Two Questions About College And Family

[FiereMargriet]

I'll be going away to college in the fall, which I'm really excited about. There is a very active Catholic student parish at said college, but if I prefer how Mass is said elsewhere, is it acceptable to regularly attend another parish in the same city? I was just wondering because I know you're supposed to go to your geographic parish and there is a specific student parish.

Also, I have an aunt and uncle who live in the same city (my mom's brother and his wife). They converted to the Episcopalian Church from Catholicism. They recently had a baby and, upon learning that my sister and a female cousin are two of the only teens in our family not yet godparents (almost everyone else is a Catholic godparent), asked them to do that. While I'm happy for my sister, I don't know if she's allowed to become an Episcopalian godparent. There's also a matter of two girls being godparents together, although I'm sure the church in question won't care. Regardless of what the answer is, it probably won't make any difference to the more liberal Catholics in the family, but I thought I should check. And is it prudent for me to attend this ceremony if it's not allowed by the Catholic Church?

[cappie]

This theme is dealt with in Canons 1247-1248 of the Code of Canon Law:

"Can. 1247 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass ....

"Can. 1248 §1. A person who assists at a Mass celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the feast day itself or in the evening of the preceding day satisfies the obligation of participating in the Mass."

Thus, unlike the former code, the faithful are no longer obliged by law to attend Mass at their parishes on Sundays and holy days of obligations.

But this does not mean that they may be indifferent to the life of their local parishes. While speaking about the rights and duties of the faithful, canon law says:

"Can. 209 §1. The Christian faithful, even in their own manner of acting, are always obliged to maintain communion with the Church.

"§2. With great diligence they are to fulfill the duties which they owe to the universal Church and the particular church to which they belong according to the prescripts of the law.

"Can. 210 All the Christian faithful must direct their efforts to lead a holy life and to promote the growth of the Church and its continual sanctification, according to their own condition."

While a detailed commentary on these canons is beyond the scope of this column, they do imply that Catholics should, as far as possible, strive to be in full communion with their local parishes and support their pastors.

Some Catholics do not belong to territorial parishes but to so-called personal parishes whose jurisdiction is not so much tied to where they live but to other factors such as language, nationality, occupation, or particular rite. In these cases they should support this parish.

On the other hand, the faithful have a corresponding right to receive from their pastors authentic Catholic liturgy and doctrine and to develop their own spiritual life. To this the code says:

"Can. 213 The Christian faithful have the right to receive assistance from the sacred pastors out of the spiritual goods of the Church, especially the word of God and the sacraments.

"Can. 214 The Christian faithful have the right to worship God according to the prescripts of their own rite approved by the legitimate pastors of the Church and to follow their own form of spiritual life so long as it is consonant with the doctrine of the Church."

Therefore, Catholics should habitually support and participate at Mass at their own parish. This is the best way to form an authentic Christian community as charity toward others is a fruit of the Eucharist and of prayer.

ZE07011628 - 2007-01-16
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As to the other part of your question the document the Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism (Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, 25 March 1993)

“98. It is the Catholic understanding that godparents, in a liturgical and canonical sense, should themselves be members of the Church or ecclesial Community in which the baptism is being celebrated. They do not merely undertake a responsibility for the Christian education of the person being baptized (or confirmed) as a relation or friend; they are also there as representatives of a community of faith, standing as guarantees of the candidate's faith and desire for ecclesial communion.

“a) However, based on the common baptism and because of ties of blood or friendship, a baptized person who belongs to another ecclesial Community may be admitted as a witness to the baptism, but only together with a Catholic godparent. A Catholic may do the same for a person being baptized in another ecclesial Community.

“b) Because of the close communion between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches, it is permissible for a just cause for an Eastern faithful to act as godparent; together with a Catholic godparent, at the baptism of a Catholic infant or adult, so long as there is provision for the Catholic education of the person being baptized, and it is clear that the godparent is a suitable one.

“A Catholic is not forbidden to stand as godparent in an Eastern Orthodox Church, if he/she is so invited. In this case, the duty of providing for the Christian education binds in the first place the godparent who belongs to the Church in which the child is baptized.”

Whether it is prudent in general or in a particular situation would be a different question.