On November 1 we celebrate All Saints Day, amid a season when, in many parishes, the local bishop confers the sacrament of confirmation on young Catholics. As the young people present themselves to the bishop, he asks them the name of the patron saint they have chosen.
This saint is intended to serve as a spiritual guide and role model for the confirmand. Young people preparing for confirmation are encouraged to research various saints and find one whose life, virtues or patronages resonates with them. The chosen saint should be someone whose life inspires the individual and who can be a source of guidance in their faith journey.
It is helpful if the young person chooses their saint early during the final year of catechism, to have plenty of time to learn about their patron (they can always change their mind later). Praying to the chosen saint to ask for their intercession and guidance is an important part of the process.
Some commonly chosen male saints include Michael, Francis, Joseph and Peter, and popular female saints include Mary, Teresa, Elizabeth and Catherine.
Some people choose saints who had significant conversion experiences, such as Augustine of Hippo, Ignatius of Loyola or Paul the Apostle. Others choose saints based on their patronage of specific causes, professions or future aspirations, for example St Dymphna for mental health, St Luke for doctors, or St Gianna Beretta Molla for mothers. I imagine there will be quite a few youngsters opting for St Carlo Acutis, the recently canonised teenage saint.
Choosing the right confirmation saint can deepen the individual’s relationship with God and strengthen their commitment to living a Christian life. Parents may help and guide their children in choosing the right saint.
The editor of this magazine told me that in the mid-1990s, The Southern Cross had a Saint of the Week column. One Sunday he attended a confirmation Mass and listened with interest to the saints’ names pronounced by the confirmands. Some had chosen standard names, like Francis and Teresa, and others clearly had put a lot of thought into their choice, like St Thomas More. One lad mentioned a pretty obscure name — who just happened to have been the Saint of the Week in the previous issue of The Southern Cross! I wonder how much research went into his choice…
The saint I chose for my confirmation was St Rita of Cascia. I shared a bit about her in the September “Cooking with Saints” column. My late aunt’s name was Rita, which was one reason why I chose the saint from Cascia as my patron.
Confirmation day is a special occasion, so I chose a special salad that can be served as a starter to a confirmation dinner, with some ciabatta or sourdough bread. If figs are not available, you may substitute with dried figs which are available all year (they can be soaked in water to rehydrate) or even prunes. For a fresh fruit option, sweet melon or even peaches may be used.
Preparation: 20 min • Servings: 2
Ingredients
• 100g ricotta cheese • 4 slices Parma ham, thinly sliced • 4 fresh black figs, cut into quarters (or other fruit of choice)
• 1 packet mixed salad leaves • 50ml seed and nut mix or a seed bar, roughly chopped • 20ml olive oil • salt and pepper taste.
Preparation
1. Arrange the Parma ham on the mixed leaves, add some ricotta cheese and quartered figs.
2. Sprinkle seed and nut mix, then drizzle. with olive oil. Add balsamic glaze as an option.
3. Enjoy with a prayer to your patron saint.
Published in the November 2025 issue of The Southern Cross
- Confirmation Fig and Prosciutto Salad - October 31, 2026
- Honey Bars for St Rose of Lima - August 22, 2026
- Mother’s Day Chocolate Brownies - May 9, 2026
