“Can. 872 Insofar as possible, a person to be baptized is to be given a sponsor who assists an adult in Christian initiation or together with the parents present an infant for baptism. A sponsor also helps the baptized person to lead a Christian life in keeping with baptism and to fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent in it.
Can. 873 There can be only one male or one female sponsor or one of each.
Can. 874.1. To be permitted to take on the function of sponsor a person must:
1/ be designated by the one to be baptized, by the parents or the person who takes their place, or in their absence by the pastor or minister and have the aptitude and intention of fulfilling this function;
2/ have completed the sixteenth year of age, unless the diocesan bishop has established another age, or the pastor or minister has granted an exception for a just cause;
3/ be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist and who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on;
4/ not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared;
5/ not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.
874. 2 A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community is not to participate except together with a Catholic sponsor and then only as a witness of the baptism.”

"Sponsors are persons who have known and assisted the candidates and stand as witnesses to the candidates’ moral character, faith, and intention." (10)

In that short sentence, however, is a demanding job description. The sponsor is charged with three important tasks:

1. knowing
2. assisting
3. witnessing

Each of these three tasks has a three-part goal: the conversion of the candidates’ moral character, faith, and intention.

Knowing the RCIA candidate

The first task of the sponsor is to get to know the candidate. This isn’t just a casual acquaintance kind of knowing. The sponsor will have to spend many hours with the candidate, sharing faith stories and listening deeply to both what is said and unsaid. The sponsor isn’t listening as a judge listens, collecting evidence and weighing facts. Rather, the sponsor listens as a friend or older sibling listens. The sponsor is listening with love and hope and firm belief in the ability of the Holy Spirit to guide the candidate to a deep conversion to Christ. The job of the sponsor is to get to know the candidate well enough to be able to assist the candidate on the journey.

Assisting the RCIA candidate

The sponsor is not a catechist or an “expert” in the faith. But the sponsor is faithful and knows what it takes to remain faithful. As an “older sibling,” the sponsor is instrumental in assisting the candidate to gain a sure footing and move confidently forward. Before the Rite of Acceptance, the sponsor assists the candidate with beginning his or her spiritual life and nurturing the first seeds of Christian faith. The sponsor will assist the candidate in repenting of motives or dispositions that do not harmonize with the gospel. The sponsor will assist the candidate in calling upon God in prayer. And the sponsor will introduce the candidate to other Christians in the faith community (see RCIA 42).

After the Rite of Acceptance, the sponsor will help the catechumen continue his or her journey of conversion to the point that, in both mind and action, the new lifestyle is evident to all. The sponsor will assist the catechumen in acquiring the necessary acquaintance with Christian teaching. And the sponsor will help the candidate develop a spirit of faith and charity (see RCIA 120).

Witnessing to the conversion of the RCIA candidate

When it comes time to discern if the candidate is ready for celebrating the key transition rites of Acceptance and Election, the sponsor will be one the first to be called upon to witness to the candidate’s conversion. If the sponsor has truly known the candidate and diligently assisted him or her on the journey, who better to witness to the candidate’s moral character, faith, and intention?

Some sacrifice required

Is this an ideal? Of course it is. But the purpose of framing an ideal is not to dismiss it as impractical. We set out the ideal as a goal to strive for. Because it is difficult does not mean it is impossible. If we are going to call the candidates to pick up the cross and follow Christ, can we offer them anything less than the best sponsors we can provide?

Sponsors don’t need to know everything in order to be a sponsor. This is a relief for many. But you and they do need to know a few things about being a sponsor. Here are nine must-know facts about the role of sponsor.

1. The primary job of a sponsor or godparent to be a spiritual friend to the catechumen or baptized candidate. A sponsor or godparent needs to be able to share his or her own faith and needs to be a person of prayer.
2. A sponsor is not a catechist and isn’t expected to know more about church teaching than the average adult Catholic. The catechumen or baptized candidate will raise many questions the sponsor will not be able to immediately answer. That’s normal. The sponsor needs to know who to call on to find the answers.
3. A sponsor and a godparent for a catechumen are not necessarily the same person: “It may happen that it is not the sponsor for the rite of acceptance and the period of the catechumenate but another person who serves godparent for the periods of purification and enlightenment and of mystagogy” (see RCIA 10-11).
4. A sponsor makes a commitment for the period of the catechumenate, which is at least one full liturgical year. It could be longer, depending upon the readiness of the catechumen. A godparent makes a commitment for life.
5. The sponsor accompanies the catechumen or baptized candidate to Mass every week and to other parish functions. The sponsor participates in the weekly catechetical sessions. In addition, the sponsor meets frequently, at least weekly, with the catechumen or baptized candidate to talk about how God is working in both of their lives.
6. The sponsor or the godparent is the one who rehearses for the rites that mark the steps of the initiation process. The catechumen or baptized candidate is not present for the rehearsals. The catechumen or baptized candidate relies on the sponsor to know what to do in the rites.
7. The duties of a sponsor or godparent require a close physical proximity. It is not possible for a sponsor or godparent adequately fulfill his or her responsibilities if he or she does not live within in driving distance of the parish.
8. It is generally not advisable that a spouse or close family member serve as a sponsor. A father or mother may not serve as a sponsor to their child (see Canon 874).
9. A sponsor must be a practicing Catholic, at least 16 years old, and confirmed. (Your local bishop may have designated a higher age.) A non-Catholic may serve as a witness, friend, and companion and may participate in the rites, but may not serve as the sponsor or godparent of record (see Canon 874).