Q: I recently attended my great granddaughter’s baptism, and it struck me how important being a sponsor for a baptism is. I have five godchildren, all adults now, and only one I know of is still in the Catholic Church. I feel as though I failed as a sponsor, and I pray that I am not in mortal sin because I feel I didn’t take this seriously. I thought they would have reached out to me once in a while, which never happened. Maybe now that God put them on my heart, he is telling me to pray for them. So, I began to add them to my prayer time when I pray my rosary every day. Have I committed a serious sin? I feel terrible about not living up to my responsibility. ‒ Jean

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: If you feel the inspiration to pray for your godchildren, by all means do so.

As for whether you committed grave sins in the past by neglecting your role as a sponsor, the answer depends on lots of factors that only you know.

For instance, did you refuse to speak up and share the faith with them when you knew the Spirit was inspiring you to do so? Were you a bad example to them?

These are questions only you can answer. In any case, it would be good to take this matter to confession the next time you go.

And don’t lose hope. Where there is life, there is time for conversion. Pray for the godchildren and sacrifice for them.

And let them know you are praying for them. That might open a fruitful dialogue. Which in turn can help to guard the faith of a new generation of little ones – like your great granddaughter.