You hear the phrase “Communion of Saints” every Sunday at Mass during the Nicene Creed, and it is invoked during the Eucharistic Prayer and the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Our participation in the life of Christ is not separate from the faithful who have “fallen asleep.”
It is a great honor to pick your patron saint while preparing for Confirmation or, less formally, for major aspects of one’s life such as a career or marriage. CatholicVote has three patron saints: St. Fidelis, St. Thomas More, and Our Lady of Guadalupe!
The CatholicVote team has compiled a list of their own patron saints and resources to help you or your teens choose your own!
CatholicVote
Brian Burch, CatholicVote President
CV President Brian Burch’s patron saint is St. Augustine of Hippo. St. Augustine is the patron of many cities, dioceses, and theologians, painters, and brewers.
For new converts and older individuals looking to choose their patron saint, Burch recommends reading his patron saint’s masterworks: “The City of God” and “Confessions.”
For adolescents interested in St. Augustine, Burch recommends reading “Late Have I Loved You” by Ethan Mannin, a novel about a modern St. Augustine.
Joshua Mercer, CatholicVote Vice President and LOOPcast Host
CV Vice President Joshua Mercer’s patron saint is St. Francis de Sales, a patron saint of writers.
Those interested in St. Francis de Sales should read “Introduction to the Devout Life” and “Treatise on the Love of God.”
Alyson Stalnaker, CatholicVote Project Manager
CV Project Manager Alyson Stalnaker originally wanted to choose St. Raphael as her confirmation saint, but at the behest of her parish priest, she went with St. Cecilia due to her love of music.
You can read about St. Cecilia here, and the Nashville Dominicans have a beautiful reflection on this virgin martyr’s life here.
John Sherman, Chief Development Officer
John Sherman recommends that converts and teens look into St. Paul Miki, the patron saint of Japan. St. Paul Miki was a Japanese Catholic Evangelist who was martyred for his faith alongside 26 others.
Sherman says “many may not know” St. Paul, but the saint “has been a great source of inspiration to me because of his joy and courage amid great persecution.”
“As we people of faith endure greater persecution, we need to turn more to saints like Paul Miki for inspiration.”
You can read St. Paul Miki’s story here.
Tom Pogasic, LOOPcast Host
LOOPcast Host Tom Pogasic chose St. Tarcisius for his confirmation name. The martyr is the patron saint of altar servers and first communicants.
Pogasic recommends being sincere in one’s search for a patron saint. “Start with a sincere prayer to the Holy Spirit to help your search. Then choose someone that inspires you.”
Pogasic shared his own experience in choosing St. Tarcisius.
“He was martyred around my age for protecting the Eucharist,” said Pogasic. “But by all accounts, a pretty normal kid that enjoyed sports. I related to that around the time I was choosing. I also heard a priest say to choose someone obscure, because the common saints have too many people to pray for.”
For children, the book “The Treasure of Saint Tarcisius: Hero of the Eucharist” by Caroline McDonald is the perfect introduction. Older audiences may want to read “A Story of St. Tarcisius” by Br. Ernest, C.S.C.
Erika Ahern, LOOPcast and EDIFY Hostess, LOOP Associate Editor
LOOPcast Hostess Erika Ahern’s patron saint is St. Clare of Assisi, patroness of eye disease, goldsmiths, laundry, television, bicycle messengers, good weather, and embroiderers.
Ahern recommends that people interested in St. Clare read “Saint Clare of Assisi: Light from the Cloister” by Bret Thomas, OFS.
For a wider selection of potential patrons, Ahern recommends “The Saints in My Life” by Fr. Benedict Groeschel for older teens and adults.
Mary FioRito, Senior Advisor
Mary FioRito’s patron saint is St. Therese of Lisieux. The “Little Flower” is the patroness of florists, foreign missions, priests, the sick, and those who lose their parents. FioRito met her now-husband, whose last name means “flowering” or “blooming flower,” through a novena to St. Therese.
“I highly recommend asking friends and family what saint they ‘connect’ with you” before choosing a confirmation name, FioRito said. “Often those closest to us can see attributes or qualities” about us “that are shared by the saints.”
“My advice is not to bow to peer pressure when choosing a name,” she added. “Ask God what HE thinks and try to follow his promptings. You’ll often find that saints find us – not the other way around.”
FioRito also recommended that those looking to choose a patron saint should read Alban Butler’s “Lives of the Saints.”
