www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Godparent eligibility.

Can a Byzantine Catholic couple stand as godparents at an Episcopalian baptism?
(The mother of the child, sister to the husband of the requested couple, converted to her husband's faith. The baptizing minister has no objection.)
Thank you.

Haha, I might be going out on a limb, but I'm sure the Episcopal Church has no qualms with a non-Anglican Christian being a godparent to an Episcopalian child.

Now, from the Catholic Church's perspective, letting you be a godparent to one is more complicated I'm sure.

Logos Teen

From a Catholic perspective the answer is no. The reason is simple -- a godparent promises to help raise the child in the faith in which he or she was baptized. Clearly, no Catholic could promise to raise a child as a non-Catholic.

Edward, deacon and sinner

Talk to the priest (ie, the Catholic one) before hand. Most likely it will be okay, as they rarely stand in the way of these kinds of things from the perspective of the importance to the family. I'm also fairly certain that the Episcopalians wouldn't have any problem with it at all (they give communion to anyone who is baptized, for example).

There may be a priest or two out there who might say it's "okay" but Fr Deacon Ed gave the correct answer. It is not okay. Better to go with the teaching of the Church than to follow the bad advice of priest who might go against its teaching. The Catholic pastors I've known would not have given permission.

David Ignatius DTBrown@aol.com

Ah well, my wife was allowed to be a godparent at her nephews baptism in spite of the fact that she is not Catholic, but Orthodox. This was made clear to the priests at the time and they didn't block it at all. In the Melkite Church I would sometimes see Orthodox act as godparents -- it wasn't made a big deal of as long as there was one Melkite godparent. So my experience has been one of flexibility, not rigidity, in these matters.

The original question dealt with the Episcopal Church, not Orthodoxy. These are viewed differently by the Catholic Church.

David Ignatius DTBrown@aol.com

Brendan,

Since only one godparent is required, the presence of a Melkite solved the problem, and the Orthodox presence was an accomodation (sometimes called a "Christian witness").

Edward, deacon and sinner

Dear Friends,

Well, Brendan knows the practical issues surrounding this matter . . .

My brother and I have an Orthodox Godparent (and please, no puns about "Aha, so that explains it about you . . ." ).

The Episcopalian Church would have no problems with this and nor would many Catholic priests.

A friend of mine who is a strong convert to the OCA and will be ordained an Orthodox priest is also a religion teacher in a Catholic high school.

So he is like a "Godfather" to a few Catholic children . . .

Listen to Brendan. I always do!

Alex

Fifty years ago, my mother, a Greek Orthodox, stood as godmother to my first cousin, an Episcopalian!

(ofcourse, she doesn't quite mention this to Orthodox priests! )

Here is a tidbit: For many, many, years, atleast since my mom was a child, and she is 68 years old now, Greek Orthodox were told to go to the Episcopalian Church if there was no Greek Orthodox church around.

Wishing all of you the blessings of Pascha,
Alice

Interesting. I think that each situation would be addressed on its own merits. My wife had the blessing of our Orthodox priest to be a godparent (not a christian witness, because RCs have 2 godparents) at her nephews RC baptism (in fact he said, IIRC, "you'd better not refrain from doibg so because you are Orthodox"). I think that Dave is right that Episcopalians may be viewed differently, but still the fact remains that my wife, as a non-Catholic, can't really stengthen her godson in his "Catholic faith" (particularly since she was an ex-Catholic). All of this was known to the Catholic priest at the time, and yet it was not blocked.

Dear Brendan,

Well, my brother and I have always had a wonderful spiritual relationship with his Orthodox Godparent!

He taught us how to properly approach the Epitaphion. He has, in fact, kept us on the "straight and narrow" in terms of Eastern traditions.

He would always squint when he thought he was confronting a Latinization in our religious practice, for example.

His view was that union with Rome should have no effect on the full expression of traditional Orthodox liturgical and personal piety.

(He loves the current Pope!)

When he saw me wear my Orthodox three-bar Cross on my lapel, he put his hand on my shoulder and said, "You are a good man!"

"And so are you!" I always replied . . .

Alex

For many, many, years, at least since my mom was a child, and she is 68 years old now, Greek Orthodox were told to go to the Episcopalian Church if there was no Greek Orthodox church around.


ummm... well, here Orthodox sometimes recommend people to attend Roman parishes because of the natural affinities between Catholicism and Orthodoxy, but the case of the reformed Churches is seen in a very different way because there are profound differences.

I am told that the participation of someone as godparent imply a certain membership in the group within the Baptism is performed. The question here would be: Wouldn't an Orthodox or Catholic Christian who participates as godparent in this baptism be showing to others that he/she approves and fully supports the unorthodox religious environment in which the child will be raised?

Dear Snoopy,

Yes, it is curious...but the reason is that pre-Vatican II, ecumenism was not as it is now on the part of the RC church, so I assume, therefore, that this was reactionary on the part of the Greek Orthodox.

If it still held true post Vatican II, it is because of good old fashioned (and ridiculous) anti-papism. You may not be old enough, but my mom, who had many,many Irish Catholic girlfriends growing up,(and has attended many masses with them) remembers the time (pre Vatican II) when the Roman Catholic church thought that anyone who was not Catholic would not go to heaven. (For the record, the Baptists also thought that anyone who was not Baptist would not go to heaven), so, despite some drawbacks, one might say, thank God for the ecumenical movement!

In my own childhood, immediately post Vatican II, I remember a good long period where most Roman Catholics did not know what the Orthodox church was. I always had to explain, by saying, 'oh, we are just like you'. :p

Many blessings to you,
Alice

P.S. Sorry, I am a bit rushed trying to find time to answer this before going to Holy Tuesday night services, but, my whole answer to you was referring to why G.Orthodox were probably referred to the Anglican church IN THE PAST. Currently, although we had many liturgical similarities, and we both were not under the Pope, indeed, I believe that the Roman Catholic church would be recommended.

Alice

Alice