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Original poster

Un-Christened Godparents?

29 replies

PixiNanny · 20/08/2009 19:33

I was wondering if God Parents had to be christened? My good friend has asked me and three others to be her son's god parents, the two other women have been christened, as has the god father, but I haven't, and none of us know if I have to be or not?

OP posts:
Meglet · 20/08/2009 19:40

I think different churches have different rules. I had to have christened god parents when ds was baptised. But ex p is a god father to his mates child and ex p isn't christened, unless they lied to the vicar, which wouldn't suprise me.

KEAWYED · 20/08/2009 19:42

At our local Catholic church the old vicar didnt mind but the new vicar insists you've been baptised.

I think it sometimes depends on what mood the vicar is in.

robino · 20/08/2009 19:43

I wasn't allowed to be for my best friend's son. So, instead I am fairy godmother - much prefer it!

Original poster
PixiNanny · 20/08/2009 19:48

Bugger. Baby's Mum isn't christened either but the Daddy is, we're a bit worried about that too! None of us are religious really, they just want it official! The Mummy is saying that we'll both lie if we have too, but I feel a bit naughty lying to a vicar in a house of a God

OP posts:
KEAWYED · 20/08/2009 19:50

At our church of England church you don't have to be [i think]

Though the vicar is great like that very liberal, He's aware that people generally arent religious as they once were.

KnickKnack · 20/08/2009 19:51

I'm catholic in Ireland. When DS was christened all both godparents had to be catholic. When DD was christened "the rules" had changed and were were allowed one catholic and 1 protestant.

Trikken · 20/08/2009 19:52

I havent been christened but dh has, when ds was christened I didnt say the bits the others had to say but apart from that the vicar was fine about me not being christened.

POTC · 20/08/2009 19:52

Will depend on the church, our local one insists that parents and godparents are baptised and makes them attend an alpha course if not regular church goers BUT the church where I grew up doesn't insist on any of those things.

girlsyearapart · 20/08/2009 19:52

Depends on the church. I wasn't allowed for my friends dc but in my church you can as my sister hd her dcs christened there and not all the godparents had been.

ErikaMaye · 20/08/2009 19:54

giggles The following people are our choice of Godparents -

  • 2 un-Christened Godmothers
  • 1 Godmother who is offically a Johovas (sp?) Witness, but not practicing
  • 1 homosexual Godfather

We're just hoping we can find a laid back vicar now!!! DP and I both attend church, but not regularly; if we're too tired or whatever we don't We're more the "God can be worshipped anywhere, not just at church" kinda Christian.

Acanthus · 20/08/2009 19:54

You should be, really, but some churches (C of E) will allow it.

At my nephew's christening the unbaptised godparents declined to go up to the communion rail for a blessing, though, which I thought was bloody rude.

Original poster
PixiNanny · 20/08/2009 19:55

So we need to find a modern vicar really then? (In all seriousness!) I'll chat to her about that She may have to go outside of her little town to find it though!

I think I'll go with another religion's way of doing it when I have kids, I know that some newer religions have similar practices and are more open to 'outsiders' being involved in it! I'll get christened if I have too, I love the little monster

OP posts:
weegiemum · 20/08/2009 20:02

Pixinanny - no, not a modern vicar, a liberal one.

Some "modern" (read young) vicars, in churches which seem very modern in musical style etc, are theologically quite conservative.

the most liberal vicar I know (I know a lot of vicars!) is in a very traditional little church and is 64.

KEAWYED · 20/08/2009 20:05

Our local catholic vicar is about 40 years younger than the old one and sooo strict.

My vicar is great, not that i'm a regular church goer and he must be in his 50's.
I caught him in boots one buying his hair dye and hid round the corner giggling like a 12 tear old

KEAWYED · 20/08/2009 20:06

My spellings atrocious tonight

Trikken · 20/08/2009 20:06

in agreement with weegiemum, thats what the vicar we had was like.

Original poster
PixiNanny · 20/08/2009 20:07

Oh, okay, so ones who have been about longer, that makes more sense actually, they'd have been doing it longer and know the little quirks I suppose!

And lol ErikeMaye, what a selection!

OP posts:
vinblanc · 20/08/2009 20:09

I think they are supposed to be under Canon Law (CofE), but we were never asked if our Godparents were, and certainly not asked for evidence.

Good job for us as I am really bad with paperwork and have already lost DCs' baptismal certificates.

POTC · 20/08/2009 20:10

Our local vicar is a man in his 30's (I think) with a fairly young family. He is by far the worst I've met and is really judgy about people living together before marriage and unmarried parents etc. Really not what you'd expect on paper.
I'd suggest she goes to meet the vicar and takes it from there.

vinblanc · 20/08/2009 20:12

The other thing is that parents can also be Godparents, so you can pull of a baptism even if your supporters aren't baptised.

The job of a Godparent is to pray for the child and offer any support in the Christian faith as required. It really doesn't matter if they are baptised or not in order to do this. Saying that, you would expect a strong proponent of the Christian faith to be baptised.

weegiemum · 20/08/2009 20:13

Its not even neccesarily older ones either ....

its to do with how much they are into the real traditions of the church, and how evangelical they are.

If a church is running Alpha for example, they are more likely to be conservative.

Its a theological rather than an age issue.

Hope you can find someone who can do it - though I am always a bit surprised that people with little interest in religion want to go for baptism. But if your friend wants this, I hope you can find a way to do it.

Original poster
PixiNanny · 20/08/2009 20:28

weegiemum: I am surprised but also not surprised that they want him christened, if that makes any sense? They have the four of us who they want to have an official title to him whilst not being directly related, but still seen as family. They don't really know much about other religions and have the same basic beliefs as Christianity so chose to go through the church to make it official.

I'm very honored and overwhelmed by it all tbh, in two days I've been asked to be the bubby's Godmother and her bridesmaid! I can't stop showing off photos of him to everyone now I'm very worried about how it'll work though as I'll be working abroad next year and away from home (she knows this already) but I'm hoping I can be there for him properly still, even if it's via skype and irregular visits for a little while!

OP posts:
ErikaMaye · 20/08/2009 20:53

Pixi our therory is that THOSE are the people that will benifit our child the most, whether that is in a Christian or simply moral sense. As well as the ones who would take care of him if something (God forbid) should happen to both of us.

Original poster
PixiNanny · 20/08/2009 21:03

That makes perfect sense I hope that I can help him grow up to be a wonderful little boy and lovely man one day!

OP posts:
ErikaMaye · 20/08/2009 21:14

I really think its a great honour None of my Godparents are particularly religious, but do tend to point me towards the best path - it was my Godfather I first told I was pregnant when I didn't know what to do or how to tell my parents!! It was my other Godfather I asked for help with advice when I was being harassed and my parents were away.

From what I've seen you post on here, you're obviously a very kind and goodhearted person - your Godchild will be very lucky to have you as a role model.

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