God parent dilemma (or in my case non dilemma).

Surfbabe

My brother and sister both had our parents and then in my brothers case a male friend and my sisters case a female friend as godparents. So you can stand as father and godfather at the same time. problem solved.

Mojisola

Surfbabe said:

My brother and sister both had our parents and then in my brothers case a male friend and my sisters case a female friend as godparents. So you can stand as father and godfather at the same time. problem solved.

It varies from church to church so it needs checking with the vicar/priest/pastor.

MrsStepford

If you're living in a predominantly Catholic European country, the baptism/christening stuff is probably more of a tradition. I suggest  asking other half. Does he have a school-college-uni friend he likes ? Or a former boss he got on with ? Or does he know a respected local politician ? Or is there a known-b-everyone local character ? Or what about the barman/chef at your favourite bar/restaurant.? Godparents don't have to be relatives. 

Alan2020

If this is a Catholic country, you would most probably need a Godfather.  I don't think in the religion there is something called a Godmother, there is only a godfather and several number of other witnesses.  If the person is a female people call them a godmother, but I highly doubt its actually recogonised officially - might be wrong, ask the priest.  Without a godfather your child won't fit in that community.  Its the same in the UK, you won't get into catholic schools etc  So find someone and sort it out.
Its a bit like a parent in England trying to not have a surname for their child.

Mojisola

Alan2020 said:

If this is a Catholic country, you would most probably need a Godfather.  I don't think in the religion there is something called a Godmother, there is only a godfather and several number of other witnesses.  If the person is a female people call them a godmother, but I highly doubt its actually recogonised officially - might be wrong, ask the priest.  Without a godfather your child won't fit in that community.  Its the same in the UK, you won't get into catholic schools etc  So find someone and sort it out.

I don't think that's right.  The Code of Canon Law says “There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each.”

Alan2020

Mojisola said:

Alan2020 said:

If this is a Catholic country, you would most probably need a Godfather.  I don't think in the religion there is something called a Godmother, there is only a godfather and several number of other witnesses.  If the person is a female people call them a godmother, but I highly doubt its actually recogonised officially - might be wrong, ask the priest.  Without a godfather your child won't fit in that community.  Its the same in the UK, you won't get into catholic schools etc  So find someone and sort it out.

I don't think that's right.  The Code of Canon Law says “There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each.”

Sorry I am not an expert, I am pretty sure there aren't female priests etc In strict EU RC countries, I highly doubt they will be entertaining the baptism of a child with 2 godmother or 2 godfathers - I just vaguely remember this a someone was looking around for a godfather and they needed a lot of paperwork.  I doubt any random person can be sponsor.

Mickey666

littlegreenparrot said:

I have a godmother and don't have a godfather so I don't find it weird. 
Never understood why though as neither my parents or her are religious so it was meaningless. 

Many people don't have them at all, it depends what you mean by 'necessary'. 

The naming of godparents is part of the christening ceremony to welcome the child into the church, if that ceremony is important to you then every part is. If it's not important because you're not religious I guess the question would be why do it in the first place? 

I'm godfather to my nephew and niece.  However, I'm not religious and initially resisted.  My sister knew that but she felt it was less about the religious aspect and more about 'secular pastoral' support (if that makes sense?) plus the comfort of knowing there would be someone to help them should the worst happen to their parents - so on that basis I was happy to accept.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of 'welcoming the child into the church' because it seems like indoctrination to me.  I'd far rather than children were genuinely educated equally about all religions so that they could form their own opinions, which could then be formally recognised with the appropriate ceremony at a suitable age and with their active consent.

After all, if religion is an article of faith, how can a child possibly be born into a particular religion, when true faith must surely require a person to decide for themselves and not be 'told'?

Mojisola

Alan2020 said:

Mojisola said:

I don't think that's right.  The Code of Canon Law says “There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each.”

Sorry I am not an expert, I am pretty sure there aren't female priests etc In strict EU RC countries, I highly doubt they will be entertaining the baptism of a child with 2 godmother or 2 godfathers - I just vaguely remember this a someone was looking around for a godfather and they needed a lot of paperwork.  I doubt any random person can be sponsor.

Not sure of the relevance of the priest's gender.
It clearly says in my post that a child can have just one godparent (either sex) or one of each. 
Godparents do need to be regular church goers and would need written confirmation from their parish priest. 

Sandtree

Retireby40 said:

Do people think it is necessary to have God parents.

Obviously not

These things are religious and so it depends on your beliefs and preferred doctrine. Whilst in Roman Catholic its common to have a godmother and godfather the last equivalent we went to was a naming ceremony where the baby was given 4 guardians and rather than promising to bring the baby up in christianity they instead promised to together make the child balanced by bringing the characteristics of fire, wind, earth and water... wasn't surprised that they ask my wife to be the fire guardian 

Its up to you, your beliefs and your culture to decide what you want to do.

Mickey666

Mojisola said:

Alan2020 said:

Mojisola said:

I don't think that's right.  The Code of Canon Law says “There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each.”

Sorry I am not an expert, I am pretty sure there aren't female priests etc In strict EU RC countries, I highly doubt they will be entertaining the baptism of a child with 2 godmother or 2 godfathers - I just vaguely remember this a someone was looking around for a godfather and they needed a lot of paperwork.  I doubt any random person can be sponsor.

Not sure of the relevance of the priest's gender.
It clearly says in my post that a child can have just one godparent (either sex) or one of each. 
Godparents do need to be regular church goers and would need written confirmation from their parish priest. 

Not in my case.  My church-going is limited to weddings and funerals, except for the two occasions I was made a Godparent in my sister's church, which is nowhere near my home parish.  I certainly didn't get any paperwork from my parish priest. 

Also, I'm told I was christened, yet I have nothing to actually prove this and I don't know which church I was christened in.  I also didn't even attend my parish church when my banns were read prior to my own church wedding elsewhere, so it all seems very vague when it comes to church-related paperwork.