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Become a Sponsor/Godparent

You have been asked to be a confirmation sponsor for one of our young adults, or the godparent for a little child.  Congratulations!!  The person being Confirmed, or the parents of the newborn, must think highly of you.  As you know, here in the Catholic Church, you are required to obtain a certificate that states your eligibility to be a sponsor or godparent.  That means you satisfy the conditions necessary for this honor and responsibility.  We want to clarify what an eligible Catholic Sponsor is and is not:

An Eligible Catholic for Sponsorship is …as found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church

  • minimum of 16 years old, received the sacraments up to and including Confirmation, attends Mass weekly, is in a valid Catholic Marriage (if applicable), participates at the parish level outside of Mass.

An Eligible Catholic for Sponsorship is not …

  • An adult who does not attend Mass on a weekly basis
  • Married outside of the Catholic Church
  • An adult who claims a Catholic faith because they attended Catholic school
  • A former altar server
  • Having attended Mass as a child
  • Having parents currently attend Mass at a church where you grew up
  • A parent or grandparent of candidate
  • Registering with our church for the purpose of Sponsorship

If eligibility seems out of reach, we are happy to work with you by suggesting a course of action. If you would like to schedule an appointment to discuss your eligibility, please contact our office.

We must be forthright, and true as one important dimension of our beloved Catholic Church.  And, in this case, be authentic sponsors and godparents who truly and seriously intend to accompany our young people in their journey of faith!

Sponsorship Form

  • The Sponsor is chosen because they live their Catholic faith for the purpose of guiding the child/student to live their faith as God's beloved child. Together with the parent, the Sponsor presents the child for the Sacrament and helps guide them to live a life of holiness. Being a sponsor is not just an honor given to a good friend or relative. Sponsorship implies a real appreciation of our Catholic Faith, a lifestyle that proclaims the truth, and sense of responsibility toward the young person.
  • Please indicate which Sacrament you are sponsoring.
  • Please enter the Name of the Candidate for Sacrament.
  • MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • *Remember, a Catholic sponsor MUST be 16 years of age and confirmed. A sponsor must be fully initiated into the Catholic faith. The sponsor is baptized and confirmed. Please list your Church of Baptism.
  • A sponsor must be canonically free to carry out this office. This means that Catholics in an invalid marriage (according to Catholic Church regulations) and those that are cohabiting (living together without marriage) cannot serve as a sponsor.
  • A sponsor must know the fundamental truths of the Faith and be a practicing Catholic who attends Mass on Sundays and receives the sacraments of Holy Communion and Reconciliation regularly.
  • If you do not attend Mass weekly, please explain why:
  • A sponsor must NOT be the father, mother, stepparent or custodial guardian of the candidate for baptism. What is your relationship to this child (i.e.: grandparent, aunt, uncle, friend, etc.)?
  • Our Mother of Sorrows Church will certify a sponsor if they provide an authentic commitment to their Catholic Faith.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.