Patron Saint for RCIA Candidate

[DREinPDX]

My husband is almost finished with his RCIA classes. He was baptized Anglican as a baby but will be receiving his Confirmation and First Eucharist at the Easter Vigil this Saturday. He was told by his RCIA teacher that he does not need to choose a patron saint for his Confirmation.

I also did RCIA but I was baptized Catholic as a baby and received my Confirmation and First Eucharist at the Easter Vigil a few years back. The RCIA teacher I had told me I needed to choose a patron saint.

When I told this to my husband’s RCIA teacher she said it had to do with the fact that my husband was baptized another religion and therefore doesn’t get a patron saint. This can’t be correct, can it?

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Choosing a patron saint for confirmation is a pious custom in some places and not in others. It’s not recorded or used anytime other than the actual confirmation rite.

We’ve always encouraged our candidates to stick with their baptismal names and saints. But if someone insists we don’t fight with them over it.

My personal view is that I have lots of friends in heaven and I hope others do too. It’s not necessary to pick just one.

 

[zz912]

Nope, not correct at all.

In fact, when I was Confirmed at the Easter Vigil, our Pastor called us by our patron saint names during the sacrament.

And I don’t understand WHY you wouldn’t want a patron saint to call upon and have a special devotion to? And why wouldn’t the parish WANT to cultivate these relationships???

 

[Mike_Dye]

My husband is almost finished with his RCIA classes. He was baptized Anglican as a baby but will be receiving his Confirmation and First Eucharist at the Easter Vigil this Saturday. He was told by his RCIA teacher that he does not need to choose a patron saint for his Confirmation.

I also did RCIA but I was baptized Catholic as a baby and received my Confirmation and First Eucharist at the Easter Vigil a few years back. The RCIA teacher I had told me I needed to choose a patron saint.

When I told this to my husband’s RCIA teacher she said it had to do with the fact that my husband was baptized another religion and therefore doesn’t get a patron saint. This can’t be correct, can it?

I have been our parish’s RCIA director for over a decade and have been involved as a member of our RCIA team for over 30 years. Our candidates always pick a saints name for confirmation. Your husband could choose his baptismal name if he wanted but most pick another saint. The fact that your husband was validly baptized has nothing to do with picking a saints name for confirmation. The priest with permission from your bishop will confirm him at the Easter Vigil. Unless of course your parish happens to be the cathedral; then probably the bishop would confirm him. When the sacrament is administered the godparents place the right hand on the shoulder of the candidate and either the godparent or candidate give the minister of the sacrament his saints name. The minister then calls him by that name saying “be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” The newly confirmed replies…“Amen. Then the minister adds: Peace be with you.” and the reply is:" And with your spirit."

 

[DREinPDX]

I have been our parish’s RCIA director for over a decade and have been involved as a member of our RCIA team for over 30 years. Our candidates always pick a saints name for confirmation. Your husband could choose his baptismal name if he wanted but most pick another saint. The fact that your husband was validly baptized has nothing to do with picking a saints name for confirmation. The priest with permission from your bishop will confirm him at the Easter Vigil. Unless of course your parish happens to be the cathedral; then probably the bishop would confirm him. When the sacrament is administered the godparents place the right hand on the shoulder of the candidate and either the godparent or candidate give the minister of the sacrament his saints name. The minister then calls him by that name saying “be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” The newly confirmed replies…“Amen. Then the minister adds: Peace be with you.” and the reply is:" And with your spirit."

That’s what I remember from my Confirmation. I was Confirmed at the cathedral and it happened exactly like that. My husband, on the other hand, is getting Confirmed at a parish and the RCIA teacher there has never talked to the candidates about saints. When I asked my husband in front of the teacher if he had chosen a patron saint yet she jumped in and said that he didn’t need one. She said they call the Candidates by their given names at time of Confirmation, not saint names. My husband was very disappointed and I told him to choose one anyway. Should my husband talk to the RCIA teacher about this or should we simply let it go?

 

[Convert2013]

We were asked to choose a patron saint/ Confirmation name in RCIA. We all did, but then at the Easter Vigil and Confirmation it was never used. I’m not sure if its even written down anywhere.

 

[Qaletaqa]

I didnt go to RICA classes i have been having sessions with a priest weekly since November, i due to be confirmed at Easter Vigil and i was asked for a confirmation name i have chosen St Michael the Archangel, and im female going to be strange but i have gone through what it being said with the priest and Michael will be the name im confirmed under.

Im so looking forward to Saturday :extrahappy:

 

[Mike_Dye]

That’s what I remember from my Confirmation. I was Confirmed at the cathedral and it happened exactly like that. My husband, on the other hand, is getting Confirmed at a parish and the RCIA teacher there has never talked to the candidates about saints. When I asked my husband in front of the teacher if he had chosen a patron saint yet she jumped in and said that he didn’t need one. She said they call the Candidates by their given names at time of Confirmation, not saint names. My husband was very disappointed and I told him to choose one anyway. Should my husband talk to the RCIA teacher about this or should we simply let it go?

i would talk to the teacher and if you get no satisfaction I would talk to the priest. I can’t believe that the teacher didn’t have a session on the saints. I do a session on the saints and angels and the communion of saints.

 

[Mike_Dye]

I didnt go to RICA classes i have been having sessions with a priest weekly since November, i due to be confirmed at Easter Vigil and i was asked for a confirmation name i have chosen St Michael the Archangel, and im female going to be strange but i have gone through what it being said with the priest and Michael will be the name im confirmed under.

Im so looking forward to Saturday :extrahappy:

I am so excited for you… Hey, you picked an excellent saint…but then I am kind of partial seeing that St. Michael is my patron saint.

 

[esieffe]

Nope, not correct at all.

In fact, when I was Confirmed at the Easter Vigil, our Pastor called us by our patron saint names during the sacrament.

And I don’t understand WHY you wouldn’t want a patron saint to call upon and have a special devotion to? And why wouldn’t the parish WANT to cultivate these relationships???

That is exactly how it is done at our church.

 

[dee_burk]

All of our RCIA class were baptized previously in protestant churches, we turned in our patron saints 2 weeks ago. The RCIA deacon said they add those names to the litany of the saints. He said there will be someone singing the litany and neither of them had heard of St Gemma Galgani before who is my patron saint.
I would have been very disappointed if i couldnt have used my patron saint, She picked me 2 years ago.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

As noted – and proven by the responses you’ve received – different parishes do things in different ways.

My advice would be to go along with the way your parish normally does things. And advise your husband to incorporate multiple saints into his life!

 

[CB_Catholic]

Confirmation names are not required, but the custom is deeply ingrained. Here are some answers from CAF when the question was addressed previously:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=291017

catholic.com/quickquestions/what-happened-to-confirmation-names

Although I have never studied Canon Law, I did look up the section pertinent to Confirmation, and found no reference to a Confirmation whatsoever.

But they are nice to have, if one follows the custom.

 

[Wkane]

Interesting question. I am a RCIA candidate too and will be confirmed this Saturday at the Easter Vigil. Last fall before the Rite of Welcoming we were asked to choose a patron saint. I don’t know if our saint’s name will be used during the Celebration of Confirmation.

 

[klm120861]

My husband and I both came into the Church in 2004. When we were in RCIA we were told that we could choose a patron saint, but didn’t have to. I chose St. Brigid of Ireland. My husband chose to stay with his given name. (I don’t call it his Baptismal name because our branches of Protestant neither one baptized infants) He said if his name was good enough for the Pope it was good enough for him! His given name is John Paul, so in a little over a week, he will now have a Confirmation Saint!
Kris