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Elizabeth Patel67 said:And have you seriously never sat down with your godfather to actually discuss the sacrament you're preparing for? If the local parish organizes a bulk purchase of Bibles (which is necessary precisely because godparents often have no clue what they're doing—and since I teach religious education, please, for the love of God, don't come storming into my parish looking for guidance 😬), then you simply tell the godfather not to overspend... though, frankly, those situations are quite rare...
This is what we call an example... Either godparents need to undergo actual preparation (for everyone, not just in those select parishes where the catechists are actually competent) or the whole tradition should just be scrapped entirely, because most people—if not all of them—don't truly grasp the underlying meaning anyway...
I had zero clue we were getting a Bible from the church. All the priest said was we needed to chip in for "administrative costs" or whatever (this was like 20 years ago). After confirmation, every kid got a little gift bag with a Bible and some relics inside. Pretty sure the priest just assumed godparents wouldn't bother gifting a Bible anyway 🙂
Elizabeth Patel67 said:Wait, hold on, I find myself feeling rather perplexed now. If we are discussing a sacrament that serves as the culmination of Christian initiation—the very moment when young people finally gain the autonomy to be chosen as godparents themselves, stepping up to serve as role models and pillars of faith for others—then really, what could possibly be a more fitting gift than the Bible ?!!! Furthermore, if they don't even possess a Bible by that stage of life, then it is surely the absolute most critical moment to provide one... perhaps with a heartfelt inscription from the godparent on the inside cover, something along the lines of "for your continued spiritual growth—this is merely the beginning," or some such sentiment... It isn't just something one would expect from a godparent; it should practically be a solemn obligation. And does anyone actually realize that if a godparent were to advise their godchild to do something that runs contrary to the teachings of the Church, that would constitute a grievous sin for the godparent? I am talking about advice like: "Major in ethics instead, religious studies are just nonsense." Or worse: "Get an abortion, you're far too young to be a parent." Or even: "Skip confession, let's just head to the bar instead."
And in what possible context could giving someone a Bible be considered a mockery?!!!
I’ve never actually handed someone a Bible as a confirmation gift. When I went through it, the church basically bought (read: paid for) my Bible. If my godparent had actually given me one, it would've just been an extra copy gathering dust on a shelf.
I’m using a similar interactive course through American Express Membership Rewards and honestly, it’s killer. Once you sign up on their site, you're basically connected to people all over the globe—plus you get professors giving you pointers and grading the tests I shoot over to them online.
The only real downside to this way of learning is there's zero pressure. It all comes down to whether you actually have the free time and the drive to do it. With a traditional language school, you're forced to show up. You’ve already paid the tuition, so you might as well finish the semester to get your money's worth.
My cousin was my godson back in '88. Back then, everyone was obsessed with motorcycles—I never really got why people chose those as godparent gifts—BMXs, Swatch watches... stuff like that. Personally, I got this gold cross necklace that I still wear every single day. Those bikes and engines? Long gone. We’re all different, sure, we all want different things, but I truly believe a gift should be timeless. It needs sentiment, not just a price tag.
In less than two months, I’m stepping up as godfather to his son, who’s 15 now. I’m planning on giving him a gold cross necklace and a watch. I really hope he loves it. He’s already got everything a teenager could possibly want these days, so I just want my gift to be a meaningful memory he can hold onto 🙂