Two liturgies this past weekend. Two meditations on names.

On Saturday, we were at the Cathedral for the Confirmation and first Holy Communion of our third graders. Bishop Paprocki's homily centered on something I've been thinking about a lot lately: the significance of names.

Why does a new pope take a new name? Why do we choose patron saints at Confirmation? Because names matter. Names aren't just labels - they're identities. They tell us who we are and who we're called to become.

When Cardinal Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, he didn't just pick a name he liked. He was signaling something - about the kind of pope he intends to be, about the legacy he's stepping into, about the saints and predecessors he wants to emulate.

We do the same thing at Confirmation. We choose a patron - someone whose life we want to imitate, whose intercession we want to invoke, whose example we want to follow. It's not ceremonial. It's formational.

Then on Sunday, we were back at the Cathedral for the Rite of Election. Our OCIA catechumens - the men and women preparing to enter the Church at Easter - enrolled their names in the Book of the Elect. The bishop ratified their call to the sacraments.

There's something profound about writing your name. It's a commitment. It's public. It's permanent.

I've been thinking about the names I carry.

Michael - the name my parents gave me. "Who is like God?" A question disguised as a name. A reminder that the answer is always "no one", although we strive to grow more in His likeness and toward Him in virtue.

And then there are the patrons I've chosen - or who have chosen me.

St. James is my Confirmation patron. I chose him because of mentors I had named James, and because I appreciated Saint James's writing in the New Testament.

St. Francis de Sales has been a key patron and intercessor for me in recent months. The gentle evangelist. The writer who won souls with patience and persistence. I hope he is helping me grow to be a better communicator of the faith, especially as writing more and more becomes central to my vocation.

Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin - the parents of St. Thérèse - have become strong models for holy marriage and family life. They raised saints in their home. That's what I'm trying to do. And it's also what I'm trying to help others do with the offerings of Domus Formation.

St. Pier Giorgio Frassati - the young man who lived intensely, served the poor joyfully, and died at 24 with a rosary in his hand. He's been walking with me through this season of building and risk-taking. His motto was "To the heights." I need that spirit right now. It was nice to see one of the 102 young people Confirmed at Cathedral on Saturday with Saint Frassati as his intercessor.

St. Carlo Acutis - the teenager who used technology to spread the faith and died at 15. He's the patron of the internet, of young people, of using modern tools for eternal purposes. As I build digital platforms for formation, I ask for his intercession constantly. Five of the 102 Confirmandi on Saturday took Acutis as their patron!

These aren't just historical figures I admire. They're friends. Intercessors. Fellow travelers who've gone ahead and now reach back to help.

Here's what I'm learning: the names we carry shape who we become.

The name your parents gave you - there's something there. A hope. A prayer. A prophecy, maybe.

The patron you chose at Confirmation - or the one you've adopted since - isn't decoration. It's formation. That saint is praying for you. Their example is pulling you forward. Their story is shaping yours.

And if you haven't thought about your patrons in a while? Maybe it's time to reconnect. Or maybe it's time to find a new one - someone whose intercession you need for this particular season.

Who's carrying you right now?

I'm in a season of building. Domus Formation is taking shape. Conversations are happening - video calls, coffee meetups, people sampling what we're creating and giving feedback. It's exciting, and it's bringing a lot of peace.

I couldn't do it without the names I carry.

Francis de Sales intercedes for the writing. Louis and Zélie intercede for keeping family at the center. Pier Giorgio intercedes for the courage to risk and to give. Carlo intercedes for the technology and the young people we're trying to reach.

They're not just examples from the past. They're a team. A cloud of witnesses. Friends in high places - literally.

So here's my question for you:

What names are you carrying? And who's carrying you?

If this resonated with you, I'd be honored if you shared it with someone who might need to hear it.