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MarcusAndreas
Guest
I’ve heard this idea before and it sounds like an interesting idea, anyone else heard anything about it?
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pkdsquared
Guest
Never heard of this, but I stumbled upon my specific St. Theresa after doing a bunch of research on all the different ones. She sounded so much like me that I needed to have her by my saint, but I chose the name because my great-great aunt was named Theresa and she was a nun (my mother chose her sister as her confirmation saint, so it was a nice little confirmation heritage we had going on.)
I wouldn’t have found my Saint either, except I happened upon her religious name, because she is mostly called St. Edith Stein.
So I think it’s entirely possible. I think one can jump out at you at any moment. You just have to read and pray, I guess. Or have a relative with a very popular saint name and then find the one that happened to work for you. I like to think ALL the Saint T(h)eresas are my patron saints, because I identify with each of them in a different way.
I wouldn’t have found my Saint either, except I happened upon her religious name, because she is mostly called St. Edith Stein.
So I think it’s entirely possible. I think one can jump out at you at any moment. You just have to read and pray, I guess. Or have a relative with a very popular saint name and then find the one that happened to work for you. I like to think ALL the Saint T(h)eresas are my patron saints, because I identify with each of them in a different way.
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Xandria
Guest
I wouldn’t think of it as a general rule but I believe it is possible. It reminds of what Fr. James Martin said in his book My Life with the Saints. He believes that when you are attracted to a particular saint it is because he or she is already praying for you. I really like that statement. 
I came to faith and to the Church because of Pope John Paul II. But all that happened after his death. I first learned about him when he died and over the course of the next two years I always had to think about him, the way he lived his faith and what he taught, and consequently about God and His church that eventually I gave my life to God and entered RCIA. Because of deep wounds I carried within me that were caused by other Christians, I never would have had the courage or the desire if it hadn’t been for John Paul II. I know deep down that he prayed for me in heaven. And some time next year I will be confirmed and naturally I will choose him as my confirmation saint. But it seems that he did choose me first.
I came to faith and to the Church because of Pope John Paul II. But all that happened after his death. I first learned about him when he died and over the course of the next two years I always had to think about him, the way he lived his faith and what he taught, and consequently about God and His church that eventually I gave my life to God and entered RCIA. Because of deep wounds I carried within me that were caused by other Christians, I never would have had the courage or the desire if it hadn’t been for John Paul II. I know deep down that he prayed for me in heaven. And some time next year I will be confirmed and naturally I will choose him as my confirmation saint. But it seems that he did choose me first.
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mcrow
Guest
If you are going through RCIA process you will be asked to choose a saint name as your confirmation name. I believe high schooll aged kids do the same when they are baptized.
I’m not sure if it’s required but I’ve never heard of anyone refuse to do it.
My confirmation name was Joseph. I chose that name because my grandfather’s name is Joseph and the husband of Mary is St. Jopseph. There was a connection there for me bacuase Joseph assumed the fatherly role with Jesus even though he knew Jesus was not his son. The man I called grandfather, is not in fact my biological grandfather. I was born to a single teenaged mother and had no father. My biological grandfather was abusive to my mother, grandmother and uncles and my grandmotheer (Not Catholic) got a divorce from him before I was born. My grandmother remarried to a guy named Joseph, who took my Mother and uncles in as his own children. My mother and her brothers always refer to Joseph as their father, not their biological father. He also took me in as his own and we had a very special relationship from an early age.
So, I chose Joseph because he accepted Jesus and my Grandfather named Joseph accepted my mother and uncles, along with me, as his own even though he had no obligation to do so.
I really think it’s a great thing spiritually. It can be a way to model your faith after a saint and always have a reference to the roots of your faith. Sometimes over time you can forget things about how your faith was formed and things that were important in that process. Having a saint name that has solid meaning to it can be a reminder not to forget what excited you in the beginning.
I’m not sure if it’s required but I’ve never heard of anyone refuse to do it.
My confirmation name was Joseph. I chose that name because my grandfather’s name is Joseph and the husband of Mary is St. Jopseph. There was a connection there for me bacuase Joseph assumed the fatherly role with Jesus even though he knew Jesus was not his son. The man I called grandfather, is not in fact my biological grandfather. I was born to a single teenaged mother and had no father. My biological grandfather was abusive to my mother, grandmother and uncles and my grandmotheer (Not Catholic) got a divorce from him before I was born. My grandmother remarried to a guy named Joseph, who took my Mother and uncles in as his own children. My mother and her brothers always refer to Joseph as their father, not their biological father. He also took me in as his own and we had a very special relationship from an early age.
So, I chose Joseph because he accepted Jesus and my Grandfather named Joseph accepted my mother and uncles, along with me, as his own even though he had no obligation to do so.
I really think it’s a great thing spiritually. It can be a way to model your faith after a saint and always have a reference to the roots of your faith. Sometimes over time you can forget things about how your faith was formed and things that were important in that process. Having a saint name that has solid meaning to it can be a reminder not to forget what excited you in the beginning.
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