Cannot find a sponsor for DC's Catholic confirmation

[Anonymous]

Will be coming up in the next 6-8 months. Baptism godparent is no longer a practicing Catholic and I can't because I'm the parent.

Basically the rest of our family and close friends are Protestant, and while they are very good Christians, that will not cut it for a Catholic confirmation.

I've heard the church can try to assign someone but we will be at a new parish by then and I really don't care for some forced pairing!

Has anyone been through this? Any tips?

[Anonymous]

Any of the god parent's family member still practicing? Maybe they could proxy for her? What about someone from your old church? Someone in a bible study class willing to step in for you? Are any of your child's friends practicing Catholics. Maybe one of their parents could serve as the godparent, that might actually be sweet, and keep your child a bit more involved.

[Anonymous]

I was going to suggest similar things. Has your child had a particular affinity for any of his/her religious education teachers, or even a nun or priest at your current parish? Have you ever seen any of your neighbors at weekend Mass? If they seem like good people, approach them and perhaps build a relationship.

When my husband converted I couldn't be his sponsor so he asked a friend of our's. She was incredibly honored and touched, it has actually made our two families even closer.

[Anonymous]

When I was confirmed, the church just set me up with an adult in the church. It was nice -- they were a young couple with a baby and I enjoyed getting to know this family outside our usual circle. As I recall, pretty much everyone in the confirmation class was "set up" as a way of building connections throughout the church community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was going to suggest similar things. Has your child had a particular affinity for any of his/her religious education teachers, or even a nun or priest at your current parish? Have you ever seen any of your neighbors at weekend Mass? If they seem like good people, approach them and perhaps build a relationship.

We will have moved to a different area and parish by then. And haven't been at our current one very long.

[Anonymous]

^ and the place we are moving to isn't permanent either. Work has us move frequently.

[Anonymous]

Just let the church assign him a sponsor. That's what happened when we went through RCIA and we are still very close to that family. They were wonderful!

[Anonymous]

I would ask the religion teacher or priest for suggestions. They should be able to help. Just explain the situation and the frequent moves. i think this comes up a lot.

[Anonymous]

I must be old and forgetful because I don't remember having an adult sponsor. I do remember my confirmation, even the name I chose but not the sponsor part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just let the church assign him a sponsor. That's what happened when we went through RCIA and we are still very close to that family. They were wonderful!

I agree. This is how our protestant church handled this when I was younger, and I built a wonderful relationship with my older sponsor. I think it's a nice affirmation to your child that we can have "family" in the church who are not our own family, and that we can have bonds with others who are different from us in many respects, but who share our foundational faith.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will be coming up in the next 6-8 months. Baptism godparent is no longer a practicing Catholic and I can't because I'm the parent.

Basically the rest of our family and close friends are Protestant, and while they are very good Christians, that will not cut it for a Catholic confirmation.

I've heard the church can try to assign someone but we will be at a new parish by then and I really don't care for some forced pairing!

Has anyone been through this? Any tips?

Any of them Episcopalian or Anglican?

[Anonymous]

Which parish?

[Anonymous]

Aunts, uncles, cousins, coaches, friend's parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aunts, uncles, cousins, coaches, friend's parent

Again, they are Protestants or simply not close enough to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aunts, uncles, cousins, coaches, friend's parent

Again, they are Protestants or simply not close enough to us.

You don't know anybody they is Catholic. Ever family member, every friend, every coach, every teacher. Not 1 catholic person in your child's life?