Can you get reconfirmed under or with a new saint?

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AshtonK

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This is probably going to seem kind of strange, but I stumbled over an old post while asking a question on google search, and that post was closed, so I was unable to post in it. So, here I am.
The question I’d asked on google was “Can women be confirmed under a male saint?” I expected the answer to be a big fat “NO!”, but I discovered that the answer was otherwise! Well, imagine my distress, because this very question made me leave the Catholic church nearly 10 years ago (among other things, but this experience in particular always stands out as the one that really hurt me.)

Growing up Catholic, and going to a Catholic school, I was a person very dedicated to faith. I wanted to be a nun. Faith was something that I excelled at. I was very happy in church, and to this day I still have dreams about entering church, and hearing choirs of angelic voices singing familiar hymns and feeling at ease.
When time came for confirmation, I chose St. Michael the Archangel. I felt very strongly about him, and felt a deep connection. However, I was told that, as a girl, I could not have a male saint by two of my teachers. It’s hard to describe how devastated I was, and to a lot of people, it really seemed a frivolous thing… but I cried my eyes out! I felt like I’d been crushed! I fought and fought, but it didn’t change. In the end, a teacher suggested St. Joan of Arc because she was “similar”, and I didn’t really have the energy to fight it anymore, so I ended up with St. Joan. I still feel like this was practically chosen for me (Though, years later, I would come to discover that it was St. Michael who actually spoke to Joan, and I was rather pleased that what felt like that little slip of fate-- perhaps Michael giving me some kind of message.) Also, moving to an area in the last year where both a St. Joan and a St. Michael church are nearby each other really puts this whole situation at the forefront of my mind.

Anyway, I’ve flip-flopped from time to time about returning to the Catholic church. Even now, I’m not very sure about it. It’s still only a curiosity, but that comes to my question… Can one be reconfirmed, or go through a second confirmation? Can you end up with two saints or do you have to drop the one? (I feel like, although I resented it, and came to resent her for a time, St. Joan and I have been through a lot… :love:)
Any information on the subject is appreciated.

p.s. I apologize if anything I’ve said sounds silly or is disrespectful. It’s been awhile.
 
While it’s true that your Confirmation cannot be repeated, and while I think the emphasis here is all wrong, I would encourage you in having a deeper devotion to St. Michael, maybe even consecrating yourself to him.

Did you know there’s a religious society of Polish priests devoted to St. Michael? michaelites.ca/
 
Thank you, you two, for the quick answers. I did a little research and read about -why- one could not get reconfirmed, so it makes sense to me. I suppose I could have just looked this question up, but I was interested in other’s thoughts on it.

Liam, I have considered that in the past. The church in my hometown had an alcove shrine in the back of the church dedicated to St. Michael, and I was very fond of that space when I was young. Anyway, I still go there from time to time and go light candles and offer some prayers-- I guess, in my own way, to say hello. In my old bedroom, I had a shelf space for him, and I have my grandfather’s old family bible on display in my current house, where I place various items of St. Michael Iconography or important bits (such as a prayer medal, a prayer book and card, or my confirmation candle.) I still very much feel close to St. Michael, and I can’t see myself letting go of that feeling, even though I’m no involved in the church anymore.
Something I appreciated about Catholicism was that I felt like there were many different avenues under which someone could become closer to God. That choice seems often lacking in other faith practices.
I did not know about that religious society! Very interesting!

Sometimes I’m simply not sure about returning to the church due to the fact that my personality just may not be a match in this situation. I’m not sure if I view things in the “correct” manner any longer to be a Catholic. I get sort of nervous thinking about it.
 
I suggest you open the Catechism and read about confirmation. It is not about a saint, its about God.
 
Neofight said:
I suggest you open the Catechism and read about confirmation. It is not about a saint, its about God.
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My argument could be that, at the time, I was 13. Sacraments happened because “it was time to do them” and I was supposed to, and that’s just how Catholic school was. While I felt close to my faith, I didn’t often understand the purpose of what I was doing. Anyway, they sure as heck made a huge deal out of the whole Saint picking process! It was weeks of doing papers on our saints and making crafts based on our saints all the way up to the day…
In terms of understanding the sacraments better now, I do, but there’s a reason I haven’t made an effort to approach coming back to the church really much at all. In my mind now, the whole event was marred by what happened. Emotionally, it was difficult for me to come to terms with it. You can go ahead and go back in time and tell my young self that she should read the catechism, but I don’t imagine she would have felt better about it. Being a kid is weird like that. All in all, because of it, I never really felt connected with my confirmation. It sounds awful, but it’s the truth.

Anyway, my questions were answered and I sorted out an old trouble of mine. My curiosity is sated.

I’m sorry I came onto this forum and ruffled feathers over a decade-and-a-half-old frustration!
 
I’m sure it was very disappointing not to have St Michael as your confirmation saint. Be assured he can be your patron saint. In fact, isn’t it ironic you were told you could not have a boy saint when St Michael is an angel, not a boy at all nor a girl.

I hope now a decade down the road you can look back at those teachers and forgive them for disappointing thirteen year old you because they were misinformed about patron saints.

And perhaps you will investigate the faith through adult eyes and rekindle those fond memories into new found faith. Ask St Michael to help your in your discernment.
 
You didn’t ruffle any feathers. 🙂

I had a similar problem when I was confirmed - and I was an adult! In the mid 70s some people were saying one did not need a saint’s name at confirmation, and the priest in charge at my parish was one of those. He really tried to talk me out of it but I was adamant - I had heard about getting a saint’s name at confirmation & I was going to have one!

I finally got my way, but several years later I found out that the saint I had chosen was extremely doubtful to even have existed. I was pretty disappointed. Years later I realized that one can have a special devotion to any saint, so I chose one who I thought would be a help. Later I chose a 2nd saint, so I have 2 patron saints. I don’t think a frail human such as myself can have too much heavenly help. 😃
 
1ke said:
I’m sure it was very disappointing not to have St Michael as your confirmation saint. Be assured he can be your patron saint. In fact, isn’t it ironic you were told you could not have a boy saint when St Michael is an angel, not a boy at all nor a girl.
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Touché!
 
OP, there are several nuns who take male first names (saints) upon making vows and several priests who are named after Mary. Your teachers were mistaken.

However, while they made a big deal about choosing a saint name; it’s the least important part about Confirmation. My cousin wasn’t even allowed to pick a name because “your parents named you at baptism and that was enough”. In addition I know plenty of people who chose to name themselves after grandparents rather than saints. My dad chose Kenneth, after a soccer player and my husband chose Luke, which sounds great until you realise it was because he was a Star Wars fanatic!

Now, don’t get me wrong, IMO you should indeed choose the name of a saint. But I think your school made faaaar too big a deal of the whole thing. Don’t hold it against the church.
 
While confirmation cannot be repeated you can have St Michael as your patron saint even though he wasn’t your confirmation name.
 
OP, you are not alone. Many of us were not confirmed under the saint’s name we have chosen. Sometimes it is because at that particular parish the practice was discouraged, sometimes because (as in my case) I forgot to tell the priest or the priest made the mistake or there was some other miscommunication, sometimes because confirmation cards with names get mixed up and the bishop uses the wrong names on several people before somebody points it out. I had asked about it many times and was always given the same answer: it does not matter what the priest or bishop used, what matters is what is (or was) in your heart at the time and if you have a particular desire for a saint, he will hear you and be your saint. The confirmation name is always the name you wanted, you do not “loose” a saint because of human error. I was also told that one can spiritually change (or better yet add) saints to their confirmation name if they start feeling a particular closeness to a different saint during their lives. All you have to do is ask in prayer. So, St. Michael knew you wanted him and was with you as your confirmation saint all along, he is your spiritual name as long as you want him. God loves you, so he is not going to call you by a name that you do not like.
 
I’m glad you asked this because I was wondering a similar question: could I change my confirmation name (but not get re-confirmed because that doesn’t happen). So I am enjoying reading these response.

The emphasis on choosing a name when I was confirmed was very minimal (although we were encouraged to look at both males and females). So I picked a saint who had a name that was a childhood favorite and which had a meaning that I loved. But there are several saints with this same name and now I don’t even know which one I meant. I do remember reading about her and being generally okay with my choice. However, I now wish I had spent more time reading about other saints’ lives before deciding. I wish I didn’t limit my choices to someone who had a very specific name I liked and I wish I could remember which one she is!
 
This is such a non-issue.
Have a devotion to any Saint you wish.
People’s needs change over time.
 
Catherinabird said:
I’m glad you asked this because I was wondering a similar question: could I change my confirmation name (but not get re-confirmed because that doesn’t happen). So I am enjoying reading these response.

The emphasis on choosing a name when I was confirmed was very minimal (although we were encouraged to look at both males and females). So I picked a saint who had a name that was a childhood favorite and which had a meaning that I loved. But there are several saints with this same name and now I don’t even know which one I meant. I do remember reading about her and being generally okay with my choice. However, I now wish I had spent more time reading about other saints’ lives before deciding. I wish I didn’t limit my choices to someone who had a very specific name I liked and I wish I could remember which one she is!
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Yes, you can. I had asked about it several different priests and was always told that confirmation name is a private devotion. It is a person’s spiritual name that can be changed any time through private prayer. You just ask the saint for special protection and for permission to use his/her name as your spiritual name. The saint will hear you.
 
FrancescaMaria said:
Yes, you can. I had asked about it several different priests and was always told that confirmation name is a private devotion. It is a person’s spiritual name that can be changed any time through private prayer. You just ask the saint for special protection and for permission to use his/her name as your spiritual name. The saint will hear you.
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Thank you for your answer. I like that.
 
Wow, everyone, thank you for your responses! I particularly liked the one about St. Michael hearing and understanding, anyway. I remember during my confirmation, feeling really low, I said to myself, “I’m sorry I couldn’t pick you.”
It wouldn’t be for many years later that I would come to understand that I didn’t need to say sorry at all. It’s hard to describe, but after a dream I had about St. Michael, I realized he’d been there all along.

Thanks to this forum, I now have a better understanding of what confirmation is. What’s done is done. I’m happy it also helped answer the question for another, too. I’m glad that others had this similar concern. While I can understand the purpose of confirmation is for God, I think the emotional impact is very important as well. One connects with God in varying ways.

As for the question, “How has the Holy Spirit worked in your (my) life?” The honest answer is that I don’t know. These days, I tend to say “The Universe is watching my back”, since my faith practice consists of broad spirituality. I never imagined that the Holy Spirit would be paying any attention to me at all, since I decided to walk away from Christianity.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m no atheist. It’s not that I don’t believe in angels, the concept of God, the divine, and divine miracles-- in fact, I believe very strongly in these things still. I depend on divine blessings (Or, as I’ve heard it from one minister, “God’s arrangements”) on the regular, and I know it! I still pray and enjoy a simple spiritual life. But… in terms of the Holy Spirit? I haven’t thought about that concept in a long time.
 
I was thankful that not only was I able to choose my confirmation name, but it also appears on my confirmation certificate. :getholy:
 
On a lighter, more secondary note, I also loved St. Francis of Assisi as a kid. What a gentle guy he was, and what a heart! I really wanted to be like him, spiritually. He really shaped me as a person, now that I think of it; shaped the kind of person I wanted to be. His affinity for nature really spoke to me, especially “preaching to the birds.” For some reason, it’s just such a sweet image in my mind.

Sorry, I feel like that was off topic, but I had to say it! haha
 
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