Confirmation Name

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Epistemes

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Well, the time is nearly here for me to take the Rite of Acceptance, and soon after that, God willing, I will be removed from my status as Candidate into the official role of Catholic! šŸ˜ƒ This is a very exciting time for me, as I have looked forward to being Catholic since 2005.

The confirmation name seems like itā€™s a big deal, but I often wonder if Iā€™m not overemphasizing it just a bit? Iā€™m not exactly sure what the significance of it is, really, and it hasnā€™t been explained to any of us in RCIA - but through my knowledge of it from the internet, I have a better idea than some. After is given as the confirmation name, it seems to bear little applicability to our lives - so I wonder, Why worry with it? Just pick a name, and move on. But I so badly would like this name to be special.

Iā€™m narrowing down my choices. Itā€™s between Thomas (for St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Thomas the Apostle), Jerome, Dominic (Guzman), or Jude.

Should we choose a saint based on their patronage? Based on their character or personality? Based on their life? My own life models St. Augustineā€™s in many ways, but I somehow donā€™t feel drawn in that direction. (Sorry, Augustine. No offense meant. šŸ˜‰ )

What do you think?
 
Ny confirmation name was Michaelā€¦after St. Michael the Archangelā€¦I was told to choose the name of a saint that you closely relate to for whatever reasonā€¦I was always fascinated about the stories of St. Michael and how he led the armies of heaven against Satan and the fallen angels. I related to this because of my lifetime dream to be a soldier.
 
Epistemes said:
Well, the time is nearly here for me to take the Rite of Acceptance, and soon after that, God willing, I will be removed from my status as Candidate into the official role of Catholic! šŸ˜ƒ This is a very exciting time for me, as I have looked forward to being Catholic since 2005.

The confirmation name seems like itā€™s a big deal, but I often wonder if Iā€™m not overemphasizing it just a bit? Iā€™m not exactly sure what the significance of it is, really, and it hasnā€™t been explained to any of us in RCIA - but through my knowledge of it from the internet, I have a better idea than some. After is given as the confirmation name, it seems to bear little applicability to our lives - so I wonder, Why worry with it? Just pick a name, and move on. But I so badly would like this name to be special.

Iā€™m narrowing down my choices. Itā€™s between Thomas (for St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Thomas the Apostle), Jerome, Dominic (Guzman), or Jude.

Should we choose a saint based on their patronage? Based on their character or personality? Based on their life? My own life models St. Augustineā€™s in many ways, but I somehow donā€™t feel drawn in that direction. (Sorry, Augustine. No offense meant. šŸ˜‰ )

What do you think?
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I use to ask my Confirmation students, why not chose the name of one of your godparents? After all, they were there for you at your Baptism.

Jim
 
JimR-OCDS said:
I use to ask my Confirmation students, why not chose the name of one of your godparents? After all, they were there for you at your Baptism.

Jim
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It wouldnā€™t really work for those baptized as adults, though I suppose it could in some cases.

I was not baptized until I was 31. I went through RCIA and did the whole ball of wax at once.

At the time, I just was having a hard time relating to any of the saints in a way that I felt I could choose one for my confirmation name. So Father asked me if there was anything in my life that I thought I always needed to work on, and I immediately laughed and said I have absolutely no patience! He said, well there you are then! Take Patience as your confirmation name, and it will always be a reminder to you that this is something you need to be aware of in your life.

So - my confirmation name is Patience.

Donā€™t know if thatā€™s licit or not, but it is what it is, and believe me, my dear husband reminds me of it alllll the time!!! šŸ˜ƒ

~Liza
 
Encourgaed by my father, I chose for my name St. Thomas More. This name was meant to recall that submission to the temporal powers of an authority figure is still submission to God, who entrusted that authority to the one in power. Even when that authority is abused, as it was in the case of King Henry VIII, the saint did not resist the legal authority of the Kind to kill him.
 
congratulations, Epistemes!

If I were allowed to be baptized again, I would choose more than 1 saintā€™s name. Well, my current name is Paul; however, I have always prayed, besides with St. Paul, with others such as St. Rita, St. Jude, St. Teresa little flower, etcā€¦

Whichever name you choose, choose the ones that you will always ask them for their intecession.

Congratulations again!
 
Well, because I love the Bible, and am getting ready to learn Latin, I feel a strong association with Jerome - but I have heard that St. Jerome often had a sharp tongue (which I do too :o ), so I have a hard time approaching him for intercession. The two Thomases, Iā€™ve asked for intercession from before a few times, even though I enjoy theology and had my doubts about Christ. In fact, Iā€™ve asked for intercession more from Mary, St. Lucia, St. Philomena, than these that I have been considering! :eek:

Iā€™ll pray about it. šŸ‘
 
Iā€™m also currently in RCIA and will be choosing a confirmation name. I would love to choose Sheen, after Bishop Fulton Sheen, who is a saint but not yet recognized by the Church as so.

Can we choose someone who Iā€™m sure will be cannonized in the future as a saint like Bishop Sheen?
 
it is not necessary for an RCIA catechumen to choose a new name unless the priest directs because the given name has pagan or unchristian associations. A confirmation candidate should take time during preparation to become more familiar with his baptismal name saint(s). He may choose a new saint name, it is not required, and learn about that saint and pray to him for intercession. It does not change your legal name unless you go through a civil law process to do so, but there is a place to enter it in the sacramental record.

Down here many children are baptized in the name of the saint of their birth-day, so that remains the most appropriate saint name. I noticed our 2 newest transitional deacons are both named Juan Pabloā€“I guess that was a very popular name 22 or 23 yrs ago!
 
I chose St. Monica for my Confirmation Name, and also my Patron Saint.

Even though our lives are seperated by many hundrends of years, what she endured is similiar to what I have gone through.

I was married to an abusive alcoholic

I have a wayward and rebellious son

My late husband was a fallen away Catholic, (sadly he never came back home to the Church at his death).

I can relate to the pain that St. Monica suffered, and as such who better to understand what I am going through in my daily struggles, (Other then Jesus and Mary of course).
 
Increasingly, Iā€™ve been feeling as if I should take St. Lucia (or St. Lucy) or Syracuse as my confirmation name! :eek:

How weird it would be for a man to take a womanā€™s name for a confirmation name. :o

Someone here said to take the confirmation name of someone who you think would pray for you, and I definitely feel like St. Lucia or St. Jerome might be in the final two.
 
I hope you come to a decision youā€™re happy with. My advice would be to choose a name after a specific saint. Thomas for the Apostle or for the Doctor of the Church not for both. I suggest having a patron Saint and asking for prayersā€¦
 
Just to add my two cents. Iā€™m an RCIA student as well. Iā€™m thinking Albert the Great or Gregory the Great. I have always had a great desire to learn about everything and I relate so much to Albert the Great. Iā€™m also very fond of learning as much as I can about Catholic theology. Anyways, just my two cents šŸ˜ƒ

Oh yeah, my fiance is thinking of St. John of God. She is a nurse and relates with him.
 
Brian2944 said:
Iā€™m also currently in RCIA and will be choosing a confirmation name. I would love to choose Sheen, after Bishop Fulton Sheen, who is a saint but not yet recognized by the Church as so.

Can we choose someone who Iā€™m sure will be cannonized in the future as a saint like Bishop Sheen?
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I hope to use Francis Fulton (for St. Francis of Assisi and the Archbishop). It feels odd to hope to use 2 male names, but they both mean a lot to me.

I would think it would be ok, because you could also choose the name of a virtue (Patience, etc). Something connected to Bishop Sheen seems to be very holy indeed, but I am terribly biased!
 
Epistemes, Iā€™ve also been thinking about the confirmation name I should choose. Iā€™ve been thinking about it for years. I had several in mind for a long time, but I couldnā€™t settle on one. I was reading a booklet on the Holy Eucharist just recently, and a short story about Pascal Baylon caught my eye, well it really more rang a bell and tugged at my heart. I had read here on CAF just before reading this story that itā€™s totally acceptable for a confirmand to choose a name of the opposite sex, so I started to read up more on Pascal. In the process, I also came across the following about the sacrament of confirmation:

"When you are confirmed, besides being an adult member of the Church, you are called to some very special duties.
  • Defender of the Faith. You are called to know your Faith, the teachings of the Holy Church, and be willing and able to defend the Faith against those who would attack it.
  • Soldier in Christ. In confirmation, you are called to be a soldier in the Church Militant. You are called to stand up for that which is just, and be willing to suffer for your Faith."
I also read here and elsewhere that the saint name you choose should be of someone you would like to emulate in how you live your faith. Iā€™m hoping to take the name Pascal Immaculata. Pascal Baylon was a great defender of the doctrine of the Real Presence, almost having been beaten to death while discussing it with some Calvinists. He also educated himself, took total responsibility for his faith education. Immaculata after Our Lady who answered Godā€™s call with a resounding ā€œYESā€, and willingly suffered greatly with her Son. I hope I can emulate them being a defender of the faith, and a soldier in Christ.

Say a prayer asking your guardian angel to help you find the name of someone who will inspire you.

Hereā€™s a really neat resource: Patron Saint Index.
 
Can someone tell me whether or not itā€™s acceptable to pray to and use the name of someone who is not yet a canonized saint but has been beatified and is Blessed? Iā€™ve found several Blesseds who I really quite like, but am anxious about using their name if itā€™s not allowed.
 
I went with Beckett for Thomas Beckett. Thomas Beckett was the former Archbishop of Canterbury who was killed because of his disagreements with the English king.

Although he was not canonized a saint, I connected with his character and his strong desire to do what is right in the face of terrible danger.

As an interesting side-noteā€¦
My wife and I are expecting in early April. We have chosen the middle name Rosalia after my wifeā€™s grandmotherā€¦ the rock of our familyā€™s faith. Iā€™ll admit, I knew nothing of Saint Rosalia of Palermo, but after researching her, I have received numerous signs that this was a perfect choice. In the following weeks, I canā€™t tell you how many times we heard ā€œPalermoā€ and ā€œRosaliaā€ everywhere.
 
I picked Theresa because The little Flower has always been my favorite Saint since I was little. It was also my Godmotherā€™s first name, so I was lucky.šŸ™‚
 
As I mentioned earlier, my life models that of Augustineā€™s - someone born into a Christian family, led a loose early life, had a true conversion of heart, and is pursuing a vocation! But because Augustine is the Angelic Doctor, is THE Doctor of the Church, and has written what he has written in the style he wrote, I almost feel like thereā€™s a certain lack of sensitivity about Augustine, and that my requests for intercession might not be heeded, etc.

The stories of the saints who truly suffered, like Isaac Jogues, Lucia of Syracuse, Agatha, and the martyrs of Cordoba, really touch my heart, but thereā€™s no other real connection there.

Iā€™m praying for God to reveal a saint to me.
 
You could take a name of the opposite sex, of course; but you can also honor the saint by reversing the sex of his/her name.

For example:
Francis = Frances
Lucia = Lucius

Yes, the names of holy virtues are perfectly okay, and so are the names of Blesseds and Venerables, and Marian titles. So are saintsā€™ last names, if you feel the need. Pretty much anything thatā€™s okay as a baptismal name is okay as a Confirmation name.

Donā€™t stress yourself too much about this. I mean, yes, itā€™s important, but no, itā€™s not worth working yourself into a frenzy about.

And donā€™t anybody try naming himself after Bishop St. Lucifer!
 
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