Religious Names and Orders

[stars]

Maybe sr faustina therese of the Indwelling trinity after St faustina,st therese, and Blessed elizabeth of the Trinity.
I like a religious name although so many communities,except very traditional have stopped this practice.
stars

 

[Joyful_1]

Sr. Mary Veronica of the Divine Mercy

Mary after both the BVM and Mary Magdalene. St. Mary Magdalene is someone I really want to emmulate in that she was always humbling herself at the feet of Christ. That’s where I feel like I should be.

Veronica because whenever I meditate on Christ’s passion, I always have this longing to comfort Him in His agony. I kiss crucifixes all the time. This has translated into a desire to wipe the face of Christ through works of mercy towards others.

Divine Mercy because this is something I must always think of when I’m at the feet of Jesus with Mary Magdalene.

My order of choice, though God may lead me elsewhere, is the Franciscans. They seem to follow the above aspects of my spirituality more that any other.

 

[joamy]

This really is an awesome thread. Teresa of the Andes is a favorite of mine, too. There is a good movie about her that runs on EWTN sometimes.

Wonder if there would be any way I could work Lucia into my “wished for” name… might be getting kind long though. I’ve been going to our diocesan meetings of the “Blue Army” association and like Fatima quite a bit.

 

[twosweetgirls]

This really is an awesome thread. Teresa of the Andes is a favorite of mine, too. There is a good movie about her that runs on EWTN sometimes.

I got my video set (a good 13-15 years ago!) of the whole “Teresa of the Andes” at Pauline Books and Media. It’s run by the Daughters of St. Paul; you might check there. There’s also a member on youtube who’s posted clips of the whole movie, so you can youtube it as well.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

As we left the pre-novitiate our pre-novice director gave us “religious” names.

Mine is Brother David of the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

 

[Old_Convert]

What fun! This is a great idea for a thread

I was received as a postulant with the Servants of the Sacred Cross last November . . . and I am sooooo happy! As an extern sister, I will not be able to change my name; but when I become a conventual sister (in about two years, I hope), then I will.

Here are my choices (so far . . . . )

1. Sister John-Paul Mary of the Divine Mercy
2. Sister Benedicta Marie of the Holy Eucharist
3. Sister Catherine Clare of the Blessed Sacrament

John Paul the Great is my HERO and he loved our Blessed Mother so much. He believed Our Lady of Fatima saved him during the assasination attempt. And, of course, he loved the Divine Mercy and canonized St. Faustina. That’s number one.

Benedicta for our dear Pope Benedict who has turned out to be such a kind and gentle pastor and Marie for the Blessed Mother. Of course, the Holy Eucharist is the heart of the Church.

Catherine for St. Catherine Laboure, my favorite saint (besides my first name is Katherine) and Clare for St. Clare of Asissi who had such a powerful devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Clare is my confirmation name.

Who knows, in the next two to four years, I may think of a lot more! God willing, I will be clothed as a novice next September. I have visited our convent in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. That is where I was received as a postulant. The only hard part was having to come home! The sisters are so dear, and our Reverend Mother is wonderful. God could not have picked a Reverend Mother more wise and kind than our Mother Wendy. If any of you are looking for a community that accepts older women, please go to our website: servantsofthesacredcross.org

With love in Jesus and Mary,

Old Convert

 

[CarmeliteGirl25]

As we left the pre-novitiate our pre-novice director gave us “religious” names.

Mine is Brother David of the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

That, Brother David, is very beautiful!

 

[CarmeliteGirl25]

What fun! This is a great idea for a thread

I was received as a postulant with the Servants of the Sacred Cross last November . . . and I am sooooo happy! As an extern sister, I will not be able to change my name; but when I become a conventual sister (in about two years, I hope), then I will.

Here are my choices (so far . . . . )

1. Sister John-Paul Mary of the Divine Mercy
2. Sister Benedicta Marie of the Holy Eucharist
3. Sister Catherine Clare of the Blessed Sacrament

John Paul the Great is my HERO and he loved our Blessed Mother so much. He believed Our Lady of Fatima saved him during the assasination attempt. And, of course, he loved the Divine Mercy and canonized St. Faustina. That’s number one.

Benedicta for our dear Pope Benedict who has turned out to be such a kind and gentle pastor and Marie for the Blessed Mother. Of course, the Holy Eucharist is the heart of the Church.

Catherine for St. Catherine Laboure, my favorite saint (besides my first name is Katherine) and Clare for St. Clare of Asissi who had such a powerful devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Clare is my confirmation name.

Who knows, in the next two to four years, I may think of a lot more! God willing, I will be clothed as a novice next September. I have visited our convent in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. That is where I was received as a postulant. The only hard part was having to come home! The sisters are so dear, and our Reverend Mother is wonderful. God could not have picked a Reverend Mother more wise and kind than our Mother Wendy. If any of you are looking for a community that accepts older women, please go to our website: servantsofthesacredcross.org

With love in Jesus and Mary,

Old Convert

I will be praying for you! BarbaraTherese, who posts on this forum too, is a supporter of the Servants.

Beautiful name choices by the way!! I share your love for John Paul the Great. I miss him so much! But Pope Benedict XVI is a worthy successor!

 

[SenorSalsa]

As we left the pre-novitiate our pre-novice director gave us “religious” names.

Mine is Brother David of the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

just curious, did you have any say in the matter? Or was it just, here is your new name, hope you like it

 

[littletherese3]

Sr. Raphael Augustine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Raphael: the Archangel and a priest
Augustine: St Augustine

Sr. Aloysius Mary of the Most Holy Trinity

Aloysius: St Aloysius
Mary: Jesus’ Mother (and mine!)

Sr. Vianney Thérèse of the Holy Eucharist

Vianney: St John Vianney and a nun
Thérèse: St. Therese

Sr. Joan Benedictus of the Divine Mercy

Joan: St. Joan of Arc
Benedictus: Pope Benedict XVI, our beloved Pope

That was fun!!!

-littletherese3

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

just curious, did you have any say in the matter? Or was it just, here is your new name, hope you like it

It was very unofficial and was done so in a “joking” manner.

But besides that I think this shows that God can work through anything and anyone as I sort of have a devotion to the sorrows of Mary. This has been something that I wished to grow in but had let fall by the wayside. This has served to remind me.

 

[Allen537]

As we left the pre-novitiate our pre-novice director gave us “religious” names.

Mine is Brother David of the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

Ah yes, the great tradition of Fr. Greg.

He gave me the name Brother Allen of St. Paul

 

[Jennifer_G]

I wonder if I could pick “Sr. Faustina Francis” (after St. Faustina and St. Francis of Asissi - my confirmation saints) and be a Discalced Camelite.

 

[CarmeliteGirl25]

I wonder if I could pick “Sr. Faustina Francis” (after St. Faustina and St. Francis of Asissi - my confirmation saints) and be a Discalced Camelite.

Although it’s more common to pick saints within the order you have joined, I am looking at the Carmelites and I’m strongly considering:

Sr. M. Catherine Therese

St. Catherine of Siena, as you probably know, is a tertiary Dominican saint. I have heard of several sisters either keeping their baptism name or choosing a saint they are close to. So your request is not unfamiliar. If you tell the Superior why you chose that, I’m sure they’ll understand.

 

[3Sanctus]

I’m the possibility of a Trappist vocation. While I’ve never given it a whole lot of thought before, since I saw this thread a few days ago I’ve thought about it a bit, lol.

I wouldn’t be particularly bothered by any name I would receive, but if i were to be told to change my name (I’m not particularly worried one way or the other) and told to choose my new name I’d probably have Bernard (for Saint Bernard of Clairvaux), Benedict (for Saint Benedict and for our beloved Holy Father), or Basil (for Saint Basil the Great, the early eastern monastic) in there some place.

In His Glorious Saints.
Stephen

 

[JReducation]

Most Religious Communities that have their religious change their names have rules regarding such things.

Some even give the name rather than allowing the religious to chose.

As for myself, this sort of thing never entered my discernment.

Brother is right. The tradition is that the religious superior chooses the name. It usually has to be one that is not in use by someone else. Some communities give you three choices. Then the superior chooses one. But that’s not guarranteed.

Our postulants are allowed to ask, but that depends on the custom of the province to which they belong. If the province does not have this custom, then it does not happen.

The emphasis in many communities is to use your baptismal name to tie in your baptismal commitment with your profession of vows.

Usually, those who are entering a religious or secular order do not really focus on the name. Their focus is on the life.

In some countries, such as the USA, religious names can be a complicated legal issue. All of your legal documents must be with the name on your birth certificate unless you change it legally. You can’t get a passport with Sister Mary Dominic of the Holy Cross. I’m not sure that you can even get a driver’s license with a religious name. In some states and countries you can use what is called an aka, also known as.

Of course secular priests do not change their name. They have to retain their secular identity. It’s part of their vocation.

If you look at someone like Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM Cap, whom I know personally. His real name is Patrick. He has to sign all legal documents Sean Patrick O’Malley, though he signs everything else, Cardianl Sean, OFM Cap or Friar Sean, OFM Cap.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[CarmeliteGirl25]

Brother is right. The tradition is that the religious superior chooses the name. It usually has to be one that is not in use by someone else. Some communities give you three choices. Then the superior chooses one. But that’s not guarranteed.

Our postulants are allowed to ask, but that depends on the custom of the province to which they belong. If the province does not have this custom, then it does not happen.

The community I am looking into, the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus in Wautawatosa, WI, allows the postulant who is becoming a novice 3 choices which she submits in the form of a list to the Provincial Superior. At the novitiate’s commencement, the Superior chooses what name she deems appropriate for the Sister. It may be any of those 3 names, or one the Superior has in mind (which may be even more beautiful!). If I was to submit 3 names right now, they would be:

Sr. M. Catherine Therese
Sr. Magdalena Marie
Sr. M. Faustina Therese

But, as Juliet said about Romeo in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” JR, you are right that it is not about the name, but the life that we wish to surrender to God. I would be content with NO name if it was God’s will.

 

[3Sanctus]

The no name option sounds good to me.

 

[CarmeliteGirl25]

The no name option sounds good to me.

It’s the love of God that gets us through. Best wishes and prayers in your discernment.

 

[3Sanctus]

A name’s just something to help with our petty mortal communication and simply acts to reinforce our feelings of individuality and pride, if we do not check ourselves. God knows us each by the soul He has implanted within each of us as our loving Father. :yup:

That said, thank you for the prayers.

Prayerfully.
Stephen