How to choose a Communion sponsor

Receiving the first Holy Communion is an important rite for children of the Christian faith. Here is a guide on how to select a Communion sponsor and what to expect from them.

It's more common that Confirmation has an official sponsor than Communion. Usually, godparents serve the role of sponsor through the Communion process, but often this isn't always easy. People select godparents when their children are first born, and this can mean that godparents are no longer active in your child's life, out of contact, or may have even passed on.

In such cases, it's good to find a new person to guide your child during the Communion process. In some branches of the Christian faith, such as Catholicism, there are generally clear guidelines that must be met for choosing a sponsor. For example, the person must not be the mother or father, and are also a member of the Catholic faith themselves.

In general, it's important to have someone that you not only respect, but someone who is in moral conformity with Christian religious teaching and has received the different sacraments of initiation themselves, which are Baptism, Communion, and Confirmation. They will be in a better position to explain the Eucharist, what it means to truly receive it, and what it means to the broader Christian faith.

A sponsor is essentially acting as a guide for your child throughout the Communion rite. That means they should participate in your child's life by attending religion classes with your child, going to preparation meetings, and helping them understand the importance of the sacrament of the Eucharist. They may also want to have personal sessions with your child where they read relevant scripture passages and discuss any questions your child may have.

Different churches and Christian denominations have different customs surrounding the receiving of the Eucharist. For example, some children are given the Eucharist individually in the presence of the parents, godparents, or Communion sponsor while in other churches children are given the Eucharist together in a group. Your sponsor's job is to be there with your child regardless of the process and express support and care.

In some cultures, the Communion sponsor might also be expected to provide monetary support throughout this sacramental event. That means buying clothing for their First Communion and potentially hosting a party to celebrate this important rite.

In general, being a sponsor is an important honour. If you're a sponsor, you will be seen as the person who shows a child how to live a proper Christian life, even after Communion is concluded.

With the above information, you should be able to better select a sponsor for your child. At the same time, sponsors should have a better understanding of what is expected of them and how they can better meet the needs of a child who is being initiated into the Christian faith.