RCIA and Patron Saints

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Carolynh

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I was received into the Church a few years ago through The RCIA. However, I have been wondering a lot lately why I didn’t get to choose a Patron Saint. I thought that reception into the Church meant that I was confirmed and all Catholics have a Confirmation Saint??? Was this a lapse by my priest to guide me or is it not necessary? Can I choose a Patron Saint now ? What is the process?

Thank you 🙂
 
Carolynh said:
I was received into the Church a few years ago through The RCIA. However, I have been wondering a lot lately why I didn’t get to choose a Patron Saint. I thought that reception into the Church meant that I was confirmed and all Catholics have a Confirmation Saint??? Was this a lapse by my priest to guide me or is it not necessary? Can I choose a Patron Saint now ? What is the process?

Thank you 🙂
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The practice of choosing a confirmation Saint seems to be local tradition. In some areas it is always done, in some areas, never, and in other areas sometimes.

You can’t go back and be confirmed with a s Saints name, but one is always welcome to have a devotion to a particular Saint and focus on that person. There isn’t a process to this, simply pick a Saint and start reading about them and asking for their prayers. 👍
 
In the late 1950’s when I was confirmed, we all picked the name of a patron saint. The previous poster is correct, however, that it is not an intrinsic part of the reception of Confirmation. That does not prohibit you from having a patron saint; it is just that at Confirmation you have an opportunity to state that you want a particular saint to be your patron.
 
The practice in many areas is to have confirmandi take their Baptismal Saint as their Confirmation Saint. I think the idea is to have people focus on their relationship to a Saint rather than build a Friends List. 😉
 
**We required in RCIA to pick a Patron Saint…it appears on our confirmation document…right after my middle name…there was not a choice…I like the idea and spent a long time searching until a saint picked me…I was constantly drawn back to St.Catherine of Sienna…she is my Patron Saint…

stormy**
 
Joe_Kelley said:
The practice in many areas is to have confirmandi take their Baptismal Saint as their Confirmation Saint. I think the idea is to have people focus on their relationship to a Saint rather than build a Friends List. 😉
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Never heard of this before. Any documents or pronouncements to this effect? Got a list of where this is the practice? Or, is it just another new thing started by someone who “knows better than the rest of us?”
 
stormy99 said:
**We required in RCIA to pick a Patron Saint…it appears on our confirmation document…right after my middle name…there was not a choice…I like the idea and spent a long time searching until a saint picked me…I was constantly drawn back to St.Catherine of Sienna…she is my Patron Saint…

stormy**
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I know what you mean. I’ll give you three guesses who I kept being drawn back to!!! 😃
 
I’ve not been asked (yet anyway) to choose a patron saint. But I have been giving it much thought and I am really attracted to St. Ambrose.
 
Carolynh said:
I was received into the Church a few years ago through The RCIA. However, I have been wondering a lot lately why I didn’t get to choose a Patron Saint. I thought that reception into the Church meant that I was confirmed and all Catholics have a Confirmation Saint??? Was this a lapse by my priest to guide me or is it not necessary? Can I choose a Patron Saint now ? What is the process?

Thank you 🙂
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Not a lapse.

Nothing in the RCIA or Rite of Confirmation addresses choosing a patron saint.

You are free to choose a patron saint on your own initiative. It’s not part of any sacramental celebration.
 
Carolynh said:
I was received into the Church a few years ago through The RCIA. However, I have been wondering a lot lately why I didn’t get to choose a Patron Saint. I thought that reception into the Church meant that I was confirmed and all Catholics have a Confirmation Saint??? Was this a lapse by my priest to guide me or is it not necessary? Can I choose a Patron Saint now ? What is the process?

Thank you 🙂
Click to expand...
you were given a patron saint when your parents gave you your name, even though that may not have been their intent. If you name is that of a saint or a form of such a name, or perhaps a reference to Mary, you did not need to choose a new saint name, although it is certainly permissible to choose a confirmation name saint in addition to your own name, which became your baptismal name.

your preparation should certainly have included some teaching on the saints, and if you have formed a devotion to a particular saint you can certainly choose one for your personal patron now. there is no requirement, simply find out what you can about that saint and invoke their intercession.
 
Joe_Kelley said:
The practice in many areas is to have confirmandi take their Baptismal Saint as their Confirmation Saint. I think the idea is to have people focus on their relationship to a Saint rather than build a Friends List. 😉
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“Friends List” sounds a bit snarky.

I think it’s great to want many patron saints, and develop devotions to great saints. I try to read about a saint on his or her feast day, learn about devotions. I’m getting into praying Novenas to saints a bit, and reading their writings.

I chose St. Joseph as my baptismal patron, and chose St. Thomas More as my confirmation patron. I received all three sacraments of initiation as an adult on the same night, but I wanted to patrons just because, why not? They accomodated me gladly :-).
 
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