Baptism or Confirmation Sponsor Information

Congratulations! You have been asked to be a godparent or confirmation sponsor – what do you do next?

Please contact the Parish Office by phone 703-525-1300 or email stmparishoffice@cathedralstm.org  to set up a meeting with one on the priests so that you can sign a Sponsor-Godparent Eligibility Certificate  or sometimes called an Affidavit of Eligibility.   Please complete the form, download it, and bring it to the meeting with the priest.

A godparent in baptism takes upon himself/herself the responsibility of helping the newly baptized person mature in the living a Christian life and offers his or her own life and practice of the faith as an example of faith, prayer and service within the Catholic Church.

A sponsor for Confirmation continues that work for the person who is to be confirmed. The Sacrament of Confirmation also creates a strong spiritual bond between the one who is confirmed and the sponsor. The sponsor should be committed to trying to be a part of the confirmandi’s life by presence and prayer always realizing that a sponsor’s prayers for that person are especially efficacious before Almighty God.  One’s “yes” to be a sponsor for Confirmation is not just a “yes” to the candidate, but also a serious commitment to God in taking on this obligation.

What are the requirements of the Church for being a godparent or Confirmation sponsor?  According to Cannon Law 874:

• A godparent/sponsor must be someone other than the parent of the one to be baptized/confirmed.
• A godparent/sponsor must have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist.
• A godparent/sponsor must be at least 16 years of age and may be male or female regardless of the sex of the candidate.
• A godparent/sponsor must be leading a life in harmony with the faith and the role to be undertaken; therefore, if married, must be married in the Church and if single, must be striving to live a chaste life and therefore cannot be living with a person outside of marriage.
• A godparent/sponsor must be a practicing Catholic, registered in a parish, who regularly attends Mass on Sundays and Holy Days and receives the Holy Eucharist.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the parish office.  If you currently do not meet these requirements, are not in communion with the church and would like to be, please contact the parish office to discuss this matter further.