Sponsor Selection

Your sponsor must be a baptized and confirmed Catholic but cannot be your mother or father.

Look first to one of your Baptismal godparents.  Because of the connection between the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, the Church suggests you to invite your godmother or godfather to be your Confirmation sponsor. “It is desirable that the one who undertook the role of sponsor (godparent) at Baptism be your sponsor at Confirmation” (Code of Canon Law, Canon 893). If there is a reason why the Baptismal Godparent is not avalible or a good choice (e.g., death, a non-practicing Catholic) then look for a person who fits this description from Canon Law: (The sponsor must be a baptized and confirmed member living a life in harmony with the Catholic Church (Code of Canon Law, Canon 874)).

What does it mean to live a life in harmony with the Catholic Church? You are looking for a person who is:

• faithful to Sunday Mass and to the reception of the sacraments.
• a living witness to the Catholic faith.
• a person of prayer.  He or she has spoken about or indicated an understanding of the importance of prayer.
• aware of a Christian’s responsibility to follow Jesus in service of others.  Someone who donates time or money to help the poor, works with youth, visits the homebound, helps out at the local food pantry, or does other forms of service.
• honest.  A person of integrity who is willing to speak up and stand up for what is right even in the face of opposition.  A person who encourages you to do the same.
• someone you know well and who knows you well.  Someone with whom you will have an on-going relationship.

Did you recognize anyone in the description above?  Think about the people in your life: aunts, uncles, older sisters or brothers, a parent of a friend, a neighbor, or a mentor at church.  It is a huge privilege to be asked to be a Confirmation sponsor.  The person you choose should recognize this and take it seriously.  He/she should be your prayer partner and mentor in faith long after the oil of Confirmation has gone from your forehead.