How Many Godparents Are Allowed ?

[KOSTACC]

I have an older cousin from my father's side of the family who is in World Orthodoxy. She has a daughter 43 yrs. old. I was talking to another cousin of mine, from my mothers side and she mentioned that she was the godmother of my other cousin's daughter. I was surprised by this since I know that another lady was her godmother. My cousin told me that that is true but that she was also her godmother. She said it was allowed that someone may have more than one godmother and in fact she knew that some people had even up to five godmothers or parents. I have never heard about any of this, I always thought that a person may have only have one godmother and or godfather. The daughter would have been baptized about 1972. Is this some sort of World Orthodox type innovation or is this a practice that's always been allowed ?

[Maria]

I have an older cousin from my father's side of the family who is in World Orthodoxy. She has a daughter 43 yrs. old. I was talking to another cousin of mine, from my mothers side and she mentioned that she was the godmother of my other cousin's daughter. I was surprised by this since I know that another lady was her godmother. My cousin told me that that is true but that she was also her godmother. She said it was allowed that someone may have more than one godmother and in fact she knew that some people had even up to five godmothers or parents. I have never heard about any of this, I always thought that a person may have only have one godmother and or godfather. The daughter would have been baptized about 1972. Is this some sort of World Orthodox type innovation or is this a practice that's always been allowed ?

I have known people who have had two godmothers in the Greek Orthodox Church: One an Orthodox Christian, and the other a Roman Catholic. Why they allow Roman Catholics to be Godparents beats me.

These Roman Catholic Godparents then take that child to the RCC where they can receive communion, so the child grows up confused.

When I was in college, while in World Orthodoxy, I attended an OCA parish. One little boy who was raised going to both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches admitted that he was an Orthodox-Roman Catholic to the amazement of his Orthodox classmates. After class, they beat him up, so his mother left the OCA and joined a sedevacantist Catholic group.

[KOSTACC]

When I was in college, while in World Orthodoxy, I attended an OCA parish. One little boy who was raised going to both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches admitted that he was an Orthodox-Roman Catholic to the amazement of his Orthodox classmates. After class, they beat him up, so his mother left the OCA and joined a sedevacantist Catholic group.

I can't understand why they would beat the boy up since they are taught that World Orthodox and Roman Catholics are the two lungs, sister churches, etc. type nonsense. Those boys must not have been paying attention to their Sunday school lessons. Or maybe the OCA doesn't accept the two lung sister church theology beyond accepting Francis as a saint.

[Maria]

When I was in college, while in World Orthodoxy, I attended an OCA parish. One little boy who was raised going to both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches admitted that he was an Orthodox-Roman Catholic to the amazement of his Orthodox classmates. After class, they beat him up, so his mother left the OCA and joined a sedevacantist Catholic group.

I can't understand why they would beat the boy up since they are taught that World Orthodox and Roman Catholics are the two lungs, sister churches, etc. type nonsense. Those boys must not have been paying attention to their Sunday school lessons. Or maybe the OCA doesn't accept the two lung sister church theology beyond accepting Francis as a saint.

Oh you must be speaking about the OCA acceptance of that New Skete. Those in the New Skete have Francis of Assisi portrayed in an icon in their church. Others in the OCA shun them, but the bishop is not happy about that. Weird, isn't it.

[KOSTACC]

"Oh you must be speaking about the OCA acceptance of that New Skete. Those in the New Skete have Francis of Assisi portrayed in an icon in their church. Others in the OCA shun them, but the bishop is not happy about that. Weird, isn't it.

I don't believe I've ever heard of New Skete but I have heard from different sources that many OCA people venerate Francis of Assisi. Also I have a 1995 OCA children's catechism book that has a plug for Mother Theresa in it, says ' is not the face of Mother Theresa of Calcutta radiant with joy? ' She was beatified by the RC's in 2003

[Maria]

"Oh you must be speaking about the OCA acceptance of that New Skete. Those in the New Skete have Francis of Assisi portrayed in an icon in their church. Others in the OCA shun them, but the bishop is not happy about that. Weird, isn't it.

I don't believe I've ever heard of New Skete but I have heard from different sources that many OCA people venerate Francis of Assisi. Also I have a 1995 OCA children's catechism book that has a plug for Mother Theresa in it, says ' is not the face of Mother Theresa of Calcutta radiant with joy? ' She was beatified by the RC's in 2003

Many in the OCA originally came from either Roman Catholicism or Eastern Catholicism, and they brought their devotions with them.

[Barbara]

Yes. Perhaps Therese of Lisieux might be among those "borderline" saints recognized by OCA AND Catholics alike ?

One wonders WHY there is such interest in the OCA and places like that in "the Divine Poverello" as he is called by Catholics.
Why that particular holy man out of so many others to choose from, if these people are searching for models beyond Orthodox saints ? That question just struck me reading this thread.

Anyone have any idea why the appeal of Francis in particular ? Is it the programming by Hollywood, in movies like
Brother Sun, Sister Moon ? I remember seeing that growing up but it didn't have a huge affect on me.