Choosing your Saint
Choosing a Confirmation Name/Saint
The Holy Spirit has enabled Christians of every century to live like Jesus and become saints. A saint is someone who is in heaven. We are ALL called to be saints. However, some become canonized Saints.
In official Church procedure, there are three steps to Sainthood: a candidate becomes "Venerable," then "Blessed" and then "Saint." Venerable is the title given to a person formally recognized by the pope as having lived a heroically virtuous life or offered their life. To be beatified and recognized as Blessed, one miracle acquired through the candidate's intercession is required in addition to recognition of heroic virtue or offering of life. Canonization requires a second miracle after beatification (USCCB).
The Saints are holy people who tried to follow Jesus with all their hearts. They were ordinary people, just like each of us. Saints have been men, women and children. Some were married and some were single; some were members of religious orders and some were laity. From heaven, Saints continue to pray for the Church, and intercede for all of us. As Catholics, we remember and honor the Saints and ask for their intercession.
As a candidate for the Sacrament of Confirmation, you have two options concerning the choice of a Confirmation name:
1.Stay with your present Baptismal name (your regular first or middle name).
If your baptismal name is that of a recognized Saint of the church, there is no need to select a new name for Confirmation. Using your baptismal name for Confirmation is preferred because it highlights the relationship between the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. Sticking with your baptismal name would demonstrate that you feel there has been a continual growth in your faith and you now wish to make this formal through Confirmation.
2. Pick a Saint’s name whose life you want to imitate, symbolizing a new beginning in your faith life.
This would be fitting if you feel that you have not been particularly strong in your faith and are making a renewed commitment to Christ. Taking a new name symbolizes that you are, in some ways, a new person. The chosen Saint’s name should represent a Saint you want to imitate. Taking a new name is not to be used because you like the sound of the name, how it fits with your names, or because it is the name of a nice friend or relative. You should honor the Saint through prayer and imitation and ask for their intercession, because no person’s prayer is more powerful than someone who is already in heaven and in union with God.
Where can I look for a saint?