Choosing a patron saint deepens the spiritual journey

When Chris Vega came to the Lord five years ago through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program, she knew immediately who her confirmation saint would be.

I chose St. Joan of Arc because of her strength and her courage,” she said.

Vega is an elementary school custodian and previously worked as a welder, a job that is traditionally not associated with women. St. Joan of Arc was a perfect choice for her because she embodied inspiring spiritual fortitude in the face of great adversity. 

 “What I love about her is that she did all the things that women were not supposed to do at that time,” Vega said. “Not only did she fight for God, but she also did it better than anyone else.” 

Choosing a confirmation saint is an essential personal matter for adults who complete RCIA, as well as teenagers taking traditional confirmation classes. Sister Barbara Netek, a Sister of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament and director of religious education at St. Pius X Parish, said she talks to her confirmation students about their baptismal call to be followers of Christ.

 “First I talk about the many men and women, people who made a difference in the world, who lived as called to live by their God,” she said. “Then I encourage them to ask themselves what they think they might want to be as they move toward their independence as young adults.

 “Then I ask them to research a saint whose calling is similar to what they think theirs may be. I ask questions about the saint they choose and how it fits with what they think they may be called to as a young Catholic adult,” Sister Barbara said

Lori Valverde, a teacher at Mireles Elementary, said she knew right away her saint would have to reflect her profession as an educator. She chose Saint John-Baptiste de la Salle, who was a French priest, an educational reformer, and founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. He is a patron saint for teachers.

“I wanted a saint who described me,” Valverde said. 

“Finding a saint that a person can identify with is the most important part of the process,” said Lupita Alvarado, who is a youth RCIA instructor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish. 

“We remind them that saints are humans and made mistakes like we do every day. We guide them by reflecting on how they make a connection and how they relate to that particular saint,” she said.

In addition to reading the “Lives of the Saints,” Alvarado said her students are encouraged to do research and actually write a report once they have determined who their saint will be. Among some of the questions, she asks are, “Which saints are located inside our church? Do your parents or grandparent have a devotion to a particular saint? How does this particular saint fill a need in your life?”

David Espinosa, Alvarado’s counterpart at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, teaches adult RCIA. He said his class begins by introducing the seekers to what a patron saint is and why we choose a name, about midway through pre-catechumenate.

“We have a list of patron saint names we hand out as well as multiple online resources we recommend them to use to research their patron saint,” he continued. “We consult with them on this throughout their RCIA journey. After the period of purification and enlightenment, we ask the elect to give a verbal report to the class on their patron saint and why they chose this saint; it is always a beautiful evening.”

Espinosa stressed that it is an important decision among many throughout their spiritual journey.

“We explain how a patron saint can assist us when we strive to model our lives of that saint's life and when we ask for that saint's intercessory prayers to God,” he said.

While some know right away who their saint will be, for others it is more of an arduous task that takes some serious soul-searching.

Espinosa recalled one story about a female catechumen who “was more scrupulous than most about choosing her saint.”

“When she finally found Saint Dymphna, with great joy in her voice and tears in her eyes she came to me and said, ‘My holy saint found me!’ I replied, ‘praise God!’,” he recalled. “Her dedication and devotion were a great inspiration to our entire class.”