What is the duty of a Godmother or Godfather?

[JonnyBoy12]

Sorry if this question has been asked before, but can any of you tell me what is the supposed duty of a Godparent? Mine does not seem to have done anything for me at all, except my silly and inappropriate comments, so I just wondered what they were supposed to do for their Godchild.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[Jemisa]

You have to promise to bring the child up in a Christian way, you do have to have been Christianed yourself and be a member of a church, as when you are Christianed you are entered into the Churches register. So they can check.
My daughter chose two Godparents for her little boy but! when interviewed by the Minister, they had not been Christianed, so he refused to except them in his Church as Godparents, unless they attended Church and was Baptised. It is a great honour to be asked, but! not to be taken lightly, it is a live long commitment to the child.
A good Godparent never forgets the Child, or Christmas, Birthdays, or any major event in there lives. .

Jem

[puma86]

Jem - is it right that if your parents were to both die and you were under 16, I think you would then go to live with a godparent wouldn't you??? or was that just my Mum's back-up?? lol x

[Maydup]

I think its a Christian committment to the child as Jem describes but not necessarily a life long committment as such.

Once you're an adult it would be nice for your Godmother/father to keep in touch at birthdays and Chrismas and still be there for you if you needed them or if they have outlived your parents for example, but otherwise its more about protecting you as an infant.

If you are non-religious then its a relationship that you can design for yourselves. If it doesn't work then leave it but if you'd like to see more of them it woudl be worth getting in touch or inviting them to your next family event.

[ummmm]

Your duty, in the Catholic church, is to make sure they stay a Catholic and go to mass...and give money to the church.

Seriously - it's suppose to be moral guidance throughout life.

[Maydup]

It would be good to know if OP is a religious person, and if so which religion as the expectation will vary.

[JonnyBoy12]

Thanks for your kind answers, folks, and no this person has not done what they are supposed to do. Are any of you here Godparents?

Don't you mean confirmed, Jesima, not Christianed?

[pretty_snowdrop]

Jemisa,I am a godmother and i have never been christened.

[joggerjayne]

1. Remember birthdays

2. Pay the school fees

3. Not rat the kid out to her parents when she does stupid things

[Buenchico]

From the Church of England website:
http://www.churchofen...hurch-of-england.aspx

Chris

[jno]

paying school fees is very much an optional extra. Half a crown on birthdays used to be the limit. But some godparents do nothing at all. Blame your parents for choosing them.

[joggerjayne]

4. ... and what Chris says

[joggerjayne]

LOL jno

I pay my god daughter's school fees, but that's mainly because, apart from that, I'm a pretty useless godmother. I can't encourage my god daughter in the ways of the Church ... but I could teach her to be a wicked Blackjack player.

=0)

[wolf63]

I think that you have to be a responsible adult - I suspect that is why my brother didn't pick me as godmother for any of his kiddies. ;-)

[joggerjayne]

"you have to be a responsible adult"

YES !! ... so, Blackjack it is, then !

[jno]

note Anna Ford's grouch about Martin Amis's failures as a godfather

http://www.guardian.c...-amis-anna-ford-media

[joko]

i think jemisa means christened...not christianed...

[joko]

what are you expecting them to do? there are no rules exactly...its more of a honourary title... they are not obliged to give money or buy you things...