Catholic Bishop in Angola Urges Godparents to Always Accompany New Church Members

Luanda, 04 June, 2024 / 5:27 PM

A Catholic Bishop in Angola has called on godparents to ensure that the catechumens they sponsor “continue to profess faith in God” after receiving the sacraments of the Church.

In his June 2 homily at St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish of the Catholic Archdiocese of Luanda, Bishop António Lungieki Pedro Bengui underscored the need for godparents to always guide catechumens in the choices they make. 

“The godfather or godmother must make sure that those they sponsor continue to profess faith in God, following Jesus after they have been baptized,” the Auxiliary Bishop of Luanda Archdiocese said. 

He added, “Being a godparent is not an easy job. It requires continuous and permanent availability.”

Bishop António said that one of the roles of godparents is to help parish priests in accompanying new members of the Church, especially after baptism and confirmation.

“You will be like helpers to the parish priest and all the pastors in accompanying our brothers, especially in those moments when they have to make choices,” the Angolan Catholic Bishop said during the Eucharistic celebration where catechumens received the Sacrament of Confirmation.

He said that after having chosen Jesus in Baptism, catechumens “will want to continue to be Christ’s disciples in other harder, more demanding decisions, both in their personal lives and in the lives of their communities.”

Bishop António, however, clarified that baptism is not enough for one to qualify to be a godparent.

 “There will be cases in which the parish priest will prevent a certain person who doesn’t meet all the requirements from sponsoring a catechumen,” he said, adding that parish priests must verify that godparents are baptized, attend church, and “communicate with Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.”