Let me start by saying I was only in 2nd grade when I was confirmedā¦maybe 3rd. It was 1958 or 1959. Most of my friends were choosing Rose, and thatās what I wanted tooā¦mainly because my friends chose it. But I got sort of talked into Alberta because my dadās name is Albert. My grandparents were pushing Cleofe. My sponser was my aunt whose actual name was Cleofe Giacomina Annā¦Giacomina! MY name was supposed to be Cleofe since the first girl in the family has been named Cleofe for generations, but thankfully my parents said no. My sisters chose Paula and Joan for my grandfathers Paul and John. We were all in 2nd or 3rd grade. Amazingly, I can remember the evening like it was yesterday. It was a Thursday in November, and the actual Archbishop came to our church, Cardinal Joseph Ritter (I donāt remember if he was a Cardinal then or if that was later), and that was a huge deal for us. This was back when you still got a little smack on the cheek. The bishop assisting him would get the index card with your Confirmation name on it, then tell the Cardinal what the name was. Heād say his thing and slap your cheek, then move on. The bishop got confused and gave the girl next to me Alberta too. She was quite upset, but Sister told her it was ok, that her REAL confirmation name was the one she picked. My youngest sister has no recollection of hers at all.
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