Confirmation Saint

[silverwings_88]

Hah, I trust in this forum more than anything else. It always has a nice air of intelligence and love!

Anyways, my confirmation will be in Easter, and I know that one does not need to have a confirmation name and saint, but I think it’s a beautiful practice. I never knew about it until recently, and I’ve been going at it, searching online to find a Saint, but I’m quite irritated because it’s not going well as I desired. I hope my parish will allow me to do this practice for myself on my confirmation.

I am a male, but if I were to take up the name of my saint, would it not sound unusual if that name was feminine, to which there is no alternative masculine form? Many of the saints I adore are the women in history, more than the men.

One of my favourites is Blessed Kateri Tetakwitha. After reading her story, I was very touched and inspired. But she isn’t canonised as an official saint, now is she!

I love Sainte Thérèse De Liseux, but what is the masculine form of the name?

I also love Saint Francis of Assisi. But I do not feel this connection that I can relate to him as much as the other two, yet his example is extraordinary.

Well, the only other one I adore, but to a lesser degree, is Saint Raphael the Archangel. But there is so few information about it because ‘he’ does not appear in the bible except in the apocryphal book of Enoch and the deuterocanonical book of Tobit.

I want to be able to adopt this saintès name, so I can begin to try to follow their ways to Christ as they pray for me. If you have any comments or suggestions, donèt hesitate!

 

[threej_lc]

1. Nothing wrong with picking a blessed or other non-canonized name for your confirmation saint, as long as they have a holy church history. (Otherwise, we’d have to ban people from taking old testament names.)
2. Terry (Therence) is the male form of Theresa. It also sounds a lot like Kateri, albeit probably not actually the same. But the phonetics of the name are not what bound us to our devotion…

Josh

 

[Timidity]

silverwings_88:

One of my favourites is Blessed Kateri Tetakwitha. After reading her story, I was very touched and inspired. But she isn’t canonised as an official saint, now is she!

I, too, am a Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha fan. My daughter chose her as her Confirmation “Saint” (my daughter is descended from the same tribe as Kateri), much to the chagrin of the cantor who had to sing it during the Mass. Last summer we went on a pilgrimage of sorts to Ossernenon (where Tekakwitha was born) and Caughnawaga (where Tekakwitha was baptised as ‘Kateri’, the Mohawk pronunciation of ‘Catherine’). We visitied the National Shrine there, and we even visited the spring where it thought that the water for her baptism came from. These places are just a couple hours up the road from us. We hope someday to visit her restng place in Canada.

Anyway, having said all that, all I realy wanted to say was that it’s not necessary to pick a same-gender patron! If you like Kateri, pick her!

 

[silverwings_88]

Timidity:

I, too, am a Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha fan. My daughter chose her as her Confirmation “Saint” (my daughter is descended from the same tribe as Kateri), much to the chagrin of the cantor who had to sing it during the Mass. Last summer we went on a pilgrimage of sorts to Ossernenon (where Tekakwitha was born) and Caughnawaga (where Tekakwitha was baptised as ‘Kateri’, the Mohawk pronunciation of ‘Catherine’). We visitied the National Shrine there, and we even visited the spring where it thought that the water for her baptism came from. These places are just a couple hours up the road from us. We hope someday to visit her restng place in Canada.

Anyway, having said all that, all I realy wanted to say was that it’s not necessary to pick a same-gender patron! If you like Kateri, pick her!

I know!! I read her story… it’s so short, but nevertheless, very beautiful. But once one takes the name of the saint (or a benevolent character), is it announced? Who do I tell? Is it placed in one’s name, and where?

For her, I might as well, phonetically change it to Gadéli, for pronunciation’s sake, and it renders the name genderless, yet pronounced approximately.

She’sa beautiful person, and I hope one day when she makes a miracle, maybe she may be canonised!

 

[Timidity]

silverwings_88:

But once one takes the name of the saint (or a benevolent character), is it announced?

It is announced when you are confirmed. Additionally, the list of all the patrons used in that ceremony are said during the Litany of the Saints, though not “linked” to you. At least in my parish.

silverwings_88:

Who do I tell? Is it placed in one’s name, and where?

Most people don’t put it anywhere. Some place it after their middle name and before the last name. It has no legal bearing.

 

[puzzleannie]

silverwings_88:

I am a male, but if I were to take up the name of my saint, would it not sound unusual if that name was feminine, to which there is no alternative masculine form? Many of the saints I adore are the women in history, more than the men.

!

your confirmation name can either be masculine or feminine, it is quite common in many cultures for men to add Marie or Maria to their name for instance. It does not legally change your name or go on any paperwork, it is spiritual only. If you are to wear a name-tag as you approach the bishop, your full name with confirmation name will by typed on it, so that is the only time anybody will hear it “out loud”.

William Robert Therese Johnson, receive the Holy Spirit . . .

 

[cestusdei]

One of my youth wanted a “unique” saints name. I suggested St. Paphnutius. He loved it.

 

[MountainMan]

Silverwings -

Might I suggest you try the combination name “Louis Marie” after St. Louis Marie Grignon de Montfort, a great saint and advocate of the Rosary. He wrote “True Devotion to Mary” and other related works, including a consecration to Jesus through Mary. I certainly hope your parish includes the tradition of taking a Confirmation name!

God Bless!

Chuck