2006 RCIAers! Have You Chosen a Confirmation Name?

[jbuck919]

hatcheteer:

I am sponsoring my younger brother’s confirmation, and most kids at our church take a “Matthew,” “John,” “Paul” or the like. This is all well and good, but I have to admit I smiled when my brother told me he had chosen “Pius X”

PS- He’s in no way SSPX. He just likes that Holy Father.

This is IMO very excellent. Pius was the name of twelve popes, all of the them historically important (this cannot be said of any other pope name), and at least two of them (to my knowledge) saints crucial to the history of the church (Pius V and Pius X). It is also the name in religion of the classic 20th century saint Pio di Montralcino. Good choice.

I would still, if I had it to do over again, go with Thomas for Thomas More, who has been my hero for many years. Nothing beats a martyr who was also one of the premiere intellectuals of Europe in his time. You can’t go wrong with St. Joseph, but on the human level we know nothing about him except for his God-granted inestimable goodness.

 

[Unfinished]

hatcheteer:

I am sponsoring my younger brother’s confirmation, and most kids at our church take a “Matthew,” “John,” “Paul” or the like. This is all well and good, but I have to admit I smiled when my brother told me he had chosen “Pius X”

PS- He’s in no way SSPX. He just likes that Holy Father.

LOL. Awesome.

I wanted to choose Saint Wolfgang when I was younger, but my mother talked me out of it. I chose Saint Paul instead.

 

[Figment713]

jbuck919:

I would still, if I had it to do over again, go with Thomas for Thomas More, who has been my hero for many years. Nothing beats a martyr who was also one of the premiere intellectuals of Europe in his time.

Just wanted to ditto that. And, in addition to intellectualism and martyrdom he stood up to someone he truly respected when it came to a choice between his way (i.e., Henry VIII’s) and God’s way.

An AMAZING saint!

 

[LeahInancsi]

I’m going with Elizabeth. If I can have two or hyphenate, then Mary Elizabeth.

Why? Elizabeth means “worshiper of God” and St. Elizabeth of Hungary. I’m 25% Hungarian. My grandmother who inspired me to convert was Alice Elizabeth. Mary for the Blessed Virgin Mary and my great grandmother, Mary O’Neill.

 

[netmilsmom]

THutch04:

I’m choosing Theresa, for St. Therese of Liseux

Wonderful choice! My girls will be the fourth generation to choose Theresa. My Grandmother and her sisters, My mother and her sisters, myself and my sisters all chose Theresa.

My girls will too one day!

 

[Jeanette_L]

Ok, is this the same as just choosing a patron saint?

I’ve chosen Faustina, for St. Faustina, Apostle of the Divine Mercy. I have been drawn to the Divine Mercy for many years now and didn’t even realize it. It’s kind of complicated to explain it all, but when I read her story, I knew she was the one. My sponsor told me that the saint usually chooses you, I think Faustina did years ago!

 

[slewi]

My RCIA has been a joke. No scrutinies today, no class today, we will do scrutinies next week, and we sure haven’t been told anything about choosing names. She’ll probably tell us about it Holy Thursday, if they are planning on doing it at all.

Do you want to know when we got our sponsors? The RCIA ‘teacher’ grabbed people coming into mass Sunday morning before the first rite. No planning, no nothing. She totally put people on the spot walking into church, asking folks if they would be sponsors. Incredible. We hadn’t seen them again til the Rite of Sending. These same people had to swear before God we were ready to be sent. Again, incredible.

What’s the number, 70% of RCIA students leave the church? No wonder.

 

[lyoncoeur]

My lady friend is being accepted into the Church this Easter, through RCIA, she is already a baptized Christian, so she will be receiving the sacrament of Confirmation and Eucharist. She has been asked to choose a Confirmation name, and wonders if it has to be a saint. I Honestly don’t know the answer… she is fond of the life and writings of Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, a Discalced Carmelite Monk. He wrote the popular book…

THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

Even though he is not a Saint or a blessed, would it be appropriate for her to choose this clearly godly man’s name and teachings as her “so called” patron? For her Confirmation?

Thanks for your information.

Eric

 

[stbruno]

When you choose a name, it’s a name…you don’t take on their title, like Blessed or Saint, just the name itself. So it would be appropriate. Congratulations and God’s blessings to all of you on this blessed occasion. Do not let the gifts of the Holy Spirit go unused.

 

[Cairisti]

They haven’t mentioned anything about confirmation names at our parish. I gather it isn’t “done” nowadays. Not that I mind, as I like several saints and don’t think I could pick just one to be a “patron”. Though, St. Anthony sure has gotten me out of a few messes by helping me find things so he’d be in the running.

 

[BeluvdLily]

THutch04:

I’m choosing Theresa, for St. Therese of Liseux. I actually found out about her completely by accident, and was very touched by her life. She’s the first Saint I really felt connected to (and I still feel closest to her), mostly because I love how she did God’s work by living out her daily life; and serving Him in her “little way.” Among many other things, she has made me realize that just living out daily life doing good to others, even in life’s simplest tasks, is a wonderful way to serve God.

Have you read her autobiography, Story of a Soul? I just finished it and really enjoyed it. I had it from the library but am considering purchasing it.

Amie

 

[krokal]

St. Martin de Porres, patron saint of social justice.

 

[LeahInancsi]

slewi:

My RCIA has been a joke. No scrutinies today, no class today, we will do scrutinies next week, and we sure haven’t been told anything about choosing names. She’ll probably tell us about it Holy Thursday, if they are planning on doing it at all.

Do you want to know when we got our sponsors? The RCIA ‘teacher’ grabbed people coming into mass Sunday morning before the first rite. No planning, no nothing. She totally put people on the spot walking into church, asking folks if they would be sponsors. Incredible. We hadn’t seen them again til the Rite of Sending. These same people had to swear before God we were ready to be sent. Again, incredible.

What’s the number, 70% of RCIA students leave the church? No wonder.

When I hear stories like this, I think I should put the name and address of my parish on here so all new RCIAers can get a good education.

Most of the people at my parish, brought their own sponsors or were matched up with someone over the past six months. I was introduced to a wonderful sponsor four months ago. The people who substituted for a sponsor had been attending class almost every week and knew that the people they were sponsoring had been attending class regularly and were ready.

 

[LilyM]

lyoncoeur:

My lady friend is being accepted into the Church this Easter, through RCIA, she is already a baptized Christian, so she will be receiving the sacrament of Confirmation and Eucharist. She has been asked to choose a Confirmation name, and wonders if it has to be a saint. I Honestly don’t know the answer… she is fond of the life and writings of Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, a Discalced Carmelite Monk. He wrote the popular book…

THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

Even though he is not a Saint or a blessed, would it be appropriate for her to choose this clearly godly man’s name and teachings as her “so called” patron? For her Confirmation?

Thanks for your information.

Eric

There is a SAINT Lawrence anyway - an heroic early Christian martyred by slow burning - apparently at one stage he said ‘you can turn me over - this side is done now’ (talk about brave!) :bigyikes:

It’s not like your friend would be ‘Lawrence-of-the-Resurrection’, and otherwise should be allowed to choose a man’s name as many nuns do.

 

[Steve-o]

I chose St. Luke for my Confirmation name. There are many reasons why I chose him, but he really is the closest thing there is to a Patron Saint for historians and for that reason, along with many others, I chose Luke.

Among my 10-person RCIA class, two of the women chose St. Lucy. I know the one woman who chose her is nearly blind, so her choice is appropriate.

 

[Vittorio23]

I’m already thinking about this- even though I’m not going through RCIA this year, but next year. I’ve been trying to find out if those in RCIA get to choose a Saint or not… I think they do at my parish.

I really, really, really (can I stress really, enough?) want to have St. Augustine as my Saint, but I’m not sure how appropriate that will be. My conversion models his almost completely, and my friend (who worked quite a bit on me) relied heavily on his and St. Monica’s intercessions… I also love his writings! And, I want to be a philosopher/theologian. So it’s a perfect fit.

Except I’m a girl.

How uncommon is it for a girl to take on a guy’s name? Most of my favorite Saints are guys- St. Frances de Sales, St. Luke, St. Peter Julian Eymard… Although, I must admit: St. Therese of Liseaux is amazing. I read her biography and also a retreat based on her teachings (it’s called “I Believe in Love” and it’s amazing, you MUST read it). But I don’t feel as ‘connected’ to her as I do to St. Augustine.

Oh well, I have a year to decide.

My friend has chosen St. Perpetua as her confirmation Saint.

 

[Unfinished]

Vittorio23:

I’m already thinking about this- even though I’m not going through RCIA this year, but next year. I’ve been trying to find out if those in RCIA get to choose a Saint or not… I think they do at my parish.

I really, really, really (can I stress really, enough?) want to have St. Augustine as my Saint, but I’m not sure how appropriate that will be. My conversion models his almost completely, and my friend (who worked quite a bit on me) relied heavily on his and St. Monica’s intercessions… I also love his writings! And, I want to be a philosopher/theologian. So it’s a perfect fit.

Except I’m a girl.

How uncommon is it for a girl to take on a guy’s name? Most of my favorite Saints are guys- St. Frances de Sales, St. Luke, St. Peter Julian Eymard… Although, I must admit: St. Therese of Liseaux is amazing. I read her biography and also a retreat based on her teachings (it’s called “I Believe in Love” and it’s amazing, you MUST read it). But I don’t feel as ‘connected’ to her as I do to St. Augustine.

Oh well, I have a year to decide.

My friend has chosen St. Perpetua as her confirmation Saint.

No idea on your question, I just wanted to say that Saint Monica is a cool chick. I ask her for prayers for people daily.

 

[mtr01]

Vittorio23:

How uncommon is it for a girl to take on a guy’s name? Most of my favorite Saints are guys- St. Frances de Sales, St. Luke, St. Peter Julian Eymard… Although, I must admit: St. Therese of Liseaux is amazing. I read her biography and also a retreat based on her teachings (it’s called “I Believe in Love” and it’s amazing, you MUST read it). But I don’t feel as ‘connected’ to her as I do to St. Augustine.

Oh well, I have a year to decide.

My friend has chosen St. Perpetua as her confirmation Saint.

As far as I know, there is nothing to prohibit a women from choosing a male saint for their confirmation name (or a man choosing a female saint). That said, I don’t think it’s too common…I can’t think of anyone I kow who has done this. However, there are plenty of nuns who have changed their names to honor male saints when taking their vows (Sister Francis seems to pretty popular). Even Whoopi Goldberg was Sister Mary Clarence in “Sister Act”

My advice is if you feel a strong affinity to St. Augustine, then by all means take his name as your confirmation name (I did ).

p.s., out of curiosty I did a google search and found a “Sister Francis Augustine” (!)

 

[bigbear62040]

Mine is St. Anthony because I’m always losing stuff, and I need all the help I can get to find it.