No confirmation names?

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AnneTeresa

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I was shocked to hear that students at my church do not choose confirmation names anymore. Is that true everywhere now? If so, why the change?
 
I believe confirmation names are a regional custom, not a requirement of the Church. In the US it seems the practice is almost universal.
 
We didn’t choose Confirmation names. We were told if we wanted to we could, but it we wouldn’t be called by it or anything.
 
AnneTeresa said:
I was shocked to hear that students at my church do not choose confirmation names anymore. Is that true everywhere now? If so, why the change?
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It depends on the Catechist, around here. Some can’t be bothered with the paperwork. 🤷

If it’s me, I strongly recommend that they have Confirmation names, and I give a home assignment that includes a presentation about the chosen Saint. 🙂
 
In our parish, it is strongly encouraged that the child uses her baptismal name…not because the hardworking volunteers and faith formation staff do not want to “do the extra paperwork” (how insulting and presumptuous)…but because Confirmation, like Baptism, is a sacrament of initiation and in a way, completes Baptism…there is continuity there. If a child would like to choose a different name, they may.
 
Philomeena said:
In our parish, it is strongly encouraged that the child uses her baptismal name…not because the hardworking volunteers and faith formation staff do not want to “do the extra paperwork” (how insulting and presumptuous)…but because Confirmation, like Baptism, is a sacrament of initiation and in a way, completes Baptism…there is continuity there. If a child would like to choose a different name, they may.
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I don’t have a confirmation name. I came into the Catholic Church as an adult through RCIA and the parish I came in through never mentioned Confirmation names.
 
Philomeena said:
In our parish, it is strongly encouraged that the child uses her baptismal name…not because the hardworking volunteers and faith formation staff do not want to “do the extra paperwork” (how insulting and presumptuous)…but because Confirmation, like Baptism, is a sacrament of initiation and in a way, completes Baptism…there is continuity there. If a child would like to choose a different name, they may.
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What if they weren’t given a Patron Saint at Baptism? (As is the case so commonly these days, with kids being named after planets and stars and seasons of the year, and days of the week, or being given their mother’s surname as their Baptismal name.)
 
jmcrae said:
It depends on the Catechist, around here. Some can’t be bothered with the paperwork. 🤷

If it’s me, I strongly recommend that they have Confirmation names, and I give a home assignment that includes a presentation about the chosen Saint. 🙂
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What paperwork?
 
Originally Posted by YoungTradCath forums.catholic-questions.org/images/buttons_khaki/viewpost.gif
What paperwork?
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jmcrae said:
When you receive a Patron Saint at Confirmation, it goes into your Sacramental record. 🙂
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Oh, the humanity! Most registers have a space for ‘confirmation name’.

That said, it’s definitely a regional thing.

I was confirmed, I was the sponsor at my goddaughter’s Confirmation and my first two kids were confirmed – different decades, different dioceses, different provinces. At no time did I even hear about taking another name until I moved to this area and got involved in parish catechesis. By that time the practice was being actively discouraged in our diocese and since we were celebrating Confirmation in grade 2 there was no research of saints involved in the children’s preparation.
 
Phemie said:
Oh, the humanity! Most registers have a space for ‘confirmation name’.

That said, it’s definitely a regional thing.

I was confirmed, I was the sponsor at my goddaughter’s Confirmation and my first two kids were confirmed – different decades, different dioceses, different provinces. At no time did I even hear about taking another name until I moved to this area and got involved in parish catechesis. By that time the practice was being actively discouraged in our diocese and since we were celebrating Confirmation in grade 2 there was no research of saints involved in the children’s preparation.
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We have too many immigrants in this area for the practice to die out - some kids even get more than one, based on family tradition. Personally, I think it’s good for kids to have role models to look up to, and I can’t think of any better role models than the Saints. 🙂
 
I was confirmed today! My husband, daughter, and I all picked confirmation names.
 
In our RCIA class last week, we had to give our RCIA director our confirmation saint if we already knew who we were gonna pick. Some of us had a saint in mind, others didn’t. Guess it really depends on where you go.
 
Vicki_Leigh said:
I was confirmed today! My husband, daughter, and I all picked confirmation names.
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Congratulations!! :extrahappy:
jmcrae said:
When you receive a Patron Saint at Confirmation, it goes into your Sacramental record. 🙂
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What if it isn’t recorded? Is it still “official”? I requested a Saint’s name at Confirmation, but the priest used my real name instead, and only my real name is on my Confirmation certificate. :confused:
 
In my Parish, the children in CCD are encouraged to pick a Saint’s name as part of the learning process at First Communion time (2nd grade students). And then later, at Confirmation time (7th thru 9th grade), they are encouraged to pick another Saint as their Confirmation Saint. Also, the Confirmation teachers require a short oral essay from each student as to why they chose their Saint or any special connection or significance or a brief history of the life of that Saint.
This past year, one of the Confirmation students chose St. Patrick…and as part of his presentation, he wore a costume similar to what St. Patrick is seen as wearing in most depictions. The other students thought he was very creative and gave him kudos for his awesome essay presentation! 🙂

I myself am a convert to the Church and after some thorough research, I chose the names of St. Margaret of Scotland and St. Helena of Constantinople. I pray regularly for the intercession of both these holy women!!

~~PR
 
Deo_Gratias42 said:
We didn’t choose Confirmation names. We were told if we wanted to we could, but it we wouldn’t be called by it or anything.
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Unfortunately, this was the case with me in 93 at Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond.
 
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