Godparent & Sponsor Guidelines

A Godparent or Sponsor is a person of faith who is chosen to support a person receiving a Sacrament in living out a life of discipleship.  Acting as a Godparent for Baptism or as a Sponsor for Confirmation is both an honor and responsibility. A Godparent/Sponsor should be a role model of the Catholic faith, a companion on the journey of faith, and a representative of our Catholic community of faith.

Qualifications of Godparents/Sponsors

1. Be designated by the candidate, parents, guardians, or the pastor.
2. Have the qualifications and intention of performing the role of sponsor.
3. Be at least 16 years old.
4. Be a fully initiated Catholic (received Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist).
5. Lead a life in harmony with the faith and role of a sponsor (i.e., be a member of a parish, attend Mass on Sundays and holy days, not be in an irregular marriage, etc.).
6. Not be bound by a canonical penalty.
7. Not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized or confirmed.

Is there a specific number of Sponsors?

For Baptism, only one Godparent/Sponsor is required. If two are chosen, one must be male and the other female, one of whom may be a Christian witness (i.e., a non-Catholic Christian may fulfill this role).

For Confirmation, only one Sponsor is chosen.  Parents and candidates for Confirmation should consider asking one of the Baptismal Godparents to be a Confirmation Sponsor.  This choice enables the Baptismal Godparent to continue their role of providing spiritual support and guidance.  The Sponsor must be a practicing Catholic in good standing with a parish community since they will be asked to provide a ‘letter of eligibility’ to act in the role of Godparent/Sponsor.

How do I obtain a letter of eligibility?

Any active member of Our Lady of Grace Parish, who wishes to act as a Godparent for the Sacrament of Baptism or as a Sponsor for the Sacrament of Confirmation, can obtain a letter of eligibility by contacting the parish office by phone at 724-838-9480 or by completing the Godparent/Sponsor Letter form on our website. The person who will be acting as the Godparent or Sponsor must be the one to call or complete the form. We are unable to accept calls from parents, spouses, the candidate for whom you are to serve, or a family member of the sacramental candidate.

Upon calling the parish office or submitting your electronic request, a Certificate of Sponsorship will be issued for those who meet the requirements. All individuals who submit a request will be contacted by a staff member within one week of submitting the request. All eligibility letters must be signed at the parish office by the Godparent/Sponsor.

What if we/I don't know anyone to be a Godparent/Sponsor?  

For a variety of reasons, many parents are often concerned that they cannot find a suitable sponsor.  In the event that neither the candidate nor the parents or guardians can select a sponsor, the parish is happy to assist in finding a member of our faith community to fill the role of Godparent/Sponsor.