Guidelines for Sponsor for a OCIA Catechumen/Candidate

Reflect with prayer and discussion when asking someone to be a your sponsor for OCIA. Consider someone special, who will be part of your life, help you, and will stand as a representative of our Catholic community at your Sacraments of Initiaiton.

When you ask someone to be a sponsor, you are asking that person to accept an honor and sacred responsibility. When they say yes, they are agreeing to be a role model by participating and sharing in your Catholic life and education with a lifelong relationship of prayer, faith sharing, example, and love.

Sponsors also need to be part of a parish family where they are practicing and living their faith on a regular basis. When you have decided, it is appropriate that you tell the sponosr what led you to your decision.

The following guidelines will help you consider carefully and prayerfully why you are asking someone to be your sponsor and who you will ask to accept this responsibility:

1. The Church requires one Catholic sponsor. Parents may not serve as a sponsor.
2. A Catholic sponsor must be 16 years or older and:

1. A fully initiated member of the Roman Catholic Church, having received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist.
2. Participates weekly in Sunday Mass and attends on Holy Days of Obligation.
3. A person who can share with you the task of handing on the Catholic Faith, and who gives witness to our Faith in Jesus Christ by receiving the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist on a regular basis.
4. If married, a person who is validly married according to the laws of the Catholic Church.

3. Other than a Roman Catholic, a member of an Eastern Church Catholic can serve as a sponsor.
4. A baptized Roman Catholic who does not meet the requirements to serve as a sponsor or now practices in another Christian denomination, may not serve as a sponsor.

Sponsor Request Form:

All sponsors need to use the St. Patrick’s Form below.  Then take it to their parish to have it Signed, Dated and Sealed.
(This also applies to sponsors registered at our parish
St. Patrick York.) 

This Form must be returned to our parish office
per the OCIA Preparation Schedule

Download Sponsor Form