Q. My wife and I have been asked to be godparents of our close friends' child. Before we say yes, we want to be sure that we can meet the obligations of godparents. The child's parents and my wife are Catholic, but I am not. Could you please tell me what is expected of us? A. Sponsoring a child in the Sacrament of Baptism is an honor and a commitment, not to be taken lightly. When a person agrees to be a godparent, he or she vows to support the child's spiritual life by example and with prayer. In order for the Catholic Church to accept you as a godparent, at least one of the two godparents (the man or the woman) must be a practicing Catholic. A practicing Catholic attends Mass regularly, receives the Sacraments, and is considered a member in good standing of the Church. If something happens to the child's parents, you would (in theory) be responsible for making sure that the child receives spiritual guidance in the Catholic faith. It is customary for godparents to remember the child with gifts at Christmas, and on birthdays, until the child is an adult. back to the advice column