Confirmation name-what is yours and why did you choose it?

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Catherine, after my Godmother.

To the best of my knowledge of some 46 years ago, we were not taught or encouraged to pick a name of a Saint, nor a patron Saint. Actually that is something that has baffled me for a long time, whenever I hear someone talk about having a ‘patron saint’. So at this point in time, how does one choose a patron saint?
 
I was baptised and confirmed this week at the Easter vigil. I chose St. Margaret Clitherow. I chose her because, firstly I wanted a UK saint but most importantly she refused to plead when she was arrested for harbouring priests to save her children from not only giving evidence against her but also coverting to protestant. Also I struggled with my faith as it seemed to go against my feminist spirit at first but upon more research (lots of it) I came across some writing about her and references in Shakespeare and I feel like she bought me home and helped me to make sense of things. She is an inspiration to me and I hope I am as devoted a mother as she was.
 
Mine is Mary Ellen, after my great-grandmother who died about 6 months before my Confirmation and because of St. Mary Magdalene & St. Helen (Ellen is derived from Helen)- 2 examples of woman whose lives changed forever after encountering Christ.
 
Cecelia! I was rather unique in my class, as all the girls were using Bernadette - our teacher’s name. I’m a lover of all kinds of music, so Cecelia was a great name. One other girl decided on a different name as well. So we were the only two who were not Bernadette.

Wow, this was in 1962.
 
St. Joseph. I struggled with choosing a name that spoke to my adult conversion. I considered St. Thomas, but I didn’t want the remainder of my life to be defined by my previous doubts. I almost went with St. Martin of Tours, an adult convert. But in the end, I chose the patron saint of fathers and families. It spoke to my adult conversion-I was already a father-without totally defining my previous life as a doubter. Like St. Joseph, I pray to be able to leave this earthly life in the presence of my wife and Jesus Christ.
 
San Juan Diego, because the year I was Confirmed I also visited the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City and I was very devoted to her and moved by the convert Saint whom she appeared to…the Irish Bishop was very surprised to hear me say “Juan Diego” and began talking to me in Spanish- which surprised me even more…seeing as I am English being Confirmed in England with a Spanish by an Irish Spanish speaking Bishop lol!
 
I was essentially a child when I chose St. Francis. I had a hard time coming up with one so I picked him and said it was because he liked animals. Now, years later I realized that he was the perfect choice. I am strongly attracted to charity work w/ the hungry and homeless. Even as an atheist I volunteered w/ Food Not Bombs so I feel he has been with me the whole time. Now I am considering becoming a secular Franciscian so it all makes sense after all these years. Reminds me that we are not always in charge.
 
Teresa de Ávila. I admire her convictions about prayer and contemplation and her fearless love for Jesus in the face of adversity.
 
I chose St Cecilia after reading up on all the saints because of her love for music and how she died singing, her name I felt called out to me and I always loved music and still do, I just can’t describe the feeling I get from music. I was the only one who chose something different and that was around 1987/1988. Everyone said to me at the time why are you choosing that name and I always remember saying it will be easier for St Cecilia to watch over me as she will have less people to watch over.

I then went on to name a daughter after her as well because confirmation names don’t really get a mention so now the name is heard everyday in my house.🙂
 
St Gemma because I converted in my early twenties and St Gemma has been like a role model to me. Reading about her life made me want to be more humble, modest, love Jesus more and see the value in suffering.
 
I chose Saint Michael AA,as I wanted so much to be a soldier of Christ,which I am still
today a work in progress.
 
Saint Maria Goretti…A young girl that stood up for her faith, even in times of trouble. Her relationship with her family, especially her father, was pure love. Love that can come only from God.
 
I chose Bernadette, as one of my favorite books growing up was Franz Werfel’s The Song of Bernadette. I could identify with Bernadette’s desire to be hidden and forgotten.

If I had known more about the Little Flower then, it would have been a much more difficult decision. Therese has become like a big sister to me.**
 
When I was confirmed (yesterday), I chose the name of Mary (I had already planned to choose her name long before I was in Confirmation classes). I have always held an affinity for Our Lady (even before I was a practicing Catholic), and I believe she led me to the Church of her Son.

I was also planning on taking the name of Bernarde (in reference to St. Bernadette, one of my patrons, alongside St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Agnes) alongside Mary, or simply using the name Rose (in reference to Our Lady, St. Bernadette, and St. Thérèse), but we were only allowed one saint name (we may have been allowed more than one, but it would have been difficult to fill in the “saint report” if we were to report on more than one saint).

God bless.
 
None. To quote the Princess Bride, “We sort of skipped that part.”

I did not receive a new name at my Methodist baptism or my Episcopalian confirmation. Later, at my Catholic confirmation, the subject never came up until the last minute and my mind went blank so we proceeded without a name. I don’t suppose there are any saints named Russell – yet – are there? 🙂
 
Russ_of_Tokyo said:
None. To quote the Princess Bride, “We sort of skipped that part.”

I did not receive a new name at my Methodist baptism or my Episcopalian confirmation. Later, at my Catholic confirmation, the subject never came up until the last minute and my mind went blank so we proceeded without a name. I don’t suppose there are any saints named Russell – yet – are there? 🙂
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There’s none listed in my Dictionary of Saints, but you could be the first!! God Bless, Memaw
 
Russ_of_Tokyo said:
None. To quote the Princess Bride, “We sort of skipped that part.”

I did not receive a new name at my Methodist baptism or my Episcopalian confirmation. Later, at my Catholic confirmation, the subject never came up until the last minute and my mind went blank so we proceeded without a name. I don’t suppose there are any saints named Russell – yet – are there? 🙂
Click to expand...
“Russell” comes from “Rufus,” meaning “red-haired.” There ate, at least ten St. Rufus from whose patronage you can choose:
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Rufus

🙂 😉
 
Rufus, eh? That’ll take some getting used to. Thanks for the great info!
 
Helen, because I love her focus on looking for the relics of our Lord and because it was the name of my great-grandmother whom my grandmother said I reminded her a lot of as a child.
 
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