What's in a Confirmation Name?

  • Thread starter Thread starter robdaddyf
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
R

robdaddyf

Guest
I am currently in RCIA and will enter the Church at the Easter Vigil and have been asked to choose a Saint. I am very fond of reading the Saints Lives but am having a difficult time narrowing my search down. I have prayed about this selection and have come up with a “short list” and would appreciate any (name removed by moderator)ut that anyone could offer me.

These are NOT in any particular order:

St. Paul the Apostle
St. Josemaria Escriva
St. Polycarp
St. John Bosco
St. Thomas More

I hope you might give me your “two-cents?” I’ll tell you a bit about myself as it might help you to help me.

I am a convert from Protestant/Evangelical/etc background. Husband…Father of three (two girls one boy) I am a bus-operator/trainer/teacher for a city bus service. I am a long time student of Theology, Church history etc (which is in large part why we ended up desiring to enter the Catholic Church) My wife and I are converting together. My father is a devout Evangelical/Charismatic and my mother (deceased) grew up Methodist and largely kept her religious views to herself…although she was very much a loving, Godly woman.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.👍
 
What are the attributes of the saints that you admire? What is it about their lives that you would like to use as an example for your own life? I am a Catholic woman and chose my saint’s name when I was in the Confirmation program as a teenager. I chose Joan of Arc for her strength and courage in standing up for her convictions. I suggest you choose a saint that you admire and one that you can pray to for help and assistance in areas of your life for which you feel you may be lacking. Hope this helps.
 
Any of those would be fine choices. All would be great role models, and all are in heaven ready to help.

I’m in the same position (with a very similar background and place in life). I guess I’m more than “wavering” at this point. I’m working to discern a confirmation name also. I’ve narrowed it down to a couple of options (Joseph and Therese of Lisieux). Both have strong family connections for me, and draw me for different reasons. In truth, I’m a little uneasy about choosing a female saint. Some say it’s OK, others frown on cross-gender confirmation names. You don’t have that complication, at least. FWIW, both Thomas More and Polycarp have been on my list during recent weeks.

As I’ve pondered the question, one distinction seems to be the time of the saint’s life. Early saints (like Paul) tend to feel more mythological to me. I don’t relate directly to them as well as more recent people. A very recent person like Josemaria Escriva or Theresa of Calcutta is almost jarring, how strongly I relate to their life situation and response to God’s call. As a result, I think I find more recent saints stronger role models. On the other hand, you can’t do better than biblical pillars of faith such as Paul.

The main considerations, though, are who you admire, trust for guidance, and feel a special connection to. Only you can tell who that person is.

Let us know how the poll approach works, though. If I get desperate, maybe I’ll try one myself!

God bless you on your journey.

Jerry
 
If you want to help the relationship with your father and maybe lead him to convert one day, I suggest either Paul (Evangelicals sometimes illogically accuse Catholics of ignoring or minimising the importance of St Paul’s letters) or Polycarp ( a good lead-in as a connection from the apostolic age to the post-apostolic age to show that the Church and its saints continue and grow in faith after the books of the Bible have been completed.)
 
I recommend St.Paul. He is one of the greatest saints and we must always remember that he was, of all people, Catholic!
 
I am sorry, but I think that only you can decide. This is important, so you need to devote a little time in prayer over this.
 
Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man. The story of his death is very interesting.
 
robdaddyf said:
I am currently in RCIA and will enter the Church at the Easter Vigil and have been asked to choose a Saint. I am very fond of reading the Saints Lives but am having a difficult time narrowing my search down. I have prayed about this selection and have come up with a “short list” and would appreciate any (name removed by moderator)ut that anyone could offer me.
Click to expand...
Confirmation names are a pretty personal deal. I agree with the poster who said that only you can decide.

But what do you decide?

I think you should learn about the lives of the saints.

Which saints? What values, qualities would you like to emulate? What do you see as a strength you have, or a weakness you need to overcome?

You mentioned a list of saints, but no mention of why these spoke to you. I could say, ‘Choose Saint So and So, he was a nice guy’, but if you are suggesting him because you just like the sound of the name… eh.

There are so many saints. Saints from pretty much every continent (I think we’re still looking for someone to claim Antartica as home 🙂 ) and there are young, old, educated, uneducated, religous, lay, people of various professional lives, and reasons why these people have been canonized.

I had a pretty unorthodox DRE when I went for my Confirmation, so I chose names of people in my life. They are uncanonized… but they DO have the name of canonized saints, so I’m sort of under the wire 😊

My father chose a name he liked. I asked him who that was, and he didn’t even know. Sad. The saint has a very powerful, interesting life story.

Another woman I know wanted to recognize her own mother. Her mother’s name was Mary. I suggested ‘Regina’, as that is a name for Mary, but could also point to the goals the Confirmation person was aspiring to.

In my lifetime, I’ve been aware of the canonization of several saints, and the causes to canonize a few others. You may find someone who moves you in the newer saints (Hmm… I think Imo change my avatar!)

Good luck. Just think, someone will ask you WHY you chose that saint. It may not be today, or this year. You will be stuck FOR LIFE! :eek:
 
I thank you all for your helpful (name removed by moderator)ut on what I consider to be a very important choice. I have studied the lives of the Saints which is how I arrived at this list. I also didn’t want to give my reasons for these particular choices precisely because I wanted to hear from other people about YOUR views on these Saints. Why do I want your (name removed by moderator)ut?

Your answers have demonstrated the reason why I want (name removed by moderator)ut. Your thoughts such as “Petergee” who said, in essence, the choice of St. Paul would be a “bridge” to my dad. How Josemaria could be, potentially, “more of a role model” because he is more recent. Thoughts about how St. Paul is a strong choice given his importance in the early Church and thereby the CATHOLIC Church. All of your (name removed by moderator)ut it helpful

I do know that effort is required on my part and I’ve put in some long hard effort for myself as well as for my wife…effort not lacking here…but I do appreciate hearing from other people.
 
‘Help one another with the generosity of the Lord, and despise no one. When you have the opportunity to do good, do not let it go by.’

St. Polycarp of Smyrna

Each of the saints you suggested has left us some writings… so… keep reading… keep praying… keep seeking… asking…

🙂

On my confirmation, my middle name honored both a saint and one of my grandfathers, so I took a saint’s name I also liked greatly and honored my other grandfather.

Saints Thomas and Dominic.

When I read St. Paul, he feels closer to the way we are now, more modern than I might’ve awhile back. As time goes by you understand what they are saying, the way and why better… from familiarity… Sometimes the language of the translation affects that, but generally as you get to know all the saints they have that similar thread of Christ in them that makes them understandable and helps you to understand one by reading another… each helps because of the shared message…

Taking a saint’s name means that saint is special… will watch over you more greatly… a relationship… pray for you… the suggestions he gives may reach your ear in inspiration like your guardian angel’s… though you do not know it…

All the saints are our family… 🙂 We can always ask for any of them to help us…

Whatever happens… give it over to God’s Providence and what should be will be… 🙂
 
For me it was easy when I converted, as a young girl knowng that the Catholic faith was where I wanted to be, I had a deep love and devotion to St. Bernadette, I also loved St. Therese known as the Little Flower. I chose Bernadette and had the honor of visiting Lourdes a few years ago.

Which ever saint touches your heart in a special way is the one I would choose. Maybe one who you feel has some of what you consider your own personality.

God Bless you on your jouney into the Church.

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette
 
Years ago, when I was informed by my priest that I should pick a Confirmation name, I was sort of shocked. You see, I had been converted to the church 4 years earlier and was then teaching the Confirmation class. I had not even thought of my own Confirmation.

I was very much attracted by the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas, OP. Little did I know at the time that his writings would lead me to a love of the Dominican Rite Mass and to an involvement in a Latin Mass Society.

From your list I would have chosen St. Thomas More.

God Bless you in your search.
 
I am verry happy for you that you get to choose your Confirmation name and put so much thought into it.

When I made both Communion and Confirmation I was in Second grade (don’t blame me I was just a kid, some kind of package deal I guess:shrug:) I had no real comprehension of the value of a name so I let family choose the name.

As an adult who was a skeptic and was converted from skepticism my vote goes to Paul, as he is a person whom I can relate to who came to the faith as an adult and was once on the oustide looking in. Not sure if you had a similar conversion experience but thats my reasoning.

My high scool was named for St. John Bosco so too many bad memories there – just kidding Don Bosco, I still love ya;)
 
*I was confirmed in the third grade and my name was chosen by my mom. She wanted me to use one of the names of my first grade teacher (a nun), which was Ellen. I don’t really remember caring one way or the other. 😉 As it turns out, that sister is still teaching at the same school as my brother (a priest), 45 years later! And he highly regards her as well, so my mom’s choice was a good one.

I have often thought that my confirmation was too early; my classmates and I really did not appreciate what was going on at the time. I applaud you for taking the time to choose a name that has personal and spiritual meaning to you and for taking the time to do the research for the most appropriate one. My mom has often said that folks who convert to our faith often seem to appreciate it more than those who are cradle-Catholics and can often take it for granted.

My choice among those you have listed is St. Thomas More. Good luck with your decision! *
 
I choose Saint Josemaria Escriva for my Saint for Confirmation.

My first encounter with Saint Josemaria was many years ago when I was flipping through the TV channels at my parents’ home in Clinton, NY. I came across EWTN and began watching St. Josemaria speaking with a crowd of people in South America. I was impressed with his joyfulness, humor, and his answers to the peoples’ questions. He seemed so light-hearted yet his answers were so profound and piercing at times. I remember thinking, “How interesting, a Catholic Priest who is also joyful and Godly!” This is something I didn’t expect to see. It wasn’t mere “chance” that I ran across this man.

It wasn’t until many years later that I came across him again and this time on the Catholic radio station KPIO. I heard some Spanish guitar music start playing and a woman say, “Here’s some advice from St. Josemaria Escriva on the Spiritual life and how to become a better Christian.” (I had no idea what name she said…I understood “Josemaria” but not “Escriva” when she said it so I had to do a few Google searches later to find out whom she was speaking of) What followed was a man reading from Saint Josemaria’s book “The Way.”

193
Don’t be “namby pamby!”: that’s not the way I want you. It’s about time you got rid of that peculiar pity you feel for yourself

194
I will tell you which are man’s treasures on earth so that you will appreciate them: hunger, thirst, heat, cold, pain, dishonor, poverty, loneliness, betrayal, slander, prison…

I was floored. I thought it was wonderful that a Catholic Saint was saying such things in his teaching. It sounded so “in line” with what I’ve read in the Scriptures and yet hit me between the eyes as if my best friend was saying it to me! I soon found a copy of “The Way” and began devouring his words and also began looking up Saint Josemaria’s talks on You Tube and was glad to find (and see him) again. I know that none of my encounters with Saint Josemaria have been “dumb luck” nor are they “accidental” but are surely what I’ve come to accept them to be, messages from God to draw me and my family closer to Him.

What I appreciated about him right away (and still do) is his attitude toward the Lord and how necessary and possible it is for us to become Saints in “Ordinary Life.” Of course nearly everything he says makes it clear that a Christian may have what appears (on the outside) an “ordinary” life but in Christ there is no such thing as, “Ordinary” at all. In fact we are to live out our Supernatural existence WHILE in the world that we might be seen as Children of God, inheritors of the Kingdom, called to be Holy as God is Holy. Beautiful!

Further, for a good deal of time in my life, I unnecessarily separated the “Spiritual Life” from “Normal Life.” Saint Josemaria helps me see that this is a false dichotomy. Our life is to be one life and not separated into “compartments” of our own making. In fact to compartmentalize leads only to a more divided heart. This is clearly not what the Lord wants for us. Our life is gone but is now surely placed in the hands and heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ! How could we have a life of our own making that could possibly compete with such a life? Whatever comes in this life, if we have eyes to see them as gifts of God we can’t lose our joy. To surrender to the will of One who loves us so fully and completely is only a struggle insofar as we forget where we came from and where we are going. However, if we understand service to our wives, children, families, co-workers etc as the vineyard we have been given to tend we can experience such joy working for our Master, Our Father! He patiently prunes us for our own sakes! We no longer have to accept that everything we’re doing is of so little value; on the contrary, we can walk on the feet of Christ and dry their tears with His hands in our own bodies. If indeed we have been crucified with Christ we shall also be raised with Him. It makes any perceived “gains or losses” in this life all gain if we might more surely gain Christ. But for now we seek Him in prayer to love and serve Him in the motherly bosom of the Church. This is what I hear in Saint Josemaria and why I seek his intercession…that I might not be a contradiction to the Love of God but a conduit. To be a missionary of Light to those who, to this day, sit in darkness…those I work with…those I encounter daily. I seek to be a missionary by the grace of God. Though my faults are too numerous to count I know that I am the Lord’s and rise daily in His abundant mercy and grace. It is by His mercy that I know His grace.

The more I read the words of Saint Josemaria~ the more I love God. This is surely the best reason I have to choose him! Thanks be to God!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top