Anonymous
Post 01/16/2014 21:04     Subject: Jewish godparent for Catholic baptism?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had my Jewish college roommate as my third Godchild together with my sister and BIL. She stood up with siter and BIL but didn't speak the affirmations. She was very honored.


She's still not officially a godparent even if she stood up during the ceremony.


OP here. As I stated, I am well aware that our Catholic nephew would be the only "official" godparent, but given that a non-Catholic supporter is permitted to stand and be part of the ceremony, it is extremely rude of you to belittle an event in which someone was "very honored." I was not asking for details on Canon law about who qualifies as official godparents. Let it go.

I think this is something we will just have to bring up with the priest ahead of time. Thank you all for your input. We are looking for a way to honor the special relationship that our friend has developed with our daughter (who is three years old, so we're already in the Catholic dog house), and I know that she would take the role of godparent very seriously. Our nephew on the other hand, well, we needed somebody Catholic. If it cna't be done, we will likely just have our nephew at the actual baptism and on the certificate, and have an outside of church celebration with our friend as her godmother.


This all would have been so much simpler and genuine without the Catholic Church involved. No need for a Catholic shill of a nephew, no being in the dog house for waiting three years for a baptism and no sneaking in of the real parent-surrogate just because she's the wrong religion. Weird too, that you presume that God accepts all this maneuvering around the rules of what is supposedly his church.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2014 14:05     Subject: Jewish godparent for Catholic baptism?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had my Jewish college roommate as my third Godchild together with my sister and BIL. She stood up with siter and BIL but didn't speak the affirmations. She was very honored.


She's still not officially a godparent even if she stood up during the ceremony.


OP here. As I stated, I am well aware that our Catholic nephew would be the only "official" godparent, but given that a non-Catholic supporter is permitted to stand and be part of the ceremony, it is extremely rude of you to belittle an event in which someone was "very honored." I was not asking for details on Canon law about who qualifies as official godparents. Let it go.

I think this is something we will just have to bring up with the priest ahead of time. Thank you all for your input. We are looking for a way to honor the special relationship that our friend has developed with our daughter (who is three years old, so we're already in the Catholic dog house), and I know that she would take the role of godparent very seriously. Our nephew on the other hand, well, we needed somebody Catholic. If it cna't be done, we will likely just have our nephew at the actual baptism and on the certificate, and have an outside of church celebration with our friend as her godmother.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2014 19:44     Subject: Jewish godparent for Catholic baptism?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had my Jewish college roommate as my third Godchild together with my sister and BIL. She stood up with siter and BIL but didn't speak the affirmations. She was very honored.


She's still not officially a godparent even if she stood up during the ceremony.


Something's are just between us and God, we don't need a legislative body run by men to tell us who will be he best person to help us raise our kids in the manner God would want.


Fine, then you are probably describing more of a christening. I'm not familiar with how other denominations operate in these circumstances and maybe the requirements are more lenient.

But if you flout the rules because this thing, this ceremony, is "just between [you] and God" is counter to the whole purpose of a baptism, maybe even a christening? Don't know.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2014 19:40     Subject: Jewish godparent for Catholic baptism?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had my Jewish college roommate as my third Godchild together with my sister and BIL. She stood up with siter and BIL but didn't speak the affirmations. She was very honored.


She's still not officially a godparent even if she stood up during the ceremony.


Something's are just between us and God, we don't need a legislative body run by men to tell us who will be he best person to help us raise our kids in the manner God would want.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2014 19:23     Subject: Jewish godparent for Catholic baptism?
Anonymous wrote:I had my Jewish college roommate as my third Godchild together with my sister and BIL. She stood up with siter and BIL but didn't speak the affirmations. She was very honored.


She's still not officially a godparent even if she stood up during the ceremony.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2014 18:05     Subject: Jewish godparent for Catholic baptism?
I had my Jewish college roommate as my third Godchild together with my sister and BIL. She stood up with siter and BIL but didn't speak the affirmations. She was very honored.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2014 17:59     Subject: Jewish godparent for Catholic baptism?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of the PPs are making up the rules or just speculating - ask your parish priest. Our daughter was baptized in spring 2012 and the priest was very clear that only one of the godparents needed to be Catholic. The other could be of any background - including one of the other two religions we have in the family - and we could even have up to 3 godparents if we wanted.


Well of course you can have anyone up there you wish but Canon law is very clear on who qualifies as a Godparent. Check 872-874.


True but I hate my BIL and I only wanted my sister to be the godparent. So she is the only one on the baptismal certificate. But my BIl stood up there like he was the godfather and he tells everybody he is the godfather and he signs cards that say "your godfather". So what... You think a Jewish person cares if their name is on the baptismal certificate.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2014 17:55     Subject: Jewish godparent for Catholic baptism?
Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of the PPs are making up the rules or just speculating - ask your parish priest. Our daughter was baptized in spring 2012 and the priest was very clear that only one of the godparents needed to be Catholic. The other could be of any background - including one of the other two religions we have in the family - and we could even have up to 3 godparents if we wanted.


Well of course you can have anyone up there you wish but Canon law is very clear on who qualifies as a Godparent. Check 872-874.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2014 16:40     Subject: Jewish godparent for Catholic baptism?
I think a lot of the PPs are making up the rules or just speculating - ask your parish priest. Our daughter was baptized in spring 2012 and the priest was very clear that only one of the godparents needed to be Catholic. The other could be of any background - including one of the other two religions we have in the family - and we could even have up to 3 godparents if we wanted.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2014 16:18     Subject: Re:Jewish godparent for Catholic baptism?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I was the godmother for my nephew and the godfather was Jewish so it can be done.


Of course it can be done but should it be done?


Sure, most godparent have little to no role in the child's life. It is a ceremony.


Well if you make the decision the baptize your child as Catholic then it isn't a ceremony. It is an actual sacrament and should be treated as one. If you want just a ceremony why not do it at home and not involve the religion?


Jews have no place in holy sacraments, only in human friendships. You might be forced to choose which one is most important to you.


Maybe not for you. I'm the PP whose son has a Jewish godparent. Works for us. And it worked for our parish priest, too.

::shrug::
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2014 15:46     Subject: Jewish godparent for Catholic baptism?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm planning on Atheist godparents. Which I think might be an oxymoron....

Oxymorons are the best morons.

That's probably the most moronic thing I've written lately, but what's the point of anonymity if you can't indulge your baser instincts now and then?


Anonymous
Post 01/14/2014 15:20     Subject: Re:Jewish godparent for Catholic baptism?
Anonymous wrote:
Jews have no place in holy sacraments, only in human friendships. You might be forced to choose which one is most important to you.


But the same could be said for non-Catholic Christians. If you're not Catholic, you're out. So why allow a "Christian witness" as a cermonial godparent but not a Jew?


Theoretically the Christian witness will also assist the child to grow with a strong spiritual life, a Christian one. That's the whole point of the baptism, to initiate the child into a communion with the trinity.

A person of the Jewish faith is not aligned with these beliefs?

That's not to say the child cannot have Jewish mentors who help him/her grow up with a deep belief in God and a respect and love for others but the sacrament is more specific than all that.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2014 13:53     Subject: Re:Jewish godparent for Catholic baptism?
Anonymous wrote:I was the godmother for my nephew and the godfather was Jewish so it can be done.

Which church was it at?
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2014 13:47     Subject: Re:Jewish godparent for Catholic baptism?
Jews have no place in holy sacraments, only in human friendships. You might be forced to choose which one is most important to you.


But the same could be said for non-Catholic Christians. If you're not Catholic, you're out. So why allow a "Christian witness" as a cermonial godparent but not a Jew?
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2014 20:31     Subject: Jewish godparent for Catholic baptism?
Anonymous wrote:My husband is a godparent of a Catholic child. He had to call his childhood parish and have his first communion record sent to the baptizing church.


And Pope Francis is saying Atheists can go to heaven? something doesn't add up here.