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Details of the Roman Catholic Liturgy can be found at: liturgy.demon
.co.uk

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Godparenting Register your Godchild
now and never forget
their birthday again
Christian Responsibilities of a Godparent

1. Pray for your godchild regularly
2. Set an example of Christian living
3. Help him/her to grow in the faith of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in which he was baptized
4. Give every encouragement to follow Christ and fight against evil
5. Help your godchild to look forward to confirmation.

 

Practical Ideas
The best thing you can give is time...

Commemorate the anniversary of your Godchild's Christening Day, it is a day special to you both and a good opportunity to celebrate without the distraction of a birthday. We encourage you to record this with your Godchild's details. We will also send you an email reminder so you can try to arrange something or at least get in touch.

Remember the symbols of a candle and water. Make (OK buy) a cake and light the Baptism candle on the top. You can really make your relationship special.

A model Godparent I know holds a great event inviting all his Godchildren to his house at the same time every year on his birthday!

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Of Clay and Children!
by Revd. William J. Evans, PhD

A poem about the concept of godparenting inspired by visiting eGodparent. As a father, William Evans has raised six children, as a minister he has dedicated numerous babies, but he has never been an "official" godparent. He will be retiring in the next year, and hopes to pursue his life-long ambition to write more!
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The Role of the Godparent in the 21st Century
By Rt Revd James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool (C of E)

Choosing a Godparent is sometimes a tricky business! You can risk offending both family and friends! It's important to know what to look for.
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Christening and Baptism
By Rt Revd John Treadgold, Dean of Chichester
Baptism and Christening are two words that have come to be used to mean broadly the same thing. But John was already baptising before the Christian Church really started, so let us look at how the two words have evolved.
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The Candle as a symbol of Baptism
By Fr Peter Wilson
"Parents and godparents, this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly"
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Charles Handy was a hopeless Godfather
By Charles Handy
I am a hopeless godfather - until they are teenagers.
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Baptists
By Revd. Dr Edwin Robertson
They were called 'Baptists' because of the importance they attached to baptism and the way in which they carried it out.
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Birthdays are Special
By Elizabeth Handy
I was very flattered whenever I was asked to be a godmother.I have enjoyed my godchildren especially as they have got older. It is I find a very special relationship.
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Godparents at Catholic Baptisms
By Rt Revd. Leo McCartie, Bishop of Northampton (RC)
The traditional custom of choosing a godparent for a christening comes to us from the Roman world. The godparent was originally called a patronus which meant a protector who was adopted by the Christian parents for the sake of the future of the child
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Congratulations on being asked to be a Godparent
By Fr David Oakley, M.Ed., Ph.D., Parish Priest of the Church of St Giles in Cheadle
Congratulations! You have been asked to be a Godparent. You will, undoubtedly, feel that this is a great honour. You may also experience more than a few feelings of unworthiness and self-doubt.
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I enjoy being a Godparent
By Nicholas Coleridge
I doubt there is a nicer, more welcome invitation in the world than being asked to become a godparent.
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Don't forget your Godchild in your will!
By Nick Hidden
1559 thomas waldron uplambourn lambourn brk archd berks will 10499 will of thomas walron of uplamborn, dated 20 september 1559, 1eliz 1 [register copy]
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Fairy Godparents
By Steve Goodman
Put gay people (men in particular) and children together and some people just cannot cope. There is an underlying misconception that paedophilia and homosexuality are the same thing.
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History of Godparenting
By Professor Ian Markham and the Revd Giles Legood
Originally the need for Godparents (or sponsors as they used to be called) arose when people converted to Christianity from another religion. In the ancient world, there were many religions each with different practices and beliefs.
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I want a famous Godparent
By Rosie Millard
FORGET the dictionary definition of godparent as "religious trainer". If the prospective one is famous, well-connected or royal, old-fashioned concepts of integrity and spiritual guidance go right out of the window. A famous godparent, or even a godparent married to someone famous is the accoutrement desired by every aspirational parent for their sprog.
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I was a teenage Godmother
By Virginia Carr
While today being a godparent is as common as Patsy Palmer, there is a certain frisson about the position that makes it a very special one. I realised this even at the tender age of 10 when I was first asked to godparent my cousin Charles, and seven years later, for my cousin Heidi.
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I'm not much of a church goer
By Nigel Johnson
Do I have to be a commited Christian to be a Godparent? Do you have to be English to play sports for England? Can I celebrate Christmas if I am not a Christian?
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