Choosing a Saint

Candidates and their parents will work together to select a Saint Name for Confirmation.

Discuss:  Names are part of our identity; it tells others who you are.  When you were baptized, your name was chosen because…

(Here parents explain why they chose their child’s name.  Explain any significant meanings or if they were named after someone, share about that person)

Look-Up:  Look up your name on the web and discover the history of your name.

• https://www.behindthename.com/
• http://www.babynames.com/

Read/watch videos & discuss the information below.

What is a patron Saint? 

Patron saints are chosen as special protectors or guardians over areas of life.  These areas can include occupations, illnesses, churches, countries, and causes - - anything that is important to us.  A patron saint can help us when we follow the example of that saint’s life and when we ask for that saint’s intercessory prayers to God.
Watch: What is a Patron Saint?
Watch: Watch Fr. Mike Schmitz, “Do Catholics Worship Saints?”

What is a canonized Saint?

Saints are people who have lived holy lives and are now in heaven as members of the Church Triumphant.  Their life stories provide examples for others on how to overcome spiritual obstacles on Earth.  Any person who follows Christ is a saint; however, Canonized saints are people the Church identifies as in heaven.

Do Catholics pray TO saints?

We pray with saints, not to them.  Have you ever asked anyone to pray for you when you were having a hard time?  Why did you choose to ask that person?  You may have chosen someone who understood your problem or someone who was close to God.  Those are all reasons we ask saints to pray for us in times of trouble.  Since saints lead holy lives and are close to God in heaven, we feel that their prayers are particularly effective.  Often we ask particular saints to pray for us if we feel they have a particular interest in our problem.  For example, many people ask Saint Monica to pray for them if they have trouble with unanswered prayers because Monica prayed for 20 years for her son to be converted.  Finally, her prayers were answered in a way she never dreamed of — her son, Augustine, became a canonized saint and a Doctor of the Church.

Is keeping statues or pictures of saints idolatry and breaking one of the Ten Commandments?

Look at the pictures of your loved ones in your wallet or around your home or office.  Why do you keep these particular pictures?  You might answer that you carry those pictures to remind you of people you love, to help you feel that they’re close to you when you’re not together, or to share with people you meet.  But you probably didn’t say you worshipped them.  Those are some of the same reasons we have statues and pictures of saints.  Seeing a statue of Saint Therese of Lisieux who lost her mother when she was a child might make us feel less alone when we are grieving.  A picture of Saint Francis of Assisi might remind us of how much he loved God’s creation and make us more aware of our environment.

How does the Church choose saints?

Canonization, the process the Church uses to name a saint, has only been used since the tenth century.  For hundreds of years, starting with the first martyrs of the early Church, saints were chosen by public acclaim.  Though this was a more democratic way to recognize saints, some saints’ stories were distorted by legend and some never existed.  Gradually, the bishops and finally the Vatican took over authority for approving saints. 

In 1983, Pope John Paul II (now Saint John Paul Ii) made sweeping changes in the canonization procedure.  The process begins after the date of a Catholic whom people regard as holy.  Often, the process starts many years after death in order to give perspective on the candidate.  The local bishop investigates the candidate’s life and writings for heroic virtue (or martyrdom) and orthodoxy of doctrine.  Then a panel of theologians at the Vatican evaluates the candidate.  After approval by the panel and cardinals of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pope proclaims the candidate “venerable.”

The next step, beatification, requires evidence of one miracle (except in the case of martyrs). Since miracles are considered proof that the person is in heaven and can intercede for us, the miracle must take place after the candidate’s death and as a result of a specific petition to the candidate.  When the pope proclaims the candidate beatified or “blessed,” the person can be venerated by a particular region or group of people with whom the person holds special importance.

Only after one more miracle will the pope canonize the saint (this includes martyrs as well).  The title of saint tells us that the person lived a holy life, is in heaven, and is to be honored by the universal Church.  Canonization does not “make” a person a saint; it recognizes what God has already done.

Though canonization is infallible and irrevocable, it takes a long time and a lot of effort.  So while every person who is canonized is a saint, not every holy person has been canonized.  You have probably known many “saints” in your life, and you are called by God to be one yourself.

Watch: “How does the Church Declare Official Saints?”

When selecting a Confirmation name, a candidate may keep their Baptismal name by selecting a saint who shares their name OR they may choose a different saint name or a name from the Bible that reflects the NEW role they aspire to undertake as a more mature Catholic.  Confirmation candidates often take the name of the significant people who have influenced their life, people they admire, or a name of a patron saint based on their hobbies, inte rest, or virtues of that saint.  THE SAINT NAME YOUR CHILD SELECTS WILL BE THEIR CONFIRMATION NAME.

1. Pray to the Holy Spirit, and ask for help in finding a saint whose life you’d like to imitate.  This saint will provide a special bond for you and will be more open to interceding for you before Go
2. List significant people who influence your life or people you admire for their values.
3. Browse & read saint profiles fo themes of those significant or admired people.
4. Browse & read said profiles by topic and look for saints that connect with you.
5. Browse & read about the saint connected to your baptismal name.
6. Narrow your saint choices down to two.  Pray, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you.
7. Decide which saint you connect with the most and make your final selection.

Close in Prayer:  Pray with the saint whose name you will be using as your Confirmation name.  Ask this saint to intercede for you, to help you make the right moral choices, and overall to be a powerful spiritual guide for the rest of your life.

SAMPLE PRAYER FOR INTERCESSION:

Saint _____________, I ask for you to pray for me as I prepare for Confirmation.  I chose your name as my Confirmation name because I relate with you by _________.  Help me to do on earth as you did on earth.  Help me to know and love Jesus and others as you loved Jesus and others.  AMEN.

As you continue to prepare for your Confirmation, continue to ask your saint to pray for you.  Possibly buy pictures, holy cards, statues, and books associated with your Confirmation namesake.  These visual reminders of your saint will help you reflect upon his or her unique virtues.