Catholic Names, huh?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ChristianKnight
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

ChristianKnight

Guest
I have heard people say that in a Catholic Church they give you a name, like middle name or something that is supposed to be that of a Saint/disciple?

Is this required?
Scripture for why?

My name is Cain, is that considered Christian, even though he was not a good guy?
 
You’re referring to confirmation names perhaps. You can choose one, it isn’t required though, and is usually just another middle name. Being named after a saint means you have something in common with that saint, their character, and their life, and they can perhaps become a sort of spiritual role model for you (and intercessor too, we believe the heavenly saints can and do pray for and with us just as our earthly friends do). Mine, for example, is St Helena, who discovered the True Cross of Christ in Jerusalem. Her life story reminds me to ‘take up my cross daily’ among other things.

The more general idea is that in the sacrament of confirmation you become a new person in Christ, and such a change can be signified by an additional new name. Name changes (usually to new names that have some significance) are frequent in scripture for people for whom God has a mission - think Abraham (changed from Abram), Jacob becoming Israel, Simon-Peter and Saul changing to Paul. As Christians, of course, we are all ‘men on a mission’ so to speak 😃

Nothing wrong at all with Cain as a first name, your first name can pretty much be whatever you like (you may want to avoid Adolf, Osama or Beelzebul though :eek: )
 
ChristianKnight said:
I have heard people say that in a Catholic Church they give you a name, like middle name or something that is supposed to be that of a Saint/disciple?

Is this required?
Scripture for why?

My name is Cain, is that considered Christian, even though he was not a good guy?
Click to expand...
The Catholic Church does not give you a name, your parents do. If you are referring to the custom of adding a Saint’s name to your own when receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation, that name is by your own choice, not the Church’s. It is not required, but most people do, and they pick the name of a Saint whose qualities they admire and maybe wish to emulate. This is not so strange–many of us are named after our fathers or mothers or other relatives, and even after great persons in history whom our parents have admired.

There does not need to be a Scripture for why, any more than there needs to be a Scripture for why you name your own children, or why your parents named you. It is just a custom, not required, but it has meaning to the person who chooses the name.
 
I have heard people say that in a Catholic Church they give you a name, like middle name or something that is supposed to be that of a Saint/disciple?
Click to expand...
The Church does not give you a name, a name is selected, usually, by one being Confirmed, as a constant petition to that saint (who they feel they have some connection or shared interest with) to pray for them. I actually have two, so my ‘real’ name is quite long.
Is this required?
Click to expand...
No.
Scripture for why?
Click to expand...
The Catholic Church does not reserve all authority to Sacred Scripture. Nonetheless, why wouldn’t we do this? Is it against Scripture?

Your signature is a complete oxymoron.
 
My guess is that what the OP has heard has nothing at all to do with confirmation. Someone else can do the source checking, but the Church currently holds a line either like she considers it “laudable” to name your children after a saint or else that it is “recommended” but not required. Naming your child after a saint places them under that saint’s patronage, pays honor to that saint, gives the child a Christian model to emulate, and is a form of witness to the world. Formerly, it was required that a Catholic child be given a “Christian name,” such that if the parents did not provide their child with one the priest was required to supply one when baptizing.
 
Yes, Catholic parents are no longer required to give their children the name of a saint or virtue, but they may not name have the child baptized with the name of an infamous person, like naming a child Judas or Hitler. Presumably you weren’t named in memory of the first murderer in the bible but your parents like the sound of the name or knew someone of that name. If you became Catholic, and weren’t already baptized, you might be asked if you want to add a Christian name to Cain for your baptism and confirmation. This is just a custom, not a biblical requirement.
 
Andreas_Hofer said:
My guess is that what the OP has heard has nothing at all to do with confirmation. Someone else can do the source checking, but the Church currently holds a line either like she considers it “laudable” to name your children after a saint or else that it is “recommended” but not required. Naming your child after a saint places them under that saint’s patronage, pays honor to that saint, gives the child a Christian model to emulate, and is a form of witness to the world. Formerly, it was required that a Catholic child be given a “Christian name,” such that if the parents did not provide their child with one the priest was required to supply one when baptizing.
Click to expand...
umk. I figured it was something required cause I had heard of it a lot, but guess not. I prefer my name, but the saint rolltide and me found that was a lot like me is St.Idore the Farmer. Since we’re both farmers, and worked on them, but I believe he was a city guy that worked on farms outside of the city, but nto sure.
 
ChristianKnight said:
umk. I figured it was something required cause I had heard of it a lot, but guess not. I prefer my name, but the saint rolltide and me found that was a lot like me is St.Idore the Farmer. Since we’re both farmers, and worked on them, but I believe he was a city guy that worked on farms outside of the city, but nto sure.
Click to expand...
Here is some information about the life of St Isidore the Farmer:

frpat.com/isidore_farmer.htm

🙂
 
ChristianKnight said:
I have heard people say that in a Catholic Church they give you a name, like middle name or something that is supposed to be that of a Saint/disciple?

Is this required?
Scripture for why?

My name is Cain, is that considered Christian, even though he was not a good guy?
Click to expand...
Are you also good at kung fu? Hope you are old enough to see the humour in my remark!
 
LilyM said:
…
Nothing wrong at all with Cain as a first name, your first name can pretty much be whatever you like (you may want to avoid Adolf, Osama or Beelzebul though :eek: )
Click to expand...
...lol...lol...lol
 
NeedImprovement said:
…“Grasshopper, as soon as you can snatch the pebble from my hand…it will be time for you to change threads.”
Click to expand...
hahaha! I also have the entire tv series on dvd and actually had just finished watching an episode when this thread opened.
 
Here it is in a nutshell ChristianKnight:

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

III. THE CHRISTIAN NAME

2156 The sacrament of Baptism is conferred “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” In Baptism, the Lord’s name sanctifies man, and the Christian receives his name in the Church. This can be the name of a saint, that is, of a disciple who has lived a life of exemplary fidelity to the Lord. The patron saint provides a model of charity; we are assured of his intercession. The “baptismal name” can also express a Christian mystery or Christian virtue. “Parents, sponsors, and the pastor are to see that a name is not given which is foreign to Christian sentiment.”

… IN BRIEF …

2165 In Baptism, the Christian receives his name in the Church. Parents, godparents, and the pastor are to see that he be given a Christian name. The patron saint provides a model of charity and the assurance of his prayer. …
*********************
There’s a lot written around it (the context of articles before and after # 2156 of the Catechism) from which more meaning can be gleaned, but I always liked the fact that we were “assured” of that particular saint’s intercession; a type of guarantee from the Church.

Like LilyM, I also received a name at confirmation (didn’t know this until I went back to the parish of my childhood to obtain a Confirmational certificate). So they gave me one at Baptism and another at Confirmation. The Baptismal one appears as my official middle name; the Confirmational one - only on the record of Confirmation (I guess we have to draw the line somewhere, otherwise, with a whole string of names, I might have to fold my driver’s licence 5 or 6 times to fit it into my wallet).
 
Claire_from_DE said:
Yes, Catholic parents are no longer required to give their children the name of a saint or virtue, but they may not name have the child baptized with the name of an infamous person, like naming a child Judas or Hitler. Presumably you weren’t named in memory of the first murderer in the bible but your parents like the sound of the name or knew someone of that name. If you became Catholic, and weren’t already baptized, you might be asked if you want to add a Christian name to Cain for your baptism and confirmation. This is just a custom, not a biblical requirement.
Click to expand...
You can’t name a child after St. Judas? catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=230

You mentioned “Hitler,” which would be a strange name for a child…it is a family name. “Schickelgruber” would be even worse! :eek: However, one could name their kid after St. Adolf, correct? catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1136

And what is wrong with Cain? catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=702
St. Keyne
Feastday: October 8
Click to expand...
St. Keyne (Keyna or Cain) was one of the twenty-four children of King Brychan of Brecknock, Wales. She refused several suitors’ offers of marriage and became a hermitess on the banks of the Severn River in Somersetshire, England. After living there for several years, during which she traveled widely, she was persuaded by her nephew, St. Cadoc, to return to Wales, though exactly where she spent her last days is not known. During her travels, she founded numerous churches in South Wales, Cornwall, and perhaps somerset. Her feast day is October 8.
Click to expand...
 
 
ChristianKnight said:
I have heard people say that in a Catholic Church they give you a name, like middle name or something that is supposed to be that of a Saint/disciple?

Is this required?
Scripture for why?

My name is Cain, is that considered Christian, even though he was not a good guy?
Click to expand...
It is traditional, but not required for Catholic parents to name their child after a favorite saint. That’s one reason you find a lot of John Pauls, John Michaels and Mary Margarets.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top