If You Could Choose A Religious Name For Yourself

[dominicansoul]

I used to suggest to Mother Assumpta that she give the name "Sr. Rosary Bede" to one of the new novices!

[puellapaschalis]

[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1618247' date='Aug 5 2008, 09:17 PM']I used to suggest to Mother Assumpta that she give the name "Sr. Rosary Bede" to one of the new novices!
[/quote]

*crawls into a corner with her dinner and grooooooooaaaaaaaaans*

[salterrae]

JM + JT

Hmm I could've sworn I replied in this thread or one like it at one point...

Anywho, I would [i]request[/i] something along the lines of:

Br./Fr. Joseph Mary of Jesus

Br./Fr. Michael Mary of the Angels

[Luigi]

[quote name='Laudem Gloriae' post='1586609' date='Jun 29 2008, 06:41 PM']As I am still discerning between 2-3 orders, I had these names in mind:

- I love the Poor Clare Colettines and Cleveland monastery I visited twice has a nun who has the name I love, Sr.
Chiara Francesca! I also thought of Sr. Maria Ortolana - after the mother of St. Clare as she was a mother as am
I.

- I love Carmel and thought of St. Teresa Benedicta - as I love her and we both have much in common - just that
I am not a saint! And Sr. Marie Angelique (name of a wonderful nun in her bio "Flame of Joy", Carmel of
Pontoise, France) and who doesn't love the Sr. Teresa of Jesus and Sr. Therese names!

- I love the cloistered Dominicans - Sr. Maria Agnes (from St. Agnes of Montepulciano, cloistered Dominican nun)
and of course the Sr. Mary Dominic, Sr. Mary Rose (of Lima), etc.

To these the titles I have devotions to are: "of the Holy Wounds", "of the Holy Face", "of the Precious Blood", "of the Infant Jesus", "of the Cross", "of Jesus" and saw somewhere "of Our Lady's Tears".[/quote]

I have an aunt, a Dominican, who has been Sr. Marie Angelique for decades now!

[Luigi]

In all honesty, given a choice, I'd prefer to name myself after a saint who was not so much a leader as a good follower or supporter - a team player; it reflects who I am. Not Paul, but maybe Timothy, Barnabas, or Silas. Simon Cyrene has always appealed to me - not a stand-out disciple, just pressed into service at the last minute but did his bit as called by God. Or Dismas - the only saint we KNOW is in heaven given Jesus' words to him on the cross, and one who was aware of his own unworthiness but still had the nerve to ask Jesus to "remember me when you come into your kingdom." Or Roch (Rocco in Italian), who minstered to plague victims until he came down with it himself, then retired to the woods to die so he wouldn't infect anyone else, but God sent bread to him every day until he recovered.

In a sense, taking a religious name is an opportunity to redefine ourselves, or at least rename ourselves to express (to others) more clearly who we are. It's almost the way Native Americans named their children based on their primary characteristic or on their "vision". In some ways a name isn't all that important - it's just a way to distinguish us from other people, so the names our parents gave us will do well enough - but on the other hand, choosing a name can make us do a lot of self-analysis, and hopefully some self-realization, maybe even set some goals we want to strive for (by way of imitation).

I guess it's easier to pick - and be awarded - the name you want for yourself in a smaller community than it is in a larger community; in a large group, the name that reflects who you are/wannabe might already be taken.

Edited August 6, 2008 by Luigi

[Saint Therese]

How does this whole thing work,anyways? Recieving one's name, I mean. Does it vary by community?

[salterrae]

JM + JT

[quote name='Saint Therese' post='1618678' date='Aug 5 2008, 09:37 PM']How does this whole thing work,anyways? Recieving one's name, I mean. Does it vary by community?[/quote]
Yes, it does vary by community.

The Carmelite Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Los Angeles write a letter to Mother General with three names they like and Mother chooses one of them. I think I heard she might even make up her own using ideas from the three given.

Other communities don't even submit names but are given one.

I'm sure there are some where the name is chosen by the person him/herself.

[VeniteAdoremus]

[quote name='Luigi' post='1618650' date='Aug 6 2008, 04:10 AM']In all honesty, given a choice, I'd prefer to name myself after a saint who was not so much a leader as a good follower or supporter - a team player; it reflects who I am. Not Paul, but maybe Timothy, Barnabas, or Silas. Simon Cyrene has always appealed to me - not a stand-out disciple, just pressed into service at the last minute but did his bit as called by God. Or Dismas - the only saint we KNOW is in heaven given Jesus' words to him on the cross, and one who was aware of his own unworthiness but still had the nerve to ask Jesus to "remember me when you come into your kingdom." Or Roch (Rocco in Italian), who minstered to plague victims until he came down with it himself, then retired to the woods to die so he wouldn't infect anyone else, but God sent bread to him every day until he recovered.

In a sense, taking a religious name is an opportunity to redefine ourselves, or at least rename ourselves to express (to others) more clearly who we are. It's almost the way Native Americans named their children based on their primary characteristic or on their "vision". In some ways a name isn't all that important - it's just a way to distinguish us from other people, so the names our parents gave us will do well enough - but on the other hand, choosing a name can make us do a lot of self-analysis, and hopefully some self-realization, maybe even set some goals we want to strive for (by way of imitation).[/quote]

I agree. Every time you are called by your name, you get the opportunity to remember the saint you named yourself after, and strive to be more like them. And that, of course, is the most fruitful if you have a distinctive, custom-fit if you will, idea of what "more like them" should mean to you. That's why I would have trouble naming myself after St. Cecilia, to name just one example, even though I've been a choir girl since age nine, which makes her my patron saint more than any other. We know so little about her, I wouldn't know what to imitate!

[quote]I guess it's easier to pick - and be awarded - the name you want for yourself in a smaller community than it is in a larger community; in a large group, the name that reflects who you are/wannabe might already be taken.[/quote]

I had that thought, too. Fortunately we have many, many saints, and you can also differentiate a little by adding one of the many names of Our Lady.

The other thing I was thinking: are we slowly using up the saint names? If every parent names their children after saints, and all religious take a saints' name, and someone then becomes a saint... they'll just be Yet Another Teresia or John No Not That John And Not That One Either. I know we've been adding the surnames lately, but somehow that just doesn't sound as nice.

Uh-oh...

[DominicanPhilosophy]

[quote]That's why I would have trouble naming myself after St. Cecilia, to name just one example, even though I've been a choir girl since age nine, which makes her my patron saint more than any other. We know so little about her, I wouldn't know what to imitate![/quote]

I just had to throw in the story of St. Cecilia's death; the numerous times she was saved by angels when attempts were made on her life. For me, the thing that really attracts me most to St. Cecilia (other than being a patroness for my favorite congregation/school ) is the amazing example she set for us of truly preaching until death. She converted many while lying there - to put it bluntly - with her head just about severed, "singing praises in her heart to God," hence we have her as the patron saint of music and the arts.

[tinytherese]

Sister Therese of the (yet to be determined)

Sister Philomena of the (yet to be determined)

Perhaps I should use the Sacred Heart since I once got some water on my t-shirt and it was seriously in the shape of it.

or of the Rosary

the Eucharist

the Mass

Christ's Side Wound

In honor of the holy father. Sister Benedicta of St. Joseph

[the lords sheep]

[quote name='Saint Therese' post='1618678' date='Aug 6 2008, 03:37 AM']How does this whole thing work,anyways? Recieving one's name, I mean. Does it vary by community?[/quote]

The religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, for example, receive their name from the Mother Superior. She also gives each Sister a "mystery" for her name, or a reason why that name was chosen for her. So Sr. Michaela, who is a theologian by training, received her name because she is to be a defender of the faith. Another Sister received the name of a martyr, and was told one of her mysteries was to contemplate death. Another Sister's name means "servant of Mary" and her mystery is humility and service to/love of the Blessed Mother. Many of the Sisters have told me that the names have grown on them as they have meditated on the mystery of their own name. They all say it seems to be a special way of the Holy Spirit speaking to their hearts.
The Servidoras, on the other hand, I think can submit some names, but because there are so many Sisters with similar names, they often receive their name from Mother as well (or at least that's how I understood it).

That said, each community is different. For some communities, like the Salesian Sisters, it is part of their charism to keep their baptismal name.

Hope that helps!
In Jesus and Mary,
Lauren

[AlterDominicus]

Sister Mary Jordan *Flutters*

[Thomist-in-Training]

[quote name='VeniteAdoremus' post='1618918' date='Aug 6 2008, 05:57 AM']The other thing I was thinking: are we slowly using up the saint names? If every parent names their children after saints, and all religious take a saints' name, and someone then becomes a saint... they'll just be Yet Another Teresia or John No Not That John And Not That One Either. I know we've been adding the surnames lately, but somehow that just doesn't sound as nice.

Uh-oh... [/quote]

Haha! There are still enough pagan names... Perhaps in a hundred years there'll be some St. Kevins and St. Jessicas. But for the Carmelites it seems to be practically a requirement for sanctity to be named Teresa, which must be tough on the other 15 nuns in the convent who aren't named Teresa.

Alter, Bl. Jordan is so wonderful!

[Theosopher]

Well, if I am elected Pope, I have narrowed my regnal name down to two choices...

1. Zozimus II (What a cool name - plus Pope St. Zozimus I was cool he put down a few heresies)
2. Innocent XIV

[puellapaschalis]

[quote name='Theosopher' post='1619998' date='Aug 7 2008, 11:31 AM']1. Zozimus II[/quote]

That is a cracking name!