(If you didn’t see the photos I posted on Instagram over the weekend of my parents and sister at the Beatification Mass for Bl. Solanus Casey, be sure to check them out! What an amazing experience!)

I posted a consultation for Christie and her husband over the summer, and Christie’s let me know her little guy has arrived and been given the handsome-and-heavy-hitting name … Damian John Francis!

Christie writes,

“Baby Boy Collins was born on October 27th. We don’t reveal our baby names until the baptism so that was his name to everyone else at the time (fun family tradition — it remains a secret among parents and siblings for a couple of weeks!). The baptism was last night, so I wanted to write you today and let you know how it all turned out!

Firstly, we came to the realization that this fifth gift might be the last biological child we are called to have — my pregnancy was not easy on my body or on our family, and at one point I couldn’t do more than get to the bathroom and back to the bed/couch on full codeine pain meds. So then the naming pressure was ON! Last call for ALL the patrons! As a result, my husband decided to ditch part of our naming schema and not stand firm on having a British Isles reference.

Secondly, I was inspired by your suggestions and by your post on double middle names. I fell in love with the name John Dominic after John Paul II and St. Dominic, but we already have a nephew named John. Ah, but we could switch them! So Dominic John was my starting answer, but it was missing something at the end, and my husband really wanted to name the child after his favorite patron, Francis de Sales (who really had no other shortcuts/names to use but Francis). And he wasn’t sold on Dominic. But we came to an agreement- John Francis as a double middle name sounded really fun.

Given that middle name, we realized we like a D or a B up front (after eliminating repeat letters from other kids). We settled on a Final Four of naming: Dominic, Declan (still a British Isles pick), Damian (after St Peter Damian, patron saint of moral theologians like my husband), and Benedict (as in the saintly founder). Pretty quickly we realized that Benedict John Francis sounded like a litany of recent popes, so that one fell behind. Until the end, I was rooting for Dominic and my husband couldn’t decide between Declan and Damian. Once he was born, my husband decided on Damian (I have always let him have the final decision). At first I was saddened not to have a Dominic, but within two hours of whispering Damian in his ear while snuggling, I was totally sold.

So Damian John Francis became our family secret — and the other kids LOVED it. And then last night, surrounded by friends and with family on FaceTime, the priest asked us what name we give this child, and my husband quite literally beamed forth “Damian John Francis Collins” and our secret was out — he had his Christian name and a hearty 3 patrons to pray for him. Damian had already proven himself up to the name, and we are still in awe that God would give us this little one to hold and to guide.”

Isn’t that such an interesting tradition, of keeping the baby’s name secret until the baptism?! And this is such a moving story — this little guy is so blessed to have so many amazing patrons!! I LOVE all three of his names!!

Congratulations to Christie and her husband and big sibs Kolbe, Isaac, Eva, and Alexis, and happy birthday Baby Damian!!

Damian John Francis with his big brothers and sisters ❤