Criteria set out in CIC c. 874 § 1, 4°-5° and the validity of admission to the munus of sponsor

A person to be baptized should, insofar as possible, be given a sponsor who – before being admitted to undertaking the office – must satisfy the criteria specified in CIC c. 874. Among them are the requirement of being free from any canonical penalty, according to the law imposed or declared, and not being the father or mother of the one to be baptised. Unfortunately, neither the doctrine nor the discipline of the Latin Church explicitly state whether non-compliance with the requirements set out in CIC c. 874 § 1, 4°-5° affects the validity or only liceity of acquiring the sponsor’s munus. Given this lack, the author of this article has set himself the goal of answering this doubt.