The role of a Godparent is not simply an honorary one. A Godparents role is to encourage and assist your child on their faith journey and to set a good Catholic example for your child. Godparents serve a special role and must be selected carefully. It should be someone that lives their faith in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Canon Law requires that a baptized child have at least one Godparent who meets a set of requirements to qualify to serve as Godparent. 

According to Canon Law:

1. A Godparent must be fully initiated in the Roman Catholic Church. This means they have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation.
2. They must be at least 16 years old.
3. They cannot be the parents of the child.
4. They cannot be bound by any canonical penalty.

(An example is that if they are married, they need to have been married in the Catholic Church or had a dispensation to get married outside the Catholic Church. They also cannot be cohabitating unless married.)

5. They must be active and registered members of a Parish - this means that they attend Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of obligation, and regularly receive the Sacraments of Holy Communion and Reconciliation.

If the godparents are not registered members of St. Peter’s, they must
provide a letter from their Parish attesting that they meet the qualifications
to be considered a Catholic in good standing, as outlined above.