New Pope's First Message? 'A Name is a Sign'

Reuters | April 14, 2005 | Tom Heneghan

[american colleen]

Math was never one of my strengths ... can either of you give me the odds?

Ummm (turning a bit red here)... I gave up math when my daughter entered the 4th grade. You'll have no help from me, sorry!

History is my forte.

[american colleen]

Wilton Gregory would make a great Pope.

You DO know Ratzinger was in the Hitler Youth when he was a kid, don't you?

LOL! No secret that for every German youth membership in the Hitler Youth Group was manditory - no options to decline membership.

Sewald: Were you ever in the Hitler Youth?

Ratzinger: At first we weren't, but when the compulsory Hitler Youth was intruduced in 1941, my brother was obliged to join. I was still too young, but later as a seminarian, I was registered in the HY. As soon as I was out of the seminary, I never went back. And that was difficult, because the tuition reduction, which I really needed (his family was very poor) was tied to proof of attendance at the HY. Thank goodness there was a very understanding mathematics professor. He himself was a Nazi, but an honest man and said to me "Just go once get the document so we have it..." When he saw that I simply didn't want to, he said. " I understand, I'll take care of it" and so I was able to stay free of it.

[Netizen]

Then you would have to look at the life of the saint whose name he has chosen, to understand their charisms, which he will draw upon in his pontificate.

Do they have to choose a Saint's name?

[Frank Sheed]

AC--

Thanks for the clarification on Cardinal Ratzinger vis-a-vis his membership in the Hitler Youth.

http://www.ratzingerfanclub.com/Ratzinger_faq.html

If one were to scan the list of less than illustrious Popes whom God has chosen to lead His Church without blowing the Deposit of Faith, I know FAR more egregious "facts" would be unearthed on many of them.

As for "Maximus" being a Germanic name, it is, in fact, Latin. St. Maximus was a Roman soldier who died for his faith along with a companion in the 230 AD time frame. In researching the number of saints named "Maximus", I was stunned as to their variety and number.

The name Maximus came to mind from the recent movie, Gladiator, in which the protagonist is named Maximus Desmas Meridius.

Our Chef would do well to consider Cardinal Arinze of Nigeria (mentioned above) and other wonderful African Cardinals (including the Cardinal from the Sudan who has fought for 25 years against the decimation of his people by Muslims). These two are magnificent candidates although the latter is not touted highly to my knowledge.

Frank

[NYer]

Do they have to choose a Saint's name?

No. They can choose the name of a previous pontiff. However, this is very much like the Sacrament of Confirmation, when catholic youth are 'confirmed' in the faith. The recommended formula is to choose a saint's name and model their life after that saint's qualities.

This tradition began back in the early centuries of the Church when the newly elected pope had been named after a pagan god - Mercurious. He chose a new name that was more faithful to his beliefs. These days, a new pope often picks the name of his favorite saint or pope to be his papal name.

[Netizen]

Any idea why John Paul I broke with tradition?

[seowulf]

Perhaps in these troubled times we need a new Pope Urban.

Now that has a ring to it.

From Urban II, who called the first Crusade:

'For your brethren who live in the east are in urgent need of your help, and you must hasten to give them the aid which has often been promised them. For, as most of you have heard, the Turks and Arabs have attacked them and conquered the territory of Romania as far west as the shore of the Mediterranean and the Hellespont. They have occupied more and more lands of those Christians and have overcome them in seven battles ... On this account I, or rather the Lord, beseech you as Christ's heralds to publish this everywhere and to persuade all people of whatever rank, foot-soldiers and knights, poor and rich, to carry aid promptly to those Christians and to destroy that vile race from the lands of our friends.

From Fulcher of Chartres, History of the Expedition to Jerusalem.

[johnb838]

It would strike me as odder if he had DIED on the day of the eclipse. Funeral on the day is a little weak. They could have chosen the day of the funeral to match the eclipse. I know its all according to a schedule, but they seemed to be able to massage it a bit.

[nutmeg]

bump

[johnb838]

I'm not at all sure they still do it... JPII may even have changed that rule. There's not much reason for it these days. Being sure someone was dead and not just comatose has always been an issue and with the earthly representative of Christ on earth, everything is most important.

[albertp]

congratulations,, you now have more than 20,000 different protestant denominations, all of whom think they have it right. THEY DON'T

I agree wholeheartedly. And to think they accuse Catholics of being pigheaded arrogant isolationists - and every other epithet they can conjure up!

To Catholic freepers - aren't you sick and tired of being regularly bashed and trashed and beaten into insignificance by freepers and Bible-"belters" of other faiths?

[Ciexyz]

The Glory of the Olive

Shades of St. Malachy

[american colleen]

Thanks Frank. Welcome (belatedly) to FreeRepublic.

I like 'Maximus' just fine but it might be a little bit to 'in your face' of a name. ;-)

I'd like it if a guy like Ratzinger chose it but I don't think I'd like it much if a guy like Mahony chose it.

[combat_boots]

Spain's glory is my bet. I'm actually going with the Brazilian.

[Beach_Babe]

Jean-Marie Lustiger, 78
Retired archbishop of Paris

Jean-Marie Lustiger was born in the French capital on Sept. 17, 1926, of parents who were Polish Jews and had emigrated to France at the beginning of the century.

During the Nazi occupation his parents were deported and his mother died in the concentration camp of Auschwitz in 1943. The young Jean-Marie was spared because he was taken in by a family in Orleans.

Through contact with them he was converted to Catholicism and was baptized Aug. 25, 1940, in the chapel of the bishop's residence where 20 years later he would be the pastor.

He studied at the Montaigne Lyceum in Paris, then in Orleans, and later at the Sorbonne. In the years of university studies, he was an active member of the Young Christian Students.

After working for a year as a mechanic in Decazenville in the southwest of France, he entered the Carmelite Seminary in Paris. He earned a degree from the Catholic Institute in theology and a licentiate in letters and in philosophy from the Sorbonne. He was ordained a priest April 17, 1954.

As chaplain of students, he gave assistance in spiritual renewal at Richelieu Center. In 1969, he was called to direct the Parish of St. Jeanne de Chantal.

In November 1979, John Paul II appointed him bishop of Orleans. Episcopal ordination was conferred that Dec. 18.

In February 1981 he took over the post of archbishop of Paris. He also served as ordinary for Eastern-Rite faithful in France without ordinaries of their own. He was elevated to cardinal in 1983.

He was president delegate to the 1st Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops, in 1991. He retired as archbishop of Paris in February.

Curial membership:

* Secretariat of State (second section)
* Eastern Churches, Bishops, Clergy, Institutes of Consecrated life and Societies of Apostolic Life (congregations)