Question
My kids are a lot older now and we have different friends. Can I change their godparents, since we have lost touch with the ones that are listed on the baptismal certificate? Can a person remove the godparents?
--Curious in Montana
Answer
Canon law says nothing about this question, but the following principles should be used by the pastor before honoring such a request.:
1) There must be a very serious reason, such as the abandonment of the faith by the present godparent (not just non-practicing, but actually joining another religion or becoming an atheist.)
2) If the reason is not very serious, but there is still a good reason, the present godparent must consent in writing to allowing another to assume this role.
3) The original godparent should be left in the baptismal register as a witness to the baptism, and the new godparent's name added with a notation of the date when it was added.