Religious Names & Titles

[brandelynmarie]

I know it will all depend on the community ;), but what are some different ways a religious name & title are chosen? 

 

 

Are they chosen solely by the individual?

 

By the superior?

 

Are they meant to reflect a particular devotion? Or are they meant to lead the person into something they need to grow into?

 

Anyone want to share their experiences with this?

 

Thanks, pham. :nunpray:  :priest:   :reaper:  <---closest thing to a monk 

Edited August 20, 2014 by brandelynmarie

[Fr. Antony Maria OSB]

.....Well, I suppose a weirded out grim reaper is one way of representing a monk: memento mori and all :P

 

The most common way that I have heard is that the novice/postulant (depending on when you receive your new name) presents a list of three names to their superior in the order of preference before the vow ceremony and the superior makes the decision from there. It's up to the individual whether they want the name to reflect a particular devotion or something they need to grow into, although realistically any name, since it is after a saint, will present the person with a number of things they need to work on in their lives. None of us are perfect! That is what religious life is for: growing closer to God each and every day.

[Nunsuch]

Keep in mind that not all communities use religious names (and even fewer titles) these days.  In some communities, the emphasis is on the baptismal calling, which means keeping the name given at baptism. 

[Credo in Deum]

I know it will all depend on the community ;), but what are some different ways a religious name & title are chosen?


Are they chosen solely by the individual?

By the superior?

Are they meant to reflect a particular devotion? Or are they meant to lead the person into something they need to grow into?

They're chosen by God!

Sorry, I just had to say that. ;)

[brandelynmarie]

*playfullysmacksCredo* :doh:

[veritasluxmea]

Yeah, it does depend on the community.

 

The only one I know for sure is The Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, which submits three names, with titles or without titles, all of which contain "Mary", and one is chosen by the founder of the community. Most communities do it this way, picking from a few choices submitted by the candidate. I have heard of individuals who just choose to let the superiors decide. 

 

Cloistered communities almost (always?) have titles, especially Carmelites, and active communities sometimes do, sometimes don't. The Nashville Dominicans don't, I don't think the DSMME do, Franciscan Sisters of Penance in Steubenville don't, Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal do. It depends. 

Edited August 20, 2014 by veritasluxmea

[ToJesusMyHeart]

Sisters of life submit three name preferences, in order of preference. I have been told that sisters usually get their top choice, but if the Holy Spirit inspires the Mother Superior to choose a different name (one of the other two options OR a name not listed), then they get that name. But apparently this is rare.

 

 

[OnlySunshine]

The way the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal choose their name is the postulant is asked to pray about it and then submit the name to Sr. Lucille - who also prays about it, too.  Sr. Agnes, the Novice Mistress, told me the interesting story about hers.  She wasn't getting any clues about her religious name and was unsure what to submit.  Sr. Lucille told her to pray about it the night before she was clothed as novice.  In her dream, she saw St. Agnes of Rome with a lamb and heard the name "Agnes."  She wanted to be named Sr. Mary Agnes but when she told Sr. Lucille, she was told she would be named Sr. Agnes Mary as Sr. Lucille had heard the same name as she was praying.  Pretty cool!

[Spem in alium]

The order I've applied to gives Sisters the option to choose a name if they want (or for the Superior to choose a name), and they have titles.

Edited August 20, 2014 by Spem in alium

[truthfinder]

And there are a couple that use just titles - I believe there's a dominican convent in the US where the sisters are named like "Sister of the Holy Spirit"

[corban711]

When my brother was in the Community of St. John, he could submit up to 3 names to his superiors and they would choose but had to get a final approval from the superiors in France.  He submitted names and by a freak occurrence, his superiors were never able to talk with the superiors in France and so were not able to get approval for any of the names he selected. So he was given a name by his superiors and was very, very happy with it.  So sometimes God has other plans for such things.   

[brandelynmarie]

I find all of this simply fascinating...I mean, besides adding a confirmation name or getting married, it's not common to get to change one's name...I think it's a very neat gift. :blush:

[Starets]

When I was at Christ in the Desert I submitted three names and my abbot picked one of them.

[marigold]

Keep in mind that not all communities use religious names (and even fewer titles) these days.  In some communities, the emphasis is on the baptismal calling, which means keeping the name given at baptism. 

 

So that's why they do that! I've always felt a bit uncomfortable with it, since Orthodox monasticism places so much emphasis on the tonsure/profession as a second baptism, with the taking of a new name being the seal and sign of a truly new identity in Christ. Thanks for explaining that - I still prefer our way ;) but it's an understandable way of thinking!
 

[krissylou]

So that's why they do that! I've always felt a bit uncomfortable with it, since Orthodox monasticism places so much emphasis on the tonsure/profession as a second baptism, with the taking of a new name being the seal and sign of a truly new identity in Christ. Thanks for explaining that - I still prefer our way ;) but it's an understandable way of thinking!
 

 

Yup, that's the reason.  The baptismal covenant is primary and religious profession is how you're called to live out your baptism.

 

For me, personally, I prefer the "using the baptismal name" line of thinking.  As I read the stories of name changes in the Bible (Saul to Paul, Levi to Matthew, Abram to Abraham, etc.) they seem to me to be much more analogous to baptism than to profession of religious vows.   (Jacob to Israel might be the counterexample, I'm not sure about that one.)

 

And I think (at least in the Western church, I don't know about Orthodoxy) that taking new names in religious life is a relatively recent tradition. A few hundred years, maybe.  A thousand years ago, nuns did not take new names.  Which doesn't mean that taking new names is bad.  If that's what your community has chosen to do, then I say rock on.  But it can't be *necessary* to religious life. 

[Nunsuch]

The lack of necessity is what I was trying to say, not a judgment of "good" or "bad"--thanks for those who helped to clarify.  While I know a few contemplative communities that retain their baptismal names, most of those I'm familiar with who do are active congregations. There is also an appreciation of the ongoing connection to family.... Many communities after Vatican II allowed members to return to their baptismal names (some sisters did, others did not). 

[petitpèlerin]

When my brother was in the Community of St. John, he could submit up to 3 names to his superiors and they would choose but had to get a final approval from the superiors in France.  He submitted names and by a freak occurrence, his superiors were never able to talk with the superiors in France and so were not able to get approval for any of the names he selected. So he was given a name by his superiors and was very, very happy with it.  So sometimes God has other plans for such things.   

 

Neat. I heard another story of a brother of Saint John who didn't receive any of the three names he submitted, he received the one that he didn't even dare put on his list: his own name that his parents had given him, that they had sought God's inspiration in choosing for him so long ago and thus had great meaning to them and to him. The novice master was stumped what to name him - I guess none of the names were standing out - so he went to his superior, who saw the list of names the novice had submitted, and rejected them, saying "his name is ____", as if it were the only name that could possibly fit him. God is good!

 

The apostolic sisters use a different method than the brothers: the novice and her novice mistress each pray to the Holy Spirit about it and discern/decide the new name together, and on the day of her investiture there's no surprise like there is for the brothers.

 

I'm not sure what the contemplative sisters do. And I'm entering soon. I think I know exactly what name is right for me, but I don't even know what their process is. I'm sure it will all work out exactly the way God wants it.

Edited August 21, 2014 by petitpèlerin

[MADS]

In the Carmelite Monastery which I'm applying to, Rev. Mother lets you choose three names,then she choses one of the three for you. So it's a complete surprise! :)

[andibc]

Dominicans of Mary M.O.T.E submit three names.  They do pray and ponder it for a long time and may get one that is not on their list.  The names our daughter submitted were not ones that were on her radar before she started praying and certainly not before she entered.  She loves the name she was given.

At the Carmel of JMJ the Mother Superior tells the postulant her religious name when she is told the date when she will receive the habit.  Our other daughter was given the name of the saint that she had developed a tremendous devotion to during her postulancy.  She tried to hide her great love for this saint so that she wouldn't influence Mother into giving her the name.  She never mentioned her and only read the one book she had been given on her life.  Of course she is thrilled with the name.  When she heard the title it immediately resonated with her and seemed like just the title she should have. 

[corban711]

Neat. I heard another story of a brother of Saint John who didn't receive any of the three names he submitted, he received the one that he didn't even dare put on his list: his own name that his parents had given him, that they had sought God's inspiration in choosing for him so long ago and thus had great meaning to them and to him. The novice master was stumped what to name him - I guess none of the names were standing out - so he went to his superior, who saw the list of names the novice had submitted, and rejected them, saying "his name is ____", as if it were the only name that could possibly fit him. God is good!

 

The apostolic sisters use a different method than the brothers: the novice and her novice mistress each pray to the Holy Spirit about it and discern/decide the new name together, and on the day of her investiture there's no surprise like there is for the brothers.

 

I'm not sure what the contemplative sisters do. And I'm entering soon. I think I know exactly what name is right for me, but I don't even know what their process is. I'm sure it will all work out exactly the way God wants it.

 

I'm not so sure what the contemplative sisters do either.  However, I have a friend who was with them for long enough to receive a new name so I will try to ask her if I happen to see her. 

 

That is an awesome story about the Brother who got the name he had originally been given by his parents.  Thank you for sharing that.  My brother did not dare to put the name he was given on the list either...he was given the name John!  Nothing added to it at all!  Not John _______ or John of the _________...just John.  We couldn't believe it!  For a brother of St. John who really took the charism seriously and longed to be John in the Church...to actually be given that name?!  It was both a shock and a great grace. 

 

It was really special and pretty amazing how that worked out.  He had chosen names and John wasn't one of them.  There was one name he even was pretty sure he would get.  The novice master tried to get approval and never was able to connect with the Superiors.  So instead he was given the name John.  And in that name he found his personal vocation.  It was so obvious in that moment that God clearly wanted something in particular for him and helped make that happen. 

 

So prayerfully choose your names and then trust because God just might decide to surprise you anyways!