Dear Renee:

You can change your name to anything you want as long as the court approves. To change your name legally you have to petition the court for a name change. That means hiring a lawyer. It is a simple procedure, however.

There is not going to be an inherent "bad luck" having your family name, but changing your name can, in some circumstances, be a very positive psychologically.

In fact, I did this myself many years ago. Everytime I said my name I had an image of myself that was very negative. A name is a representation of who we are. Thus, I legally changed my name completely, first and last name. It worked. It was like starting with a clean slate to which I could build a positive self-image. In my case, years later, I returned to my birth name, but for the twelve years I had a different name I was able to heal and build a "new self."

Thus, the answer to your question is that if changing your name is what you need to do, then there is no problem doing that. Contact an attorney about it. You can choose any name you want as long as the Court approves.

The Protestants who say that Catholics must renouncing "soul ties" with saints are blaspheming God by saying that. Ignore them. They are ignorant at best and outright bigots at worse.

Remain close to the Church that Jesus Christ personally founded -- the Catholic Church -- and do not listen to man-made churches that didn't even exist until 1500-1800+ years after the time of Jesus and the Apostles.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary