Help with religious name

  • Thread starter Thread starter GaudentAngeli
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
G

GaudentAngeli

Guest
My application to become a religious was recently accepted, and of all the silly things to be terrified of I’m all scared to change my name. It is the practice of this religious order for postulants to suggest three names to Mother and she will pick one of them. Or, if she doesn’t like the suggestions, she will pick one of her own. After making final vows, the sisters have their names legally changed.

This order is small and relatively new. It is solidly Catholic, leaning to the more traditional side of things. I’m actually a new Catholic and so I just don’t know a lot of Catholic names or saints besides the really famous ones like Our Lady, St Joseph, St Francis, etc. But recently I’ve heard three very beautiful Latin baby names like Rosaria, Benedicta and Dominica. And I want a very Catholic name.

I will pray and pray (and pray and pray and pray) about this for the next little while but does anyone know any unusual Latin names? Like…Rosaria, Immaculata, etc.

If you were entering a religious order what religious name(s) would you want to suggest to your superior?

The only long lasting devotions I’ve had throughout the entire time I was looking into Catholicism to today is to Our Lady of Perpetual Help (I just love to meditate with this icon, particularly how it has to do with the Passion) and to Our Lady Immaculate. St Therese of Lisieux has been very good to me, but her name has been taken by multiple people in this community already in its various forms.

HHHEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPP!!!

Thank you 🙂
 
How long have you been catholic for?

My top pick is Mary Magdalen of Christ Crucified for very personal reasons.
 
May God bless you as you explore your vocation.
I am sure you will find just the right saint, in God’s good time.
Reading of your devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual help, I thought of the devotion of Saint Perptua to Our Lord.
May you share her strength of commitment.
Amen.
 
jeannetherese said:
May God bless you as you explore your vocation.
I am sure you will find just the right saint, in God’s good time.
Reading of your devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual help, I thought of the devotion of Saint Perptua to Our Lord.
May you share her strength of commitment.
Amen.
Click to expand...
I was also thinking of St. Perpetua. 🙂
 
Deo_Gratias42 said:
How long have you been catholic for?

My top pick is Mary Magdalen of Christ Crucified for very personal reasons.
Click to expand...
I was received into the Church on Easter Vigil 2012. Was raised Calvinist. No other Catholics in the family.
 
Keep praying and read up on the saints, see who you relate to, who “calls” to you.

I like “Pia”, the feminine for Padre Pio, also Gemma, Francisca, Hildegard (of Bingen), who is our latest female Doctor of the Church. When confirmed, I picked Elizabeth and my sister picked Valentine. That reminds me-- you can also pick a masculine name, Sister Michael Mary was one of my favorite teachers… Don’t fret, you WILL get the name God wants you to have.

I can understand your apprehension, but you could be done with all this worry and wondering (although it sounds like fun to me) if you allow the superior to give you your new name. That would be super brave, IMO! Good luck! Prayers for you!,
 
I like Julian (all will be well…)
or
Clare for obvious reasons
or
Veronica, the woman of unknown name that possessed the True Image of Christ.

Congratulations!
 
Since you were accepted within the Christmas season; why not Emmanuel?
 
GaudentAngeli said:
My application to become a religious was recently accepted, and of all the silly things to be terrified of I’m all scared to change my name. It is the practice of this religious order for postulants to suggest three names to Mother and she will pick one of them. Or, if she doesn’t like the suggestions, she will pick one of her own. After making final vows, the sisters have their names legally changed.

This order is small and relatively new. It is solidly Catholic, leaning to the more traditional side of things. I’m actually a new Catholic and so I just don’t know a lot of Catholic names or saints besides the really famous ones like Our Lady, St Joseph, St Francis, etc. But recently I’ve heard three very beautiful Latin baby names like Rosaria, Benedicta and Dominica. And I want a very Catholic name.

I will pray and pray (and pray and pray and pray) about this for the next little while but does anyone know any unusual Latin names? Like…Rosaria, Immaculata, etc.

If you were entering a religious order what religious name(s) would you want to suggest to your superior?

The only long lasting devotions I’ve had throughout the entire time I was looking into Catholicism to today is to Our Lady of Perpetual Help (I just love to meditate with this icon, particularly how it has to do with the Passion) and to Our Lady Immaculate. St Therese of Lisieux has been very good to me, but her name has been taken by multiple people in this community already in its various forms.

HHHEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPP!!!

Thank you 🙂
Click to expand...
I absolutely love St. Mariana of Jesus. She rocks. She is known as the Lily of Quito. (in Ecuador)… like Therese she died quite young, at 26 versus 24.

She was very pious and good, many miracles are related to her life and she lived from 1618-1645. There is a documentary about her available from EWTN also. I think of her as having much in common with Catherine of Siena, Therese, and Rose of Lima. Just pray about it each night before you go to bed and the names will come to you.

Thank you for answering God’s Call !!!
 
I like Saint Kateri, whose life I read about as a child. Then there is Marianne Cope. Both canonized in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI. These are present day. Before that I would have picked St. Joan of Arc. Perhaps you could use the Saint which is your middle given name. The Holy Spirit will give you your name. God bless you and I will be praying for your vocation.
 
Well, I’m partial to St. Dymphna and Our Lady of Mental Peace. Good luck with your vocation. I wish I could enter an order, but my age and mental illness prevents me from doing so. I’ll be praying extra hard for you to enter and be a most devoted sister.
 
Perpetua Mary or Maria Perpetua…in whichever cultural/language variation is appropriate for you.
Also Mary of the Rosary/Maria Rosario etc.
 
One of the loveliest I’ve heard of was Mary Emmanuel, which was given to a religious sister I know.
 
I’m not female, but if I had to choose female names, I would base my proposed names on these saints:
  1. St. Rita of Cascia
  2. St. Dymphna
  3. St. Faustina
  4. St. Monica (I know you had three, but why not add some more for you to consider?)
Admittedly, the first two saints were chosen because my mom and her family has a special relationship with them. The last two saints were chosen because I love the Divine Mercy and I am a big fan of St. Augustine who gave me the push to be a practicing Catholic Again. 😛

Also, it looks like all of their names end with the letter a, as do the ones you seem to have considered.

Site that you might want to look at:

examiner.com/list/twenty-five-popular-patron-saints-women-may-select-for-their-confirmation-name-1
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top