MERGED: Questions about Patron Saints

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PrayForMeStJude said:
Hello, friend

First, let me reassure you that you can have many patron saints. This is the beauty of our Catholic (universal) faith and the Communion of Saints. We have an army of saints who will pray for us, and you should develop a prayerful relationship with as many as you can. Don’t ever feel limited to a single “patron” saint.

Take me for example… My Christian name is Andrew and I chose St. Andrew, the first Apostle of Christ, as my confirmation saint as well. He is surely one of my patron saints. As a young man I developed a devotion to St. Jude, another Apostle, and I consider him to be a patron saint, too. I am also fond of St. Thomas Becket, on whose feast day I celebrate my birthday. As a Catholic of partial English ancestry, it feels natural to unite my prayers with his. I have actually lived in England, and as a Catholic the same sentiment extends to English martyrs such as John Fisher and Thomas More, who also happens to be the patron saint of my profession and my home diocese. On top of all that, I am also of Italian descent, and feel very close to Italian saints such as St. Francis and St Charles Borromeo (as a Californian elementary student I studied the Mission named for him).

SO…Never feel like you’re limited to one saint. You have a relationship with a number of saints, even if you don’t know it yet.
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So very true. I have many patrons that I’m very fond of: Blessed Mother, St Joseph, St Philomena, St John Vianney, St Pious X, St Andre Bessette, St Therese (Little Flower), St Augustine, St Don Bosco, St Ambrose, St Dominic, St Rose of Lima, St Dominic Savio (is he a saint or only blessed?), Blessed Pauline Jaricot - and of course my guardian angel and the Archangels - Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel. I’m probably even forgetting a few (sorry about that!)

So how comforting is that? - when in a time of distress, I ask for all these patrons to pray with me to the Lord our God. And I know they do. When my wife’s brother died in December, I called upon this army of saints - and this feeling of peace came to me. I knew that they were praying with me.
 
Hey everyone. How do I get an official patron saint? When I was received into the Catholic Church via Confession and Confirmation after RCIA back in 2006 I did not receive an official patron saint. I want Saint Anthony of Padua to be my patron saint. How do I get him listed as my official patron saint?
 
Usually you choose your Patron Saint before your first Communion, strange you never got that chance, but I believe a talk with your priest will fix the problem. One thing though, you can not change it later on so think long and thorough on who you choose. It must be someone you can realte to and who has been thinking or doing things you can accept. God bless you and I hope things will be in order soon.
 
There is no thing as an official personal patron saints. If you like a saint, and want to pray to them for intercession, they are your patron saint. You can have as many as you want, for whatever situation, and change them if you want. You don’t need to talk to a priest to select a patron saint (although if you are working with a spiritual director, they may recommend one that applies to your particular circumstances/needs).

Your confirmation name (maybe that is what the prior poster is thinking of) cannot be changed, but that is not your patron saint.

So if you like St Anthony and feel a special relationship with, he’s your patron saint. No need for an official declaration. It’s not listed anywhere official.
 
I know of know official canonical process nor official registry that lists Catholics with their patron saint. As McDale721 said, it’s just a matter of praying to them.
 
Holly3278 said:
Hey everyone. How do I get an official patron saint? When I was received into the Catholic Church via Confession and Confirmation after RCIA back in 2006 I did not receive an official patron saint. I want Saint Anthony of Padua to be my patron saint. How do I get him listed as my official patron saint?
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There is no such thing as an official patron saint for an individual person.
 
I think he might be talking about his confirmation name. But you can have as many patrons as you like. For example, I picked Therese of the Little Flower as my first patron and confirmation name. Now, I have begun asking for Bl. Leonie’s intercession, St. Therese’s sister. Like me, she too had trouble finding an order and becoming a religious. As I have learned more about the Visitation order, I’ve begun asking the intercession of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and St. Francis de Sales in my discernment process as well. I’ve also developed a greater devotion to Our Lord’s Sacred Heart.

Remember, all of the Church, including the Church Triumphant, is your family! Don’t be afraid to ask the saints for help. They love you and want to help you get to Heaven! If you don’t know who to pray to for help, ask Our Lord, Our Lady, and St. Joseph to guide you. Try reading the works of saints and learning more about them. The Holy Spirit will show you the way.
 
When I was received into the church I had a lot of names I was thinking of using, Including Alexander (My late Granfathers name) Ignatius of Antioch, Thomas Becket, and lastly what I settled on St. Stanislaus of Szczepanow Bishop and Martyr. I was (name removed by moderator)ressed by this man of God’s devotion to speaking the truth even to a cruelt tyrant King Boeslaw of Poland. The King was so furious with the Bishop, that he is supposed to have killed him in the cathedral by his own hand.
This was nearly a century before the Martyrdom of Thomas Becket another man who stood against tyranny.

Pax Christi,
Hugh
 
classica87 said:
😃 Funny!
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Since I posted this it has been my habit to pray to St. James and St. James. I would hate to have to pick between the two Apostles named James. It think it would be in bad taste. Besides, I like the idea of having two patrons in one name. 🙂
 
While as an Anabaptist I don’t really have a patron saint, my last name means son if a servant of St. Brigid (of Kildare), and I have grown a deep respect for her and what she did. I was actually taught about St. Francis of Assisi in Youth Group when we were doing a unit on Christian peacemakers, and I also have a deep respect and admiration for him and Bl. Franz Jägerstätter.
 
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