1. It not just infants, but the godparent also is … A godparent is someone who sponsors the child’s baptism. A. A godparent might help parents raise a child in the Christian faith to provide spiritual guidance and support to the child. The father will obtain complete and sole rights to the child. This practice of godparenting has been going on since time immemorial. That is a good question. Godparents are selected, usually by the parent(s), because they are the “next best thing” to the parents. A godparent is not a legally defined relationship, so there are no legal responsibilities associated with it. Without a doubt, it isn’t a role to be taken lightly. Generally, a godparent-godchild relationship is characterized by spiritual or moral advising to the child and his or her family, and godparents' rights to child custody are not often discussed as a possibility. This is mainly a religious role, not a legal one. Recall that until the year 313, the Church was under the persecution of the Roman Empire and had to be cautious in conducting its affairs so … The role of the godparent for baptism is rooted in the role of the sponsor in the catechumenate, which originated in the early Church. However, some states, such as Virginia, do have fairly relaxed "standing" requirements for who may petition a court for child custody. Godparents and guardians play an important role in a child’s life. Many centuries ago godparents were responsible for caring for a child should that child be orphaned. Parents can name the godmother the child's guardian to give her that legal role. Conclusions about being a godmother. The role of the godparent has evolved alongside those trends: What was once an adult tasked with shepherding a child toward a life of faith has transitioned into a secular role … While the person you may choose as your child’s potential guardian is the same as their godparent, there are additional legal steps you need to take to formalize it. Today, godparents do not have any legal responsibility. However, historically, the godparent was viewed as the person to be guardian of a child if the parents were deceased or unable, … I never heard of that before. A legal guardian, on the other hand, has one very specific role: Take care of the children if both parents were to pass away. The relationship of a godmother to a child is a religious one, not a legal one. If, however, the mother and father were separated or divorced and the godparents played a large role in the child's life, such as watching the child while the mother worked, or lived with the child, the godparents may be able to secure visitation rights if the father denies them access. The godparent responsibilities begin at baptism and continue throughout the life of that child. If the parents request that you raise the child should anything happen to them, and if you accept this responsibility, this agreement must be dictated in a legal document known as a Living Will. 1. Being a godmother implies much more than what we might think at first. Q. The godparent is there on behalf of the child. A godparent is more a ceremonial role in a child’s life; churches have no power to appoint legal guardians for children. My grandmother told me that if I accept to become a Godparent, should the parents of my godchild die, I will have to accept the responsibility of raising the child. THE ROLE OF THE GODPARENTS WHEN THE PARENTS DIE. The godmother usually sponsors a child's baptism or christening, but has no legal authority over the child if the parents die. Is this true? It could either be a godmother or godfather. Although this task is traditionally associated with a religious title, these days it covers much more.