Certificates of Eligibility

If you have been asked to be a godparent for a Baptism or a sponsor for Confirmation, you will need a Certificate of Eligibility in order to serve in this role. In essence, a Certificate of Eligibility verifies that you attend weekend Masses at a given parish.

Here are the guidelines at St. Charles for such a Certificate to be given:

In keeping with Canons 874 & 1247 of the Code of Canon Law, only those who meet the following requirements will be given a certificate of eligibility to be a godparent or sponsor.

  • Are at least 16 years old
  • Have received Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist themselves
  • If married, that it’s a Catholic marriage
  • Have activity of attending Weekend Masses in the parish database for
    each month for the last six months

While there is the occasional extraordinary circumstance which may prevent someone from attending a particular Sunday Mass, attending Mass sporadically or only for Christmas and Easter is not sufficient for what is being asked of a godparent or sponsor. Living outside of the area, watching the livestream exclusively, and weekend work obligations do not change the need for a Certificate of Eligibility to verify regular weekend Mass attendance. The weekend Mass is at the heart of being Catholic.

If you do not qualify for a Certificate of Eligibility right now, there is a solution. Begin attending weekend Masses and after six months, St. Charles Borromeo parish will be happy to attest that you are part of the worshipping community and provide a Certificate of Eligibility for you.