Sponsors & Who may be one
The Terms...In adult initiation, both godparents and sponsors are normally reffered to as "sponsors."
A godparent is a sponsor who accompanies an unbaptized person.
A sponsor is the person who accompanies an already baptized in another Christian tradition.
Who can be a Godparent or Sponsor?
According to canon law, those who serve as Godparents and Sponsors...
  • must be fully initiated Catholics, that is, they must have celebrated all three sacraments of initiation themselves - baptism, confirmation and Eucharist;
  • must be someone other than the parent of the one to be baptized;
  • must be at least sixteen years of age;
  • must be someone who lives a life of faith which befits the role to be undertaken;
  • must be a practicing Catholic who does not labor under a canonical penalty.