Ah, Confirmation names.  My brother and I made ours together.  I was in 5th grade and he in 4th.  Obsessed with British history at the time, I chose a fellow red-head, Elizabeth Tudor.  Yes, yes.  Now I know!  What were my parents thinking?!  My brother picked Luke.  Not for St. Luke, Gospel writer.  Luke Skywalker.  Oh, good gravy!!!

My son did much better.  He made his in 6th grade and years before chose one of my favorite saints, Thomas More.  Yes, I get the irony.  And it’s not even intentional, at least not on my part.  “A Man for All Seasons” is one of his favorite movies.  Saint Thomas’ intelligence and brilliant use of the English language to defend his faith speaks to my son’s very soul.

Thank you for introducing this VERY important topic.

When I was confirmed as an adult (29yo), we were told that it was no longer necessary to take confirmation names.  (At least in our area of WI - this was the late 90’s) I wonder if it’s a regional thing, or if programs are returning to asking for confirmation names?  I remember being slightly disappointed!

When I came back to the Church, it was through the intercession of St. Jeanne d’Arc.  As a (now former) feminist, I had become familiar with her story, and I believe this interest drew me to inquire about the faith I had been baptized into.  Jeanne has a very special place in our family.  My husband and I were married at St, Joan of Arc Church in CO, my husband’s birthday is on her feast day.  My mother-in-law’s patron is the same, and her mother’s name is Joan.  Hence, it was only appropriate that we name our first child, a girl, Jeanne.  We love you St. Jeanne!

When choosing a Confirmation name, prayerfully consider your Saint.  When my my husband and I taught Confirmation classes, we had the kids do the following:
1) Homework assignment:  Research Saints.  Find the one whose feast day is one your birthday, the one(s) you were named after, those whose patronage applies to your life or your interests.  Bring this list to our next class.  Try to have at least ten Saints chosen.

2) The following class:  we spent 10-15 minutes in silence in front of the Blessed Sacrament.  We had the kids listen to God’s suggestion.  After the time had past, those who had chosen their Saints returned to class.  Those who had not had the option of returning to class or remaining with our Lord.  At the end of class, only two students were still not sure of their choice.

3) Homework:  present to the class or turn in a short paper (student’s choice) of who you chose and why.  Include a picture.

Oh, my.  My confirmation was so “drive-thru!” I can’t even remember the classes.  I picked the name of my sponsor—Lorraine!

Amy, I love your homework and am going to borrow it and do it with Eric.  Also, I’m still giggling over the selection of “Luke” that Katie shared!  Luke was the name my husband Greg chose when he joined the Church five years ago - I’ll have to share your brother’s motivation with him!

Unfortunately, I didn’t do any homework or research and I was confirmed as an adult as well.  I just picked Nicole because my birthday is on St. Nicholas’ Day.

Mine is a 2 part story to share…

First, my Confirmation name is Anne after the Blessed Mother’s mother since my name is Mary, I figured that it made sense to have Her mother be added to my name.  And, it so happened that the teacher that I chose as my Confirmation sponsor was Sister Anne...it was definitely one of “those” things (I was in 7th grade).

Second, my oldest son was confirmed in April but they were not “required” to choose a confirmation name at all.  They could, if they wanted to, and I let my son make his own decision...he opted to have just his name & that was that.

I’m going to skip the Luke Skywalker story w/my 2 younger boys...they will be VERY tempted to choose that name...and w/a few years before it’s their turn, I’m not going to give them any ideas!  LOL I absolutely LOVE that story though!  ROFLOL

When I was involved in RCIA several years ago, the Sister running the program (incorrectly) told the candidates that the Church no longer encourages you to chose a Confirmation name, but rather to focus on the name you were Baptized with (which is ok).  Many of the RCIA candidates were disappointed to hear this, having been looking forward to choosing a Patron Saint.  I think it was a lost opportunity to encourage converts to the Faith to form a real & powerful relationship with the Communion of Saints.  With fewer Catholic parents choosing Saint’s names for their children, it seems that choosing a Confirmation name should be even more encouraged.

My husband and I have taught Confirmation over the past 5 years to our own children and a class full of others.  Our daughter is entering her second year of Confirmation now.  She has chosen the name Gianna Beretta Mola...the Italian Pro-Life Doctor who died from cancer shortly after giving birth to her baby.  I was deeply moved by my daughter’s choice for Confirmation..  A few years ago, I discovered I was pregnant shortly after I learned that my remission had ended and cancer had invaded my body. It was such a difficult time.  We decided to stop all chemo and try to give our baby a fighting chance.  Although I did have a miscarriage at 12 weeks, our 15 year old daughter has learned that life belongs in the hands of our God.  I am really proud of my daughter’s choice.

When I was confirmed, I chose the name Catherine, after Catherine of Siena, but really after a character in a garbage novel which I will never tell you about.  My favorite saint at the time was St. Agnes, from my little saint book Faces Of Courage.  But I couldn’t choose the name Agnes because in school, the name Agnes was synonymous with “horn-rimmed glasses wearing old lady.” Why?  Anyhow, I chose Catherine.  And get this, I even chose Catherine of Siena precisely because her name is spelled the same as the Catherine in the garbage novel!  But I was forced to read a book about her, and was horrified by her life.  She was very intense, as I’m sure you all know.  But now I love her, and pray to her all the time!  My kids are homeschooled, and I’m going to start now inundating them with great saint stories so that they make a wise choice.  But look how my Confirmation turned out--I picked a great saint in spite of myself!

My husband choose Joseph as his Confirmation name (the patron Saint of fathers and workers seems appropriate).

My husband was recieved during Easter Vigil and went to Mass the next Sunday to sing in the choir. When our Vietnamese Priest noted that my husband was at Mass, during announcements, he pointed my husband out as one of those entering the Church calling my husband Joseph Richard (rather then putting the confirmation name second).

I too, was confirmed during a ‘no confirmation name is necessary’ period at our parish in CA.  I, also felt ‘jipped’. My mom had always told me how special her patron was to her.  I decided 10 yrs. back, during our older children’s prep. for Confirmation to chose a saint then.  I chose St. Joseph.  Probably not who I’d have chosen high school, but a wonderful patron for me now.  One son chose Padre Pio, who wasn’t canonized then, but is now !!! It was very special for them to chose their patrons and we always celebrate their patron’s feast days too.

Mary-for the Mother of God. We said many family rosaries together and she’s always seemed to have a hand in my life. I attended two grammer schools named for her- Our Lady of Fatima, and Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Rosary High School. I was accepted at Mt. St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg, MD. I was in 8th grade and went on intuition. You can never go wrong with the queen of heaven and earth! She’s always been there for me.

I was confirmed in seventh grade and looked high and low for a saint who was a mother.  Even then I knew my calling.  I chose Annemarie Taigi.  A couple years ago my Mom found the book on her life that was given to me then from a family friend.  I had forgotten all about it and am so glad to have it.  Eight kids later, I can certainly use her intercession!!

I converted at age 18--I ended up choosing St. Cecilia, partially because she is the patron Saint of musicians, but also because her story is pretty cool.

I do wish that I had looked into some male Saints, as I (obviously) now have a devotion to St. Gerard Majella (my eldest daughter is named for him) but I got caught up in the thinking that I should have a female patron.

Funny story, though...we weren’t required to choose a confirmation name, but I did...and my poor non-Catholic parents were sitting with my college roommate at the Easter Vigil when I was confirmed, and my mom turned to my dad and whispered “they just called her the wrong name!”

In 7th grade I was thinking about becoming a nun, so I picked the patron saint of young people trying to figure out what to do with their lives: St. Raphael the Archangel. My Confirming bishop was shocked--he said it was the first Raphael he’d had in all his yrs. as bishop. I didn’t become a nun. But as an adult, I’ve ended up helping a LOT of young adults figure out what they were doing with their lives/majors/jobs/vocations. So Raphael was the right choice!

My confirmation name is “Faith.” I was in the eighth grade too when I was confirmed, and I chose it because I really wanted God to confirm me in my faith forever. So I went and made sure there was a saint named “Faith"--there were many, but I didn’t discover any distinctive candidate for a patron. I think now that all the saints in heaven bearing that name have adopted me because through trials and challenges (even in college!) I’ve never been tempted to give up my Catholic faith.

When I was confirmed in 8th grade I picked St Rose of Lima-- mostly because I liked the sound of the name and roses were my favorite flowers. I must confess I don’t have as strong a devotion to her as to many other saints with whom I feel a stronger connection; but I am sure she watches over me nevertheless.

My confirmation name is Elizabeth Ann Seton, something I chose because I thought it would make my mother happy.  She wanted me to become a teacher, but that didn’t work out for me.

Last year I taught a confrimation class in China to children from all over the world.  I gave them an option of choosing a confirmation name and patron saint, something that is usually only done in English- and German-speaking coutnries, as well as the US.  So for some of the kids, like the one from Ireland, this was something he was prepared to do.  For others, like those from the Philipines and Sweden, this was something of an innovation for them.  Even the visiting priest, a missionary from France, had no idea why someone he knew was named Finley was telling him to call him John the Baptist in the Rite of Confirmation.

I’m loving all of these stories.  I think I’m going to print out two copies of the comments - one for Eric and one for our Youth Minister.  They are precious. 

This morning, during our “saint time” we were reading about St. Augustine and a lively discussion on St. Monica ensued.  I hadn’t realized that discussing the saints over breakfast could be so much fun!

Melanie b, I chose Rose of Lima too, for the same reasons - I liked the name Rose! I remember I admired the life of St. Agnes, but I hated the name Agnes. I don’t have as strong of a devotion to St. Rose as I do to St. Monica, my favorite saint. I don’t think I even knew about St. Monica when I was confirmed. I do happen to also like the name Monica, so much so that my daughter is named Monica.

Definitely good to pick a name of a Saint that you admire. The name gives the person a sense of inspiration and motivation to live up to the name.