Q. 1. My daughter was baptized when she was a month old. She had two godparents in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Both godparents moved out of our city within three years and are no longer part of her life. Can I have her godparents changed? I mean, can I get new ones for her that will be more active in her life?
A. 1. According to the teachings of the Catholic Church, during the Sacrament of Baptism, a child can only have two godparents, a male and a female. These are the official witnesses that the child was baptized. Their names are recorded on the Baptismal Certificate. This record cannot be changed. You cannot replace the name(s) of the original godparent(s) because any newly chosen person would not have been the witnesses to the Sacrament of Baptism. Nor would the new godparent(s) be the one(s) who spoke up for the child, asking that the child be admitted into the Catholic Church.
In a situation where the child has not yet received the Sacrament of Confirmation, there is hope for a "new" godparent. During the Sacrament of Confirmation, as during the Sacrament of Baptism, in accordance with Paragraph # 1311 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Canon Law # 892-893, the child will need at least one godparent, a maximum of two, a male and a female. At this time, one or more godparents can be appointed, providing that the original godparents are no longer part of the child's life.
Being given the opportunity to change the godparent, in the choosing of a new godparent(s), it is stronghly recommended that the parent(s) of the child to be confirmed abide by the guideline set up by the Catholic Church in its Canon Laws. This is to ensure that the godparent(s) will be there to support the parents in their Christian role as models and to guide the child in his/her Christian life.