Patron Saint Names.

[Laurasia]

Hello everyone.

Okay, please be patient with me. LOL! As some of you know, I'm attending RCIA classes in preparation of my Confirmation next Easter. I was wondering if I would be able to take a patron Saints name at Confirmation?

I ask this because during the preparations for Conformation when I was in Catholic school (I backed out of Confirmation on the day of), we all had to pick a patron Saint name to take.

I would like to do this at my Confirmation next year & was just wondering if this was the norm.

Sincerely,
Laurasia

 

[Adammi]

Well, the norm, if there is one, I would assume would be Mary/Marie/Maria.

 

[Cjwinnit]

Agnes?

 

[EllenMoran]

I took Elizabeth as my confirmation name.

 

[JeffreyLloyd]

When I was in RCIA, we were told it was up to us to pick a saint if we wanted too.

I picked Saint Michael, the archangel.

 

[epiclesis]

I chose St. Maria Goretti.

Wish I'd chosen St. Catherine of Siena, but that's okay.

 

[plum]

Question... when you take a name... do you actually make it into a middle name? Or... how does that work? Is it just symbolic?

 

[ZooMom]

Hi, Laurasia.

Yes, it is common practice to 'take' the name of a Saint at your Confirmation. This is in no way a legal change of your given name, but merely a devotion to one of the Church's beloved Saints that you admire or wish to emulate. It is not required, it's just a pious gesture.

My name Saint is St. Clare, a noblewoman who took St. Francis as her mentor and rolemodel after hearing him preach. I love St. Francis for his humility and gentleness, and Clare is pretty much his female counterpart. She was an amazing woman of great faith and sacrifice.

Look here for a great list of the Saints with their stories.

Peace be with you!

Sandy

 

[JeffreyLloyd]

Question... when you take a name... do you actually make it into a middle name? Or... how does that work? Is it just symbolic?

It becomes like a "third" name.

First Middle SAINTS NAME Last

 

[Laurasia]

Hello everyone.

Wow, I'm glad to hear that I'll still be able to take a Saint name.

I have another question now, though. I want to take Mary Magdalene as my patron Saint name. I don't want to simply take Mary, as it will most likely be mistaken to mean the Virgin Mary. That being said, do you think I should take the entire name "Mary Magdalene" or would "Magdalene" work better? I'm not sure which one I'm leaning towards more.

Sincerely,
Laurasia

 

[ZooMom]

Look here.

 

[stray bullet]

Heh, our parish said it was mostly a thing for kids and confirmation and not adults...

 

[ZooMom]

That's odd. Surely children aren't the only ones who need rolemodels.

 

[faerieevaH]

Here neither kids nor adults do it. I loved the idea immediately when I heard about it though (which was here on OBOB).

 

[Rising_Suns]

That being said, do you think I should take the entire name "Mary Magdalene" or would "Magdalene" work better? I'm not sure which one I'm leaning towards more.

Laurisia, peace be with you,
This option is really up to you; whichever you would feel more comfortable with.

By the way, she is an excellent choice. I cannot even imagine how much sorrow and humility she felt when she realized the way of hr past. Yet none of that mattered anymore. The faith she had was so profound that she wiped her tears off of Jesus's feet with her hair while the Disciples were confused at why Jesus would allow such a person to waste all her expensive oil on Him; they only saw the external, but Jesus saw a heart of great faith, and her faith made her clean and pure again, as a virgin. I would not doubt it.

Jesus also appeared first to Mary Magdalene [Mark 16:9]

It was Mary Magdalene who stood at the foot of the cross with His mother [John 19:25]

 

[ps139]

Question... when you take a name... do you actually make it into a middle name? Or... how does that work? Is it just symbolic?

Well, its not on legal documents, but sometimes I sign my name with 2 middle initials

 

[Laurasia]

ZooMom,

Thank you very much for the link. I also really liked the image on that page.

Rising_Suns,

A good choice indeed. I actually chose her because I can relate to her on a very deep level regarding being sorry for past deeds & simply relishing the love of the Lord regardless of past sins. It's a very long story, but it's also very strong.

Sincerely,
Laurasia

 

[ZooMom]

You're welcome. Peace be with you!