will have an automatic benefactor. It's such a sham. These people don't even go to Church, except for sacraments.

In my family, Godparents are chosen based on how well they will spiritually guide the child. There are no mandatory time or financial obligations.

We are non-practicing Catholics (I was raised in the Church, but have not been that great about raising my kids in it) - so I am pretty sure baptisms will not happen in the next generation and my grandkids will not have Godparents at all.

Yes, the Catholic church does require the Godparents to be practicing Catholics. There is an allowance made that one Godparent is a Catholic in good standing and the other can be a Christian Witness.

DH was raised Catholic, while I had Catholic grandparent I was raised Protestant. We got married Catholic as it made his folks happy and I didn't care. We had each kid Christened Catholic, again all the Grands happy we did the "blessing".

Catholic Church expected Godparents to be Catholic since their role is to assist in the religious education of the kids. I think most churches it is symbolic witnesses to the event.
Church 1, Kid 1 both Godparents Catholic
Church 1, Kid 2 one Godparent Catholic (church okay with it)
Church 2, Kid 3 one Godparent practicing Catholic, one raised but not practicing Catholic
No child participated in any further activities

Church 1, allowed DH to be Godparent for a niece. She is adult, he never did anything after that day. Just "a witness".

Church 3, would not allow DH to be a Godparent for a niece because he couldn't prove he had tithed a minimum amount of money to the Catholic Church. They required both to be Catholic and tithing.

Lots of questions here that I don’t know the answers to either. Hopefully everyone will figure it out before the baby is born. But I’m with everyone who says they don’t need to be at the hospital during labor. I’m sure they didn’t want them in the room then. Also, I’m pretty sure DS and FDIL don’t know the other godparents. I don’t really have a say either way but wanted to get other’s opinions. If I get answers, I’ll come back and post.

Other godparents? Are they expecting twins?

Are they planning 2 Godmothers and 2 Godfathers for 1 child? Oh my ... red flags ....
 
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I am confused, where does being Catholic fit in? if you family isn't and the new parents aren't??



Um this sounds like a couple that are about to impose greatly on your DS/FDIL! Never ever ever heard of this, sounds like they made it up and it sounds like they expect them to be highly involved .... I would be coming up with a "sorry I don't feel prepared for the role and you need to ask someone else." I mean if they expect them at hospital I can't imagine they type of other "support" they might want.

Maybe like Lilac's DH family .... never ever heard of that one either. o_O





DH was raised Catholic, while I had Catholic grandparent I was raised Protestant. We got married Catholic as it made his folks happy and I didn't care. We had each kid Christened Catholic, again all the Grands happy we did the "blessing".

Catholic Church expected Godparents to be Catholic since their role is to assist in the religious education of the kids. I think most churches it is symbolic witnesses to the event.
Church 1, Kid 1 both Godparents Catholic
Church 1, Kid 2 one Godparent Catholic (church okay with it)
Church 2, Kid 3 one Godparent practicing Catholic, one raised but not practicing Catholic
No child participated in any further activities

Church 1, allowed DH to be Godparent for a niece. She is adult, he never did anything after that day. Just "a witness".

Church 3, would not allow DH to be a Godparent for a niece because he couldn't prove he had tithed a minimum amount of money to the Catholic Church. They required both to be Catholic and tithing.



Other godparents? Are they expecting twins?

Are they planning 2 Godmothers and 2 Godfathers for 1 child?
Oh my ... red flags ....
I believe she said they had an older child, too.
 


I believe she said they had an older child, too.

They have an older child. I was referencing his godparents.

I see that now. I missed the older child part, the latter post sounded like this baby had two sets.

It should be a non-issue.

My #1 and #3 kids godparents didn't know each other at all. One of #2's knew none of the others.

Honestly they were nothing more than witnesses to the day.

Two have passed, one we have no idea where they are and rest are family.
 
As well as Grandfather, I was asked to be Godfather to my youngest granddaughter. My daughter asked me in spite of my not having stepped foot in a church for 20 years, except for a funeral or two! No one asked me about it other then was I Catholic. Pretty loose requirements I guess. I spent more time listening to hear if rafters were giving way because of the shock of my actually showing up. Another one of life's individual stories. It's a strange world after all.
 


In some Christian churches, baptism is equivalent to confirmation in the Catholic church - it's a step the individual takes when they feel fully ready to commit/dedicate themselves to the faith "publicly". Churches who follow that doctrine and practice will dedicate babies, and then as the child grows they can decide to be baptized at whatever point they are able to knowingly and independently declare their faith.

Lutherans also follow the tradition of confirmation, so I am familiar. It is preceded by instruction to inform the decision of confirming.

The reason I cannot understand when baptism will or could occur with our godson is it is not tied to instruction or age -- nor anything else including statement of desire or intent. They have changed churches they are worshiping with twice since the dedication, so that may factor in, or not.
 
Aren’t Godparents usually someone close to the couple? Perhaps the mother has seen Godparents at the birth and just assumed it was some kind of requirement?

Ds and his gf are Godparents to the child of a close friend of his. They were at the hospital for the birth (not in the room with her just there) but it was more for moral support than a duty. The father was extremely nervous and just needed a friend there, I guess.
 
Lutherans also follow the tradition of confirmation, so I am familiar. It is preceded by instruction to inform the decision of confirming.

The reason I cannot understand when baptism will or could occur with our godson is it is not tied to instruction or age -- nor anything else including statement of desire or intent. They have changed churches they are worshiping with twice since the dedication, so that may factor in, or not.

They are non denominational? My guess would be his baptism will be when he makes that decision and it will come at the age he seems able to make that decision which is really up to him. I attend a non denominational church and that is the way baptism is done in our church. Of course not all are the same.


Any instruction would come after the child approaches someone in the church about baptism. Maybe be any time as a child or as an adult.
 
They are non denominational? My guess would be his baptism will be when he makes that decision and it will come at the age he seems able to make that decision which is really up to him. I attend a non denominational church and that is the way baptism is done in our church. Of course not all are the same.


Any instruction would come after the child approaches someone in the church about baptism. Maybe be any time as a child or as an adult.

In the case of my church (a Christian & Missionary Alliance church), "instruction" was more in the form of children's church during regular worship time, and the evening Kids' programming. They were still being taught about the bible but in a less "school" style setting. Once kids are middle school age and participating in youth group, they have small group bible study and biblical teaching during youth group time. Instruction is still happening, but it's a lot more organic/less formal.
 
We are not Catholic. DS and his fiancee have been asked to be godparents for their friend's baby. They were told that when she goes into labor, they have to go to the hospital immediately. This is okay if it's on the weekend I guess but DS is a paramedic and FDIL is a dental assistant, so they can't just leave work at a moments notice. I think it's a lot to ask of a young couple who needs to work. I think getting to the hospital as soon as possible after the baby is born should be sufficient. The couple expecting the baby have another child and it's godparents are someone else if that matters. I realize it it totally none of my business but I was wondering if anyone else had heard of this or what everyone's take on it is.

Never heard of the being at the hospital part (which is a good thing, since my Goddaughter lives in another state!) I didn't meet her until her Christening, and I enjoy my role from afar by sending Birthday cards and Christmas presents. I'm not Catholic, and neither is she.

DS was baptized Catholic (as DH is Catholic, and I didn't mind) and we chose his Godparents on the basis of who among our friends would be great for him to go to if he had religious questions over the years that he didn't want to talk to us about.

I always thought a godparents role was to take care of the child if they became on orphan, honestly.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Often, siblings will have separate Godparents, but in a tragedy, be kept together with grandparents or other relatives.

My own DS's Godparents are not a couple, and he would have been unlikely to go to either of them if something had happened to us when he was younger. (His grandparents were first "in line" and another couple of a completely different religion was second.)

I am Catholic - I've never heard of this. Sounds like a personal request by the parents-to-be, not an official Godparent duty required by the church.

I agree.

In my family we are all different religions. We were brought up Catholic but my sister is some weird nondenominational faith, one brother is Catholic and the other is agnostic, my mom was brought up episcopal but converted to Catholic when she married, my husband is episcopal but was raised Lutheran, and I'm atheist.

Your description sounds so familiar to me! :laughing: My religious education is a mish-mash of different traditions. I tell people I'm kind of a "mutt". :dog:

Just curious, does your god parent “ duty” expire when the child turns 18?

We still exchange Christmas cards with DH's, and he's 48. :teeth:
 
As well as Grandfather, I was asked to be Godfather to my youngest granddaughter. My daughter asked me in spite of my not having stepped foot in a church for 20 years, except for a funeral or two! No one asked me about it other then was I Catholic. Pretty loose requirements I I spent more time listening to hear if rafters were giving way because of the shock of my actually showing up. Another one of life's individual stories. It's a strange world after all.
It's true, clergy can interpret things differently. I had four godparents picked out. (Twins.) At my local parish the priest was adamant that all had to be practicing Catholics who regularly attended church. Three attended church regularly, and one did not. Priest insisted that the one person could not be a godparent. This seemed to be different than anything I'd seen or heard of before, so I checked with another priest, we talked about it, and he was ok with that person as godparent. He invited us to come there for the Baptism and we did. I thought it was ironic since we as parents weren't attending church regularly. We are also godparents to two. So it just depends. I think there are some who remain very strict about it, but there are others who recognize that things like this can turn people away. (And my parish did lose a lot of long time parishoners from this one priest who was strict/unreasonable about a lot of things.) I understand it's a doctrine issue, but it's one I don't care to take on.
 
Godparents are a Christian thing, but it wouldn't surprise me to learn that other religions have their own version of them.

Having been raised Catholic but moving to a different Christian faith long ago I just never really saw it much outside of the Catholic church myself. I think a big part is I moved to a faith that doesn't participate in infant baptism. I guess a more accurate assumption (which is likely also not correct) is that Godparents are a part of Christian faiths that do infant baptisms.

You learn something new every day.
 
Having been raised Catholic but moving to a different Christian faith long ago I just never really saw it much outside of the Catholic church myself. I think a big part is I moved to a faith that doesn't participate in infant baptism. I guess a more accurate assumption (which is likely also not correct) is that Godparents are a part of Christian faiths that do infant baptisms.

You learn something new every day.

I would assume that is correct too. I've witnessed Catholic, Protestant and Lutheran baptisms but all were infants.
 
For those who don't know, Martin Luther was a former Catholic priest, therefore many of the Lutheran practices and traditions are very much similar to those found in Catholicism. Both will baptize candidates well beyond infant age.
 

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