We’ve all been to baptisms galore and while it may not be doing “brain surgery” and there are some things that need to be restated from time-to-time for our own edification.

Many people have concerns and sometimes difficulties in selecting godparents. With many people not regularly practicing their faith or not having any faith at all, it can be difficult to know many who can fulfill the role of a godparent in today’s world, sadly.

What is a godparent?

• A godparent is someone who practices their Catholic faith by regularly attending Mass, receiving the Sacraments of the Church, and living their Catholic faith out in their daily lives. A godparent needs to have a sponsorship form from their pastor, meaning that their priest knows them and can testify (that’s what the form asks the priest to do) that they are Catholics in good standing (and that means living out their faith, not simply that they are baptized or was once an altar server).

• A godparent is asked during the baptism if they are able and ready to help the parents of the baptized child to lead them in the ways of faith. This is very hard to do if one does not believe in the faith or does not live the faith out. And we ask them this question in the pres-ence of God at Church. A godparent is much more than an honorarium, even more than a favorite aunt or uncle, and yes, more than a best friend from college—while they all may be “good people,” the Lord has asked us to select those who are “righteous” (meaning they are working as hard as they can to live out their faith in life) and will be people whom the young child will see and recognize as a living, breathing Catholic Christian...a witness to our faith.

If you are finding it hard to locate someone to be a godparent, you are not alone. But I suggest that you contact your priest and ask for his help. Here at Saint Catherine we have people who are willing to help by becoming a godparent and be a real example of faith to a young mind—leading others to see that today one can live faith day-in, day-out