Godparents

[Caran]

Granddaughter aged 21 told me today she was going to be a Godmother to her friends baby, she is really excited about it.
I'm sure you have to be confirmed to be a Godparent.
None of my grandchildren have been confirmed as mother is not religious at all.
Am I correct in my thinking this?

[woofgang]

nope. Some churches may exist who require it but its not universal in the Church of England. You don't even have to have been christened or be a regular churchgoer.

[woofgang]

Here it says you must be christened to be a godparent but I have no idea how they would know if you weren't.
https://churchofenglandchristenings.org/for-parents/choosing-godparents/

[Caran]

Just realised I mean Christened, they haven't been confirmed either as never been to Church.

[pixie374]

No, you don't usually have to be christened, but it might be worth looking at the church's website to check.

[woofgang]

pixie, the Church of England's own website says that you do have be christened....but again I wonder how they'd know if you weren't.

[murraymints]

Catholic church usually asks for christened , not sure about confirmed

[woofgang]

this RC website requires good practicing catholics
http://www.ourladyofsorrowspeckham.co.uk/GodparentsSponsors.htm

[Prudie]

Maybe it's up to individual vicars so worth checking. My daughter was in this exact situation last year and had to be christened (as was another godparent) at the same service as the baby's. C of E

[Cloverjo]

My sister is godmother to my son, and she has not been Christened.

[ummmm]

I was never asked any questions about my choice of Godparents.

[bednobs]

it's individual churches/vicars that decide in C of E. My daughter was christened in 2013. The vicar told us that the godparents had to be christened, and one of our choices wasn't. she was allowed to be part of the ceremony but not allowed to do the talking part. Our other choices, although not christened, were back from being missionaries so sort of "qualified"!

[diddlydo]

I have Goddaughter but I wasn't ever confirmed. My son is a Godfather but he has not been christened or confirmed - he was never asked any questions by the vicar.

[roopower]

Difficult one. The godparents are supposed to see that the child is bought up as a Christian and the vows include responses like "I believe and trust in Him". My nice had a civil naming ceremony which was lovely.

[Islay]

Depends on the priest or vicar normally.
I wasn't able to be godparent to 2 of my nieces as the catholic priest didn't allow CofE to be god parents but the new priest didn't mind.
My other godchildren are all CofE and I was asked if I was christened and was asked to produce proof which luckily I had.

[EDDIE51]

You are supposed to be baptised but not confirmed.Churches used to ask for either a baptism certificate or the details of the church where the baptism took place. Now they still ask if Godparents are baptised but they take your word for it. If you are prepared to lie about it you can't be much of a Godparent. One of the main duties of a Godparent is to teach the child right from wrong.

[Cloverjo]

Does anyone take Godparent duties seriously? My OH is GF to a friend's son, and I had to laugh when I read the 'duties' he had to the boy. My sister certainly isn't 'Godmotherly' to my son.

OH's godchild thinks it just means he has to come and live with us if his parents die. He and his brother were arguing over who had the better godparent. OH didn't win that argument :/

[ummmm]

Like I said...we were never asked, neither were our chosen Godparents.

[bednobs]

my daughters godparents do - they no longer live in this country (and moral guidance to a six year old is hard to do over the phone) so instead they make a monthly donation to the mission in Sierra leone on her behalf, which they tell her all about.

[woofgang]

I was christened using the adult service at age 10. My parents had no idea why I wasn't christened at birth it just worked out that way. I have also been confirmed but have no proof of either.

[woofgang]

I take my duties seriously. I "inherited" a godchild when my husband died. I know its not an officially accepted option within the church but its a real "thing" between me and my godchild and my friend whose child it is.