Changing Patron Saints

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Jake_Hansen

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I made my confirmation back when I was in third grade. Back then I wasn’t thinking much and I picked my patron saint because both our names started with J (haha don’t judge). So now that I am older and have certain saints I really admire can I change my patron saint? And if so how?
 
Obviously you can’t change the saint you chose for confirmation any more than you can change the name of your third grade teacher – it’s over and done with. But there’s nothing to stop you from having many friends in heaven. Make friends with someone else and use that saint as a guide and patron for today.
 
Visit with that saint often; IMO the saint picked you vs you picking them.

It’s also wonderful to add other saints into your life.
 
A Patron is some one who looks after your interests. This Saint has been doing that I presume for a number of years. Be grateful. As stated you can also add others, They all provide a pattern for better living.🙂
 
Why do you need to change? You have the patron you chose (and who, from your note, is possibly being ignored?), and one you like. Two working on your behalf is not a bad thing.
 
Patron saints have no bearing on the sacraments; as far as I’m aware most countries don’t even practice the idea of a “confirmation name”. It’s a devotional practice inspired off of the several Biblical heroes that had the same thing happen to them. If there are other saints that you are drawn towards for a relationship, then just do so. There isn’t competing real estate over the number of loved ones you can have. Love is infinitely renewable and free. Saints:
  1. Intercede for us
  2. Have been made perfect, therefore love us perfectly.
  3. Love listening to us
  4. By deepening our love for them, by default, we deepen our love for God. By deepening our love for God, by default, we deepen our love for them. It is absolutely impossible to love one but not the other, or to not love one but to love the other. Whatever you do for the one you always do to the other.
 
I really want to know who you picked.

Mine is John the Apostle.
 
Jake_Hansen said:
I made my confirmation back when I was in third grade. Back then I wasn’t thinking much and I picked my patron saint because both our names started with J (haha don’t judge). So now that I am older and have certain saints I really admire can I change my patron saint? And if so how?
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You might be surprised someday, at just how appropriate your confirmation saint is for you. I picked mine on the basis of her ‘pretty name’ (St. Dymphna) at age 13, having no idea just how much work she’d help me with later in life, in so many ways.

You can pray with as many saints as you want. You aren’t tied just to one. I often appeal to Sts. Cecilia, Teresa of Avila, Therese of Liseaux, Christopher, Anthony, Monica, Augustine, Joseph, along with Mary, our Life, our Sweetness and our Hope.

Each saint in Heaven is available for us to pray with each and every day. Don’t limit yourself. You might become closer to one for awhile, or even for the rest of your life. It’s okay. 🙂
 
Thanks so much everyone for all the advice it has been very inspiring!!!
 
I would simply say, no. Do not change your confirmation name. You picked it for a reason and you should stand by it. You could talk to your confirmation class teacher and see if you can, but I wouldn’t change it.

Why change your patron saint who is so happy and blessed in Heaven since you picked him. More importantly, love God, Blessed Mother, the Angels and Saints above!
 
ccmcmg said:
You might be surprised someday, at just how appropriate your confirmation saint is for you. I picked mine on the basis of her ‘pretty name’ (St. Dymphna) at age 13, having no idea just how much work she’d help me with later in life, in so many ways.

You can pray with as many saints as you want. You aren’t tied just to one. I often appeal to Sts. Cecilia, Teresa of Avila, Therese of Liseaux, Christopher, Anthony, Monica, Augustine, Joseph, along with Mary, our Life, our Sweetness and our Hope.

Each saint in Heaven is available for us to pray with each and every day. Don’t limit yourself. You might become closer to one for awhile, or even for the rest of your life. It’s okay. 🙂
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You are so lucky and blessed to have picked St. Dymphna! She is one of the most inspiring stories in Catholic sainthood history! First person who i have heard of who picked St. Dymphna! Wonderful.
 
This discussion helped me, thank you for having it. I am still awaiting my first confession and I was wondering how and when one discovers who is one’s patron saint. Now I have a much better idea. There are several to whom I am drawn, so I will pray a lot about it. I signed up for a saint of the day e-mail, but it hasn’t been coming and my junk mail box is empty, so I will just have to look them up as I hear about them. I have already downloaded a couple of Catholic aps for my phone, and one of them has a brief story of the saint of the day. It really helps me to read it before Mass so that I can better relate when that saint is mentioned. Eventually, I am sure that my choice for patron saint will just seem obvious to me. I like St. Michael, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, and, of course, St. Francis of Assisi, but I don’t want to make a hasty decision about it.
 
asonct said:
You are so lucky and blessed to have picked St. Dymphna! She is one of the most inspiring stories in Catholic sainthood history! First person who i have heard of who picked St. Dymphna! Wonderful.
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Thank you! She has truly been a blessing to me, you are right! I like to think that she led me to her, that she picked me. I love how the Holy Spirit works in us when we don’t even realize it. It’s just so amazing to me that she is my Confirmation saint. My mother suggested many others, but this was my first decision I made as a teen that was all my own (14 years old), and stood my ground. My mama thought that the small town, and even tinier parish, would think I was trying to send a message about my dad (I wasn’t).

Later in life, she really guided me and helped keep my safe from further harm than I was experiencing at the time. I didn’t know about depression, mental illness, or anything like that. Then, when I met my birthfather, (I’m adopted), St. Dymphna really helped me. I believe my birthfather also shares some characteristics with St. Dymphna’s father as well. 😦 😦

It’s just funny that I thought I was picking her for her pretty name, and to be ‘independent’, but God already knew I needed her. I love His Humor, His Compassion and how He shares the ‘why’ in His Time, not ours. <3
 
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