Sponsor Form

1. Only one Sponsor is required for Confirmation, the sponsor may be male or female. 
2.  The Sponsor must be at least 18 years old 
3. The Sponsor must be fully initiated (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist); if married, be in valid
4. Catholic marriage; which means not just civilly married, nor just living together with a partner. The Sponsor must be in good standing with the Church and live a life of active faith in the Catholic Church. ** 
5. The Sponsor should reflect a life of intentional Discipleship 
6. The Sponsor may NOT be a parent of the Candidate 
7. The Sponsor should be a relative or close friend, living in close proximity to, and someone with whom, the Candidate will not lose contact 
8. The sponsor should be trustworthy, a good listener, and willing to share the faith with the Candidate and lead by example. 
9. If the sponsor is not member of our Parish, a letter of "Good Standing” is needed from their 
10. parish of attendance. 

Marital Status:
 A Catholic sponsor who is married must be in a marriage that is recognized by the Catholic Church. Those in their first marriage must have been married either a) in a Catholic Church ceremony or b) in a church/synagogue ceremony with the permission of the Catholic Church. Catholics in second marriages must have had their first marriage annulled and their second marriage recognized or convalidated by the Catholic Church. Catholics presently in civil or common law marriages are not eligible to serve as a sponsor. 

Unmarried Status: 
If unmarried, a sponsor must be living a life consistent with a single person as defined by the Catholic Church. Anyone cohabitating with another person, e.g. living in a romantic relationship or as a couple, is ineligible to serve. 
 

**To be in good standing a person must, at least, fulfill the 5 Precepts of the Church: 

1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor. 
2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year. 
3. You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist regularly or at least during the Easter season. The godparent is a practicing Catholic who is free to receive Holy communion when he or she come to Mass 
4. You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church. 
5. You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church. 

Role of the Sponsor 

A Sponsor is a companion of faith for a lifetime, not just an honorary title The Sacrament of Confirmation celebrates an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and increases the gifts in us. These gifts give us the opportunity to be strong in professing our faith. Confirmation also completes baptismal grace. The Spirit has already been active in the Sacrament of Baptism. Confirmation strengthens our bonds with the Church and empowers us to witness. e. When confirmation is celebrated it more fully binds the candidate to the Church and enriches him or her with the special strength of the Holy Spirit to witness to Christ as a member of Christ's body. The sponsor represents the church, including the church's faith. The ecumenical directory Ad totam Ecclesiam states that sponsors "do not merely undertake a responsibility for the Christian education of the person being baptized (or confirmed) as a relation or friend; they are also there as representatives of a community of faith, standing as guarantees of the candidate's faith and desire for ecclesial communion." 

The Godparent is called to be: 

• A mentor who knows the Candidate well and can be a witness to the spiritual growth of the Candidate before the community of faith. 
• A model for the Candidate of how he, or she, can live as an intentional Disciple of Christ in today's world 
• Someone the Candidate can trust, confide in, and rely on to share the Truth A companion who will share the journey of faith, not only through Confirmation, but through a lifetime of Discipleship. Someone who is willing to grow in their own spiritual life, deepening their faith throughout the journey 

Expectations of the Sponsor 

• The sponsor assists the parents in bringing up their child to profess the faith and by giving good example. Parents are the principal educators of their children in the way of faith; sponsors assist them, while guaranteeing that same faith. Fully participate in the Liturgical Rites of the process with the Candidate
• Make regular contact with the Candidate outside of the required activities, encouraging a consistent  prayer life, weekly Mass attendance, discussion and reflection 
• Assist with the catechetical preparation of the Candidate 
• Guide the Candidate to a deeper, more active participation in the Church community 
• Pray regularly with and for the Candidate