Choosing a Patron Saint

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JessicaCeleste

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Hey Y’all!

I question especially for the converts 🙂

In preperation for the Easter Vigil, I’ve started the process of researching Saints and in all honesty, am finding the whole thing just a little overwhelming. There’s *SO *many great saints to pick from…how does one chose just one, maybe two?

For those of you who have been through the process, do you have any tidbits of advice…plans of attack? Oh, and I do have the “Dictionary of Saints” and know a number of great websites that deal with Patron Saints.

Thanks!

~Jess

:blessyou:
 
When I was choosing my saint for confirmation, I looked for the one who’s story really spoke to me, the one that leaped off the page. I ended up picking St. Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine. As you’re doing your research, really pray about it and see who stands out to you. Congratulations on coming into the Church!!!
 
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aurora77:
When I was choosing my saint for confirmation, I looked for the one who’s story really spoke to me, the one that leaped off the page. I ended up picking St. Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine. As you’re doing your research, really pray about it and see who stands out to you. Congratulations on coming into the Church!!!
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I don’t really know why I chose St Ursula, but I seem to have spent my whole life instructing/teaching others although I am not a teacher.

Also, I don’t quite know how it happened but St Anthony of Padua chose ME.He is a saint I feel very close to.
 
In high school, I picked Catherine of Siena because I thought her picture in my children’s saint book was pretty. Now of course, I’m so impressed with my “luck.” Since all saints are perfectly righteous, you can’t go wrong! I have always wandered if we really pick our patrons or if we get a nudge from that saint who has adopted us.
 
Besides what others have already said here, I’d say that whichever patron saint you choose, even if just because his or her feast happens on a date important to you, like your birthday, or just because you like the name,
try to know more about him or her. Get aquainted with his or her life story, try to find out if he or she left writings behind and read them, etc.

Although I chose St. Augustine because after getting to know him through his Confessions I decided to get confirmed, almost 20 years ago, I still look at his example in my life and still find new parallels to draw from.

:blessyou:
 
Thanks to all who offered insights to my question 🙂

Merry Christmas!

~J
 
Jessica is the feminine form of Jesse, father of David, and hence a patriarch who are traditional considered to be among the saints. Celeste is one of a number of names that refer to heaven, heavenly beings: angels, or heavenly attributes of Mary. Other examples are Aurora, or Amber (which is a reference to materials used in building the Temple, a type of heaven). There is also a St. Celestine.
 
I don’t really know why I chose St Ursula, but I seem to have spent my whole life instructing/teaching others although I am not a teacher.
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Also, I don’t quite know how it happened but St Anthony of Padua chose ME.He is a saint I feel very close to.
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I’m not a confirmed Catholic (YET!) but as I am seeking God’s will for myself, He led me to St. Dymphna.

I’m no expert on the subject by any means, but it seems to me that if you seek God, take time for study of the lives of the Saints, you’ll find yours.

Seeker 👍
 
Sorry can’t help you, we didn’t have to do this. My daughter who was just confirmed was also not required to do this.

scared
 
Oh no, you don’t choose the Saints, the Saints choose you! 😉

Finding one that strikes you can be a winner alone. Once you’re confirmed with that Saint, they become like your godparent in heaven.

I’m a male, but I chose a female Blessed because she is inspiring. Now that I chose her, I find that her name truly is what is reflected in my goal in life: to maintain purity (Kateri) and to set things in order / to move things before one’s self / to feel one’s way with one’s hands (Tekakwitha).

Choose one that seems right for you. Because of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, I have opened myself to Native Spirituality and awareness of Nature in tune with Christianity, and have become compassionate for the First Nations peoples.

It doesn’t matter if your Saint is male or female; as long as they can touch you in their special way, and that they become a good role model, you just can never go wrong with any Saint!

Mind you, I’m a revert from this Easter 😉
 
silverwings_88
Oh no, you don’t choose the Saints, the Saints choose you!
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Finding one that strikes you can be a winner alone. Once you’re confirmed with that Saint, they become like your godparent in heaven.
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You know, maybe it was my Protestant up bringing, but that maybe correct too. Nice thought. Thanks!

Seeker
 
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Seeker1965:
You know, maybe it was my Protestant up bringing, but that maybe correct too. Nice thought. Thanks!

Seeker
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Well, I was a Pentecostal for a few months before I reverted back to Catholicism, so upon RCIA and Charismatic Prayer group, I came across quite Protestant terms, such as referring to the Saints in Heaven as Prayer Warriors, or Purgatory as Burning in God’s Love. 😉

But of course, it does make sense anyways; by choosing a Confirmation Saint, they become a guardian in Heaven for you, a godparent in Confirmation as you had an earthly godparent in Baptism (if you were baptised Catholic).

That’s why when I took my Saint, I took Confirmation seriously, because that Saint name becomes part of my new identity as a Catholic Christian adult. Even now, I colloquially write my name as Kevyn Scott Kateri Calanza Bello.

Oh, and you’re welcome! I tend to blab on ;)…
 
I am also in the process of preparing for Easter Vigil, and I have to say that although I did and am still doing some research on saints, I feel like I have been picked by one: St. Monica, who was St. Augustine’s mother, and prayed for many years for her son and huband to be converted. She keeps turning up when I read about saints. Keep an eye out for those saints that really touch you as you look, and don’t be afraid to look deeper at one or two that really grab your attention, even if you are not sure why.

I thought I was weird, seeing St. Monica a bit of everywhere, until a friend shared with me that you do not necesarily pick a saint, but they often seem to pick you first, so it is okay to be sensitive to the saint(s) and follow your instincts in this.

Happy reading!
 
Unfortunately when I was a young Catholic I didn’t take my faith quite a seriously, but I think the Saint I chose is rather fitting. I’m a girl that loves art (whether it be prose or pencils) so I chose St. Luke, the patron saint of artists. Furthermore, I’ve always looked forward to reading from his Gospel every Advent–his prose mixed with the Holy Spirit is inspiring, just comes alive. In my later years, I was drawn to religious art and iconography like Our Lady of Perpetual Help and I now have a wooden one of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in my room. I still do wish I was more prayerful about…
 
Does anyone have any advice, comments, etc. concerning how a FAMILY chooses/acquires a patron saint if it does not have one?
 
I’m in RCIA and just learned I need to have a name for Easter about two weeks ago. That night they said just choose a saint that you feel you have an affinity for or a relationship with.

I also read that it’s good to find one whose spirituality draws you.

I’ve always felt close to St. Michael. Tonight I learned that I can’t have a male saint. The only couple of saints I was even considering were male: Michael, Francis and Luke. Sigh.

Does anyone know what the basic spirituality is of St. Michael and whether there are any women saints affiliated with him?

I know Francis has Clare. What about St. Luke? I’m a writer and a student of iconography so he’s a special consideration for me, too.

I’ve tried doing some research but am not really honing in on anything. Any help about St. Michael and his spirituality and/or women associated with St. Luke (other than Virgin Mary) would be helpful.
 
Vikk said:
I’ve always felt close to St. Michael. Tonight I learned that I can’t have a male saint. The only couple of saints I was even considering were male: Michael, Francis and Luke. Sigh.

Does anyone know what the basic spirituality is of St. Michael and whether there are any women saints affiliated with him?

I know Francis has Clare. What about St. Luke? I’m a writer and a student of iconography so he’s a special consideration for me, too.

I’ve tried doing some research but am not really honing in on anything. Any help about St. Michael and his spirituality and/or women associated with St. Luke (other than Virgin Mary) would be helpful.
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I don’t know about St. Luke, but I thought of St. Joan of Arc in connection with St. Michael. St. Michael is supposed to be one of the saints that told her to go and fight (the others being St. Margaret of Antioch and Catherine of Siena, I believe). If you want a warrior, St. Joan is certainly a good one.
 
Ladd_Nathan said:
Does anyone have any advice, comments, etc. concerning how a FAMILY chooses/acquires a patron saint if it does not have one?
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There’s nothing wrong with simply choosing one or more that you like.

But there may be special reasons to choose one or another. I know a person whose family attributes their escape from Cuba to the intercession of St. Jude. Their choice of a family patron is somewhat obvious! I know another whose last name is Cooper. Cooper is an English word for barrel-maker. The patron of barrel-makers is St. Nicholas. Or, again, I know someone whose family is from Hungary. The country has a number of patrons, like St. Stephen of Hungary. Think about the reasons your family may have to choose a particular patron, and someone good may turn up. 🙂
 
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