Confirmation name questions (RCIA)

[GloriousOrder]

Friends ,

It is possible, by the rules of R.C.I.A., to choose a saint’s surname/place of origin (which are often the same)? Not ever having been baptised, Father said I may choose any confirmation name, or even two names. Due to my love for meaning, form, substance, and the way all three tie together, my plan was to take Thomas as a new given legal name (via the government, after baptism), and to choose Dominic as my Confirmation name, since St. Dominic is the founder of my most beloved Christian way of life.

I’m really having a hard time deciding how to work this, because I believe the power of a name is very great. God renames the just and the great people destined for great things. We are named anew according to our affections and purposes. Dominic and Thomas Aquinas have been so helpful to me, and I know both have prayed for me! How should I best honour them?

Tangentially: may I choose, say, “Aquinas” as my Confirmation name, even though that was not St. Thomas’ actual name, but his family-birthplace? There are a lot of saints called Thomas, after all.

 

[centurionguard]

Friends ,

It is possible, by the rules of R.C.I.A., to choose a saint’s surname/place of origin (which are often the same)? Not ever having been baptised, Father said I may choose any confirmation name, or even two names. Due to my love for meaning, form, substance, and the way all three tie together, my plan was to take Thomas as a new given legal name (via the government, after baptism), and to choose Dominic as my Confirmation name, since St. Dominic is the founder of my most beloved Christian way of life.

I’m really having a hard time deciding how to work this, because I believe the power of a name is very great. God renames the just and the great people destined for great things. We are named anew according to our affections and purposes. Dominic and Thomas Aquinas have been so helpful to me, and I know both have prayed for me! How should I best honour them?

Tangentially: may I choose, say, “Aquinas” as my Confirmation name, even though that was not St. Thomas’ actual name, but his family-birthplace? There are a lot of saints called Thomas, after all.

…
Hello Good Friend and fellow Nova Scotian, Bluenoser. I grew up in Nova Scotia from Halifax and moved to Quebec years later.

Quite honestly; its been many years since I went through my Confirmation in the later 1960’s.
So obviously; many things have changed since then. Actually I lived in Spryfield and moved to Dartmouth when I was Confirmed in Shannon Park “Our Lady of Fatima Parish”

During my catechism their were Nuns teaching us. Boys and Men being confirmed then were given the optional choice of two names to take up as their confirmed names.

Those two names were taken after the Saints of Joseph and.John.

Not definitively sure if the priest/Bishop confirming you will allow you to take the name Aquinas. Then again I might be mistaken. Your best bet would be to contact your R.C.I.A. sponsor or the parish priest.

Praying and wishing you the best good neighbor.

Fraternally In the Peace and Love of Christ

Chris

 

[Sum_Fidelis]

Hello. My advice is to think carefully what name you choose,you are “stuck” with it for the rest of your life. There is so many changes since I took first Communion that I don’t remember all the “rules”,but talk to your priest,ask for advice from fellow catholics and think. Your choice is by the way really good but you must understand that you then must “live up” to the name. God bless you.

 

[PJM]

=GloriousOrder;7619807]Friends ,

It is possible, by the rules of R.C.I.A., to choose a saint’s surname/place of origin (which are often the same)? Not ever having been baptised, Father said I may choose any confirmation name, or even two names. Due to my love for meaning, form, substance, and the way all three tie together, my plan was to take Thomas as a new given legal name (via the government, after baptism), and to choose Dominic as my Confirmation name, since St. Dominic is the founder of my most beloved Christian way of life.

I’m really having a hard time deciding how to work this, because I believe the power of a name is very great. God renames the just and the great people destined for great things. We are named anew according to our affections and purposes. Dominic and Thomas Aquinas have been so helpful to me, and I know both have prayed for me! How should I best honour them?

Tangentially: may I choose, say, “Aquinas” as my Confirmation name, even though that was not St. Thomas’ actual name, but his family-birthplace? There are a lot of saints called Thomas, after all.

As a “Confirmation name is a personal choice” I am awre of no proabaton that would prevent you using “Thomas Aquinas” as it identifies the saint you have wisely and prayerfully selected.

I’d run it by Father; but expect you can in fact do this.

GOD BLESS, and welcome HOME!
Pat

 

[stormy99]

Friends ,

It is possible, by the rules of R.C.I.A., to choose a saint’s surname/place of origin (which are often the same)? Not ever having been baptised, Father said I may choose any confirmation name, or even two names. Due to my love for meaning, form, substance, and the way all three tie together, my plan was to take Thomas as a new given legal name (via the government, after baptism), and to choose Dominic as my Confirmation name, since St. Dominic is the founder of my most beloved Christian way of life.

I’m really having a hard time deciding how to work this, because I believe the power of a name is very great. God renames the just and the great people destined for great things. We are named anew according to our affections and purposes. Dominic and Thomas Aquinas have been so helpful to me, and I know both have prayed for me! How should I best honour them?

Tangentially: may I choose, say, “Aquinas” as my Confirmation name, even though that was not St. Thomas’ actual name, but his family-birthplace? There are a lot of saints called Thomas, after all.

**There are also many Catherines…so when I choose St. Catherine of Sienna, that’s exactly how it appears on the confirmation certificate…so just put down St. Thomas of Aquinas.

stormy**

 

[puzzleannie]

Friends ,

It is possible, by the rules of R.C.I.A., to choose a saint’s surname/place of origin (which are often the same)? Not ever having been baptised, Father said I may choose any confirmation name, or even two names.

there are no rules about choosing a new name for baptism and confirmation through RCIA so yes you can choose any saint name, any form of the saint’s name, any translation of the saint’s name, any reference to the saint (Aquinas for Thomas is a good example, Aquino is a proper name in many Hispanic countries, referring to him). You may choose two. However none of this changes your legal name on your birth certificate, unless you decided to petition the civil law authority in your country or state to make that change. Even in countries where the baptismal name is the legal name you still have to go through whatever legal process is required.

Unless your given legal birth name is somehow flagrantly anti-Catholic you are not even required to choose a new name. In many languages even in countries without the heritage of saint names as given names, the birth names have a connotation or meaning that can refer to a saint, or to an attribute of Christ, Mary or another saint.