Topic:  Does the Catholic Church allow baptized, practicing church members to participate in faith's church baptism services?

Source of this posting: Moderator response

Date originally posted: August 23, 2004

Moderator who originally posted this source: Father Spencer

Question:   Does the Catholic Church allow baptized, practicing church members to participate in faith's church baptism services? (specifically a non-demoninational, evalengelical church)

Answer: 

Dear Chris,
Thank you for your inquiry about participating at a baptism of another faith. I am not sure if you mean just to attend as a witness or as a sponsor. If it is the role of a sponsor at a baptism, it is a serious one, not one which someone does because they are related to the family or for social reasons. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) #1255, the parents and sponsors of newly baptized infants bear the main responsibility for their spiritual growth and the safeguarding of the grace that the infants receive during the Sacrament of Baptism. That is an awesome responsibility and duty! I don’t know if other churches require special instructions about the role of sponsors as we Catholics do, but it only makes sense that one be a sponsor of the faith that they belong to and practice. It is difficult enough to be a sponsor in one’s own faith, and I would find it more difficult to say “Yes” to something I do not know about or fully understand. According to Canon Law # 874, a baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community may not be admitted except as a witness to baptism and together with a Catholic Sponsor. So I would say you can attend another ecclesial baptism, but not be a sponsor. I hope this helps.