Returning Catholics FAQs: About All Those Names

O n Mondays, I answer questions frequently asked by those considering a return to the Catholic Church. How do I know this stuff? I was away for more than 30 years myself, and am the co-author of When They Come Home: Ways to Welcome Returning Catholics , a book for pastors and parish leaders interested in this ministry.

Why do Catholics take a saint’s name at baptism and confirmation?

The baptismal name should, according to the Catechism, “provide a model of charity” or “express a Christian myster...