1. A person who is to be baptized is to have a godparent.  While it has become a tradition to have two godparents at Baptism, having only one godparent is acceptable.  No more than two godparents are permitted, however, and the two godparents may not be the same gender.  (Code of Canon Law, Can. 873)

 

2. A godparent must have completed the sixteenth year of age. (CCL, Can. 874 §1, 2°)

 

3. The godparent/s must have already received the Sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Eucharist. (CCL, Can. 874 §1, 3°)

 

4. The godparent/s must be practicing Catholics.  They must be able to obtain a letter from their pastor verifying that they are practicing their faith.  The letter must be sent to the pastor of the parish where the child is to be baptized.  (CCL, Can. 874 §1, 4°)

 

5. Non-Catholics can be official witnesses, but he or she will not be recorded as an official godparent.  If there is a non-Catholic witness, he or she must be paired with a Catholic godparent who practices the faith.  Non-baptized people cannot serve as godparents or as official witnesses.  (CCL, Can. 874 §2)

 

6. Parents are not allowed to be godparents for their own children. (CCL, Can. 874 §1, 5°)

 

7. A priest or deacon may be a godfather as long as they are not the one performing the baptism. 

 

8. It is possible for someone to be a godparent by proxy.  E.g. someone in the military stationed overseas.