As Easter approaches, the question of how to pick a Confirmation saint comes up often in our work. How does one go about selecting a saint to formally identify with? For some, the nervousness over picking a Confirmation saint can come from not knowing much about the saints; for others who know a lot about saints, the difficulty can come from narrowing the choice down to a single person! And there are often lots of questions about the purpose of picking a saint, and what it means. Practically speaking, the name of the saint you pick will be pronounced over you when you are confirmed. But in the long term, that saint is meant to be a heavenly friend and mentor; someone you can look to for a holy example, and ask for prayer along the way.
Here are a few stories from our members about how they came to be connected with their Confirmation saints:
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“During the final process of RCIA, we were asked to research and pick our confirmation saint. I had no clue where to begin since there are literally hundreds upon hundreds of saints. So, I started to research if there were any saints that represented actors or entertainers and sure enough, I found St. Genesius of Rome.
His story, his conversion, and his ultimate martyrdom—as well as the fact that his feast day is on my birthday (August 25)—was such a powerful and spiritual moment in my life. It moved me to tears and confirmed it was divine intervention for me to get confirmed with his name.” –Ashley Stinnett
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“(While I was discerning Catholicism), I asked St. Boniface of Mainz to pray for me. I learned that Boniface, like myself, had discovered a desire to be a foreign missionary at the age of twelve. Like me, he was shaped by Benedictine spirituality. Like me, he experienced disappointment and pain in his conflict with fellow missionaries…On April 3rd, 2021, my wife and I, along with our four sons, were received into the Catholic Church, and Saint Boniface sponsored my entrance.” –John Bacon
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“I had been to Rome and stood two feet from Pope John Paul II while searching for answers…(when) I came into full communion with the Church through the Sacrament of Confirmation, I chose the saint that I had only stood a few feet from as my confirmation saint: Pope St. John Paul II. Not many can say they have met their confirmation saint!” –Dr. Matthew Harrison
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“On the Sunday that we were all to go to the Cathedral for the Rite of Acceptance, I glanced at the table in front of me, and there were a couple of pamphlets there… I couldn’t help but notice that the picture of the saint on the pamphlet was a little girl. I picked it up and put it in my purse.
Later, the Sunday came when I was to be confirmed. One of the deacons asked for the name of my patron Saint, and I told him I didn’t know what he was talking about. Then I remembered the little pamphlet I had grabbed off the table at the Rite of Acceptance. I said, ‘Well, I have heard of one saint. A little girl. She had a very odd last name. But I don’t know anything about her.’
The deacon smiled and asked me, ‘Was it Maria Goretti?’ I nodded. Who else would I choose? I knew of no one else. Several weeks later, I thought about that Sunday I stood at that doorway, saintless. Then it occurred to me that I had not yet read about the little girl saint. I pulled out the pamphlet and read it. Tears filled my eyes in an instant. Maria Goretti is a saint of abused people.
I know beyond a shadow of any doubt that every single unexplainable moment and circumstance during that time of my life, from the Scripture laid on my heart all the way to the pamphlet with the little girl’s picture on it, and all the moments in between, were beautifully and perfectly orchestrated by my Jesus.” –Pam Mings
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There are many possible starting points for picking a Confirmation saint; you can go with someone who comes from the same country as your family, or worked in the same profession as you, or experienced the same kinds of physical or spiritual struggles you’ve faced. Whoever you pick to identify with specifically at Confirmation, all of us are invited to ask for the help of all the saints as we journey together toward our heavenly home.
