If You Could Pick Your New Religious Name, What Would It Be?

[Clare~Therese]

Sr. M. Pascal of the Incarnation
Sr. M. Isaac of the Epiphany

[emmaberry101]

Like EmilyAnne, I really would like Mother to pick for me, assuming I make it that far. I am so glad I did not end up in a Carmel where you choose a name going in, because I will really treasure having a name given to me (again, assuming they don't kick me out before then!). This is for the same reason I like and value my birth name.. that it was chosen for me by my birth Mother (and dad ) whom I love and respect. In the same way, I love and respect Mother Abbess, and the significance and beauty that any name may have for me personally will be far outshone by any name she chooses for me, just because she chose it for me through prayer. It's the same reason that most people who would not have picked their birth names for themselves generally don't legally change their name when they are of age. The name has value distinct from itself because of the ones who chose it for us.

Of course, this is assuming that it is alright to not submit any names-for all I know, the PCCs may require a list! And in some of the larger communities, this would be a large (probably too large) task for the Superior, so it makes perfect sense to ponder and submit religious names.

Sorry for waxing on. [color=#282828][img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/blush.gif[/img][/color][color=#282828] [/color]

[PadrePioOfPietrelcino]

I won't be getting a new name unless I become Pope and the likelyhood of that leads me to not speculate.

[TheresaThoma]

I kind of like Sr Miriam Edith or maybe something like Thomas/Thoma. My one friend says that I should be Sr Stella Maris since I love astronomy!

[MargaretTeresa]

Sr. Teresa (for Mother Teresa AND Maestra Thecla) or Sr. Gabriel (for the archangel, obvs).

[ToJesusMyHeart]

Sr. Mary Catherine Gemma of the Crucifixion

[LaPetiteSoeur]

Hildegard Marie
My hopeful community doesn't change names exactly; we have "Marie" or "Mary" or "Maria" added to our names. I knew a Sr Caritas. She changed her name back to Eleanor after VatII but everyone still called her Sr Cari. She was a really special sister.

[AccountDeleted]

I think I might like Sister Teresa of the Cross

[Kateri89]

[quote name='ToJesusMyHeart' timestamp='1352859755' post='2509574']
Sr. Mary Catherine Gemma of the Crucifixion
[/quote]


Totally off topic but how was the retreat with the Sisters of Life? I didn't get to go because my flight got cancelled (there was something wrong with the plane). Hope it went well

Now back to the original topic of the thread

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='emmaberry101' timestamp='1352858160' post='2509559']
Like EmilyAnne, I really would like Mother to pick for me, assuming I make it that far. I am so glad I did not end up in a Carmel where you choose a name going in, because I will really treasure having a name given to me (again, assuming they don't kick me out before then!). This is for the same reason I like and value my birth name.. that it was chosen for me by my birth Mother (and dad ) whom I love and respect. In the same way, I love and respect Mother Abbess, and the significance and beauty that any name may have for me personally will be far outshone by any name she chooses for me, just because she chose it for me through prayer. It's the same reason that most people who would not have picked their birth names for themselves generally don't legally change their name when they are of age. The name has value distinct from itself because of the ones who chose it for us.

Of course, this is assuming that it is alright to not submit any names-for all I know, the PCCs may require a list! And in some of the larger communities, this would be a large (probably too large) task for the Superior, so it makes perfect sense to ponder and submit religious names.

Sorry for waxing on. [color=#282828][img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/blush.gif[/img][/color][color=#282828] [/color]
[/quote]

I sometimes really wish that my hopeful future order would choose the religious names for their Sisters. But each and every Sister is allowed to choose her own religious name or keep her birth name and add "Sr." to it. There are so many beautiful saints out there that I would love to be named after. If I ever get to the point of choosing a name, I'm going to have to really pray about it and see what the Holy Spirit says. I may even have to put the names I like in a bowl and then choose one at random after asking the Holy Spirit's guidance.

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1352865224' post='2509659']

I sometimes really wish that my hopeful future order would choose the religious names for their Sisters. But each and every Sister is allowed to choose her own religious name or keep her birth name and add "Sr." to it. There are so many beautiful saints out there that I would love to be named after. If I ever get to the point of choosing a name, I'm going to have to really pray about it and see what the Holy Spirit says. I may even have to put the names I like in a bowl and then choose one at random after asking the Holy Spirit's guidance.
[/quote]

My situation is interesting. When I was first accepted to Wolverhampton Carmel back in 2007, I was living in Singapore. Mother Prioress sent me an email asking that I take the name Teresa of Jesus upon entrance. I was a little overwhelmed since I didn't feel equal to that name since both Our Holy Mother St Teresa of Avila and St Teresa of the Andes had that name and title but of course I accepted her choice. Then when I went to other Carmels, I chose the name Sister Michael because I still didn't feel equal to the name Teresa and I have a great devotion to St Michael. But this time, when Mother asked me what name I would be using, she asked if I wanted to keep my own name, as many Carmelites are doing these days, or to choose something else. I told her that I wanted Teresa in honour of Our Holy Mother (and because the sisters all knew me as this name from before) and 'of the Cross' in honour of St John of the Cross, Our Holy Father. She was worried because there is a superstition in Carmel that those who take 'of the Cross' will leave. She prayed about it and said that after all, it is only a superstition, and because I was doing it to honour our great saints, she agreed. It isn't easy to choose one's own name (so many wonderful possibilities) so I understand the desire to let someone else decide, but this time I didn't have any doubts about the name - I felt as if God chose it for me. I don't feel like a 'Teresa' but that's ok, I hope that I grow into the name over time, and since she and John are my favourite Carmelite saints, what else could I do?

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1352866207' post='2509665']
My situation is interesting. When I was first accepted to Wolverhampton Carmel back in 2007, I was living in Singapore. Mother Prioress sent me an email asking that I take the name Teresa of Jesus upon entrance. I was a little overwhelmed since I didn't feel equal to that name since both Our Holy Mother St Teresa of Avila and St Teresa of the Andes had that name and title but of course I accepted her choice. Then when I went to other Carmels, I chose the name Sister Michael because I still didn't feel equal to the name Teresa and I have a great devotion to St Michael. But this time, when Mother asked me what name I would be using, she asked if I wanted to keep my own name, as many Carmelites are doing these days, or to choose something else. I told her that I wanted Teresa in honour of Our Holy Mother (and because the sisters all knew me as this name from before) and 'of the Cross' in honour of St John of the Cross, Our Holy Father. She was worried because there is a superstition in Carmel that those who take 'of the Cross' will leave. She prayed about it and said that after all, it is only a superstition, and because I was doing it to honour our great saints, she agreed. It isn't easy to choose one's own name (so many wonderful possibilities) so I understand the desire to let someone else decide, but this time I didn't have any doubts about the name - I felt as if God chose it for me. I don't feel like a 'Teresa' but that's ok, I hope that I grow into the name over time, and since she and John are my favourite Carmelite saints, what else could I do?
[/quote]

That's really neat! Thanks for sharing!

I love hearing stories about how people get their religious names. I remember when Sr. Agnes of the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal told me how she got her name. The night before she was to be clothed in the habit, she had to settle on a name so she could tell Sr. Lucille before the ceremony would start. She had so many names in her head and was worried that she would not be able to settle on one. She prayed for the Holy Spirit's help before she went to bed and Sr. Lucille prayed that the postulants would receive a clear answer. Upon falling asleep, Sr. Agnes very clearly heard "Agnes" and dreamt about St. Agnes of Rome. She awoke and told Sr. Lucille which name and Sr. Lucille told her that she had heard the same name in her dream! She was going to ask for the name of Sr. Mary Agnes but wanted to honor St. Agnes since it was obviously what the Holy Spirit wanted. She was named Sr. Agnes Mary.

[Catholicterp7]

Okay if I had to submit three right now it would be:
Sister Leonie Amata
Sister Solanus Regina and
Sister Peter John Marie.
If my community has titles I would love really any title to do with the Holy Wounds/Passion.

Others on my list are Amata Filia, Mary Emmanuel, John Vianney and Sarah Rose.
JMJ+

[dominicansoul]

Sr. Rosary Bede, O.P.

[PhuturePriest]

[quote name='PadrePioOfPietrelcino' timestamp='1352858272' post='2509560']
I won't be getting a new name unless I become Pope and the likelyhood of that leads me to not speculate.
[/quote]

Psst... Totally go with Pope Miles I...