Saint Name Paper Guidelines

Click here to download the Saint Paper.

As a candidate for the celebration of the sacrament of confirmation, you have two options concerning the choice of confirmation name:

1. Choose your baptismal name (your first/middle name, only if it is a saint name). This shows the sacrament’s connection with the other sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church: baptism and first Eucharist. Choosing your baptismal name demonstrates that you feel there has been a continual growth in your faith and that you now wish to make this formal through confirmation.

2. Choose a saint’s name that symbolizes a new beginning in your faith life and a connection to that particular saint. If you feel that you have not been particularly strong in your faith and are now making a renewed commitment to your faith, the taking of a new name symbolizes this commitment. This new name would be used after your present middle name and before your family name.

It is important to invest time in discovering a saint who demonstrated qualities during his/her life that you admire and would like to emulate in your own life. The saint should represent the direction you feel your faith life is taking or a strength or attribute you feel you need.

Guidelines for Paper

Each confirmation candidate is required to write a simple, one page paper on their patron saint for confirmation (on the back of this page). The first part describes the life of the saint. The second part should be why you chose that particular saint. If you are keeping your baptismal (given) name, please write why you are keeping that name.

Turning it in

Whether you choose to keep your present name or take a new name, write two paragraphs about your choice. You may hand deliver your paper to Andrew Schuelke or Aaron Barta during your regular confirmation class meeting, or you can e-mail it to sjnyouth@sjnaustin.org. Make sure that you receive a response acknowledging receipt of your e-mail. If you do not, assume that your paper has not have been received and contact the office to make other arrangements.

Questions to help write your paper

What attributes or virtues does this saint have that I would like to emulate in my life?

How did this saint express Christ’s life to people who needed it the most?

Where did this saint live?

Is he/she a patron saint of anything meaningful to me?

Do I want to be like that saint?