Dear Michelle:

The Canon Law on the issue of Sponsors (Godparent) states:

Can. 872 In so far as possible, a person being baptized is to be assigned a sponsor. In the case of an adult baptism, the sponsor's role is to assist the person in Christian initiation. In the case of an infant baptism, the role is together with the parents to present the child for baptism, and to help it to live a Christian life befitting the baptized and faithfully to fulfill the duties inherent in baptism.

Can. 873 One sponsor, male or female, is sufficient; but there may be two, one of each sex.

Can. 874 ß1 To be admitted to undertake the office of sponsor, a person must:

1ƒ be appointed by the candidate for baptism, or by the parents or whoever stands in their place, or failing these, by the parish priest or the minister; to be appointed the person must be suitable for this role and have the intention of fulfilling it;

2ƒ be not less than sixteen years of age, unless a different age has been stipulated by the diocesan Bishop, or unless the parish priest or the minister considers that there is a just reason for an exception to be made;

3ƒ be a catholic who has been confirmed and has received the blessed Eucharist, and who lives a life of faith which befits the role to be undertaken;

4ƒ not labor under a canonical penalty, whether imposed or declared;

5ƒ not be either the father or the mother of the person to be baptized.

ß2 A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community may be admitted only in company with a catholic sponsor, and then simply as a witness to the baptism.

Bottomline is that the Godparent must be a confirmed Catholic who is living the Faith, and not be the parents of the person to be baptised.

The prohibition of spouses as Godparents was a provision of the 1917 Canon Law, but was not included in the current Canon Law.

Thus, the direct answers to your questions are 1) yes, a spouse may act as a sponsor, if they are qualified, to a catechumen; 2) a non-married catechumen can choose a friend may act as a sponsor if they are qualified; 3) a friend who acts as sponsor may later marry the catechumen to whom they sponsored.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary