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The Modern Godparent
Dressed in his Sunday best John Tuskey went to a Christening to find out what being a Godparent actually means in the late 90's
"In St Alban's church in Hemel Hempstead, Barnaby Trent was baptised by Rev. Ronnie Lamont. Barnaby's parents, Ian and Angela, have decided to have the full compliment of Godparents for him - so they obviously think is important.
Why? "To support him - to help him - to be there for him. The Godparents we have chosen are all family, but by choosing them as Godparents it is that extra special little bond to look after him. To take a special interest in him."
The Vicar
"In the Baptism service it says that they are there to help the child to learn the Christian faith. That probably doesn't register with a lot of the people acting as Godparents. I think it is much more about giving the child an extra member of the family who is a stable, loving person and whom they can ask the difficult questions in life - if they don't want to ask their parents. I also always say that it is someone who, when they are not cute little babies but horrible thirteen year olds, you can send them to for a weekend when you can't stand the sight of each other!"
The Godparent
"I like to think that I can help him through his life. In my life I have learned by my mistakes and encourage him to go the right track rather than the wrong route. I hope he'll look up to me and be guided a bit. I hope we will be close. Playing tennis and going up to see Arsenal."
"I'm not a religious person so I would say it was more of a personal thing. I would say it is personal, but you also have to take what is said in the service and I would like to think that from that we can perhaps teach Barnaby and bring him up the right way, which I am sure that his parents will."
What do you have to do?
We have a preparation course which we hope the Godparents will take part in. We give them leaflets to read, talk about the duties and the implications of what they are promising to do. But at the end of the day Godparents will act according to how they feel it is best for them. I just hope and pray when I do the baptism that they will be involved in the child's life and that something of the Christian faith will come trough in the love and the support they give the child.
"So Barnaby receive this light. This is to show that you have passed from darkness to light."
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