Dear Pope Benedict: MYOB

[theHandpuppet]

When you have some kids of your own, you can name them all Giuseppe.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/pope-hopes-to-end-trend-for-exotic-names-15051172.html

Pope hopes to end trend for exotic names
By Michael Day in Milan
11 January 2011

The pope has declared war on parents' growing insistence on shunning the saints and naming their children after fashion designers, Sanskrit titles and things that don't mean much.

The Holy See fears that parents are choosing modish names such as Chanel, Swami and Pesche at the expense of Maria, Martina and Giuseppe, egged on by celebrity examples.

"Every baptism should ensure that the child is given a Christian name, an unmistakable sign that the Holy Spirit will allow the person to blossom in the bosom of the Church," Benedict XVI said, while baptising 21 infants in the Sistine Chapel on Sunday. "Do not give your children names that are not in the Christian calendar."

MORE

[TwilightGardener]

1. Well, if you're Catholic, this is part of the culture, so it IS his business.

Back in the sixties, at least, Catholic babies were to be given proper religious-based names, either first name or middle name. That's why so many Marys among older folks. Edit to add: when young Catholics are confirmed, they choose another saint-based name for themselves.

[Teaser]

4. feh, his only power comes from the consent of Catholics

and apparently they are stopping consenting in increasing numbers. So he can pound sand.

[Teaser]

2. so they won't baptize my son

PleaseDontMolestMePope McTeaser?

[Last_Stand]

3. Breaking news: Authoritarians are authoritarian. hehe (n/t)

[monmouth]

5. This is why little Tiffany's middle name is Mary. Just covering bases..LOL...n/t

[pnwmom]

6. Why should anyone else care what the Pope is saying to Catholics

about naming their children?

[TwilightGardener]

11. All major religions have customs and traditions. Just another angle to bash Catholicism, here.

[pnwmom]

17. That's how it appears to me, too. n/t

[lunamagica]

7. I wish my mother, who was a devout Catholic when I was born would have thought the same

Instead, I was given a weird, hard to pronounce, ugly sounding, hard to spell name (which is spelled differently than its pronounced). She thought it was super "original" and "unique". On top of everything it was the only name I was given, so I didn't at least have the recourse of going with a middle name.

Being saddled with such a name has been a real drag ever since I remember....

[Ilsa]

14. I tend to agree with you.

Sometimes these super-original names end up being a hassle for the child throughout their lives. My father didn't like his name because it wasn't "stent enough". I always remembered this subject in naming my children because of him. I also tend to be against most nicknames. ("Scooter", "Turtle", etc)

Have you considered legally changing your name? I know, lots of hassle.

[pnwmom]

22. I suppose you wouldn't want to change it legally?

A friend of ours did that, but for the opposite reason. I think she thought her name was too plain.

[Goblinmonger]

8. This has been a holding of the Church for some time.

Need to have a proper Christian name. When I was confirmed, I wanted Anton for my name since both Grandfathers were named that (one Czech, one Polish) and was told that it has to be Anthony since it needed to be the proper Christian name. My mom agreed and made no fuss.

I really don't like the pope, but this IS his business.

[TexasProgresive]

12. That was really dumb on somebodies part

Anton in Anthony. I suppose if you took Anthony of Padua as your patron it should be Antonio. Who said that the name has to be an English spelling?

Here's a couple of Antons:
Blessed Anton Martin Slomse

Saint Antôn Nguyen Ðích

[pnwmom]

19. That priest was ignorant of the Catholic Church's teaching.

Anton is the same Christian name in another form.

[closeupready]

9. MYOB is right.

K&R

[LibertyLover]

10. Back when I was Catholic, the time to choose my confirmation

name arrived. I wanted "Duncan" which was my mom's maiden name. We wrote our choices down and handed them to the nun who read them aloud. She got to mine and told me that I wouldn't be allowed to take it because it wasn't a saint's name and I would be taking Theresa (our parish was St. Theresa's) instead. I told her no I would not be taking Theresa and walked out. My mom had come to pick me up and I got in the car, upset, and told her what had happened. She immediately drove to the rectory, asked to speak to the old monseigneur, Father Flynn and told him what had happened. Bless that man - he checked the Big Book O'Catholic Saints, found Duncan and assured my mom there would be no problem with me taking it at confirmation. I don't know what was said to the nun, but next CCD class she simply told me that I would be permitted to take Duncan. She never really spoke to me again during the rest of confirmation preparation.

[damntexdem]

13. Hey, Pope, we named him for a name in the Christian Calendar.

Please baptize our little Thursday.

;-)

[csziggy]

15. And his nickname will be Thor! n/t

[MorningGlow]

16. Christian name that isn't weird, eh?

My Italian great-grandmother's name qualified, then: Crucifissa (crucifix). Not weird at all. :eyes:

[somone]

18. 'Approved' names like Eleutherius, Hegesippus, Paphnutius?

Snooki sounds fine

[Mojeoux]

20. When I went to St Gemma's in the 50's, we compeated to buy the most "pagan babies."

When our classroom collected $17.50, we got to donate it to a missionary somewhere and the big thrill was to give the "pagan baby" a new "Christian name." Alternating boys and girls names, we would nominate an vote on first and middle names. Among the girls we likes to give sexy saint names like "Bernadette," or "Marie."

Oddly enough, we never chose the name, "Gemma." Years later, in the 70's when the Catholic church demoted Holy Mary, they also declared a lot of saints as being pure myth. "Gemma" was one of them, but she wasn't from the misty dark ages or earlier, she was from the 19th century. The problem; she was a cross-dresser. She wanted to be a Jesuit priest, so she would dress like one and do good deeds. It never raised an eyebrow when we were kids, but she was eventually re-instated, with an explanation that she lived in such a remote part of Italy, she didn't know about female nun opportunities. Oh.:shrug:

[pnwmom]

21. There are Jewish naming traditions, too. Should we mock Jews next?

How about Muslims?

No? But it's okay to always okay to mock Catholics, for some reason.

[merbex]

23. Guess it has never ocurred to him that little Chanel, Swami, and Peche

could become future Saints, thereby making their names "Christian"

[WildEyedLiberal]

24. So where's the DU thread mocking Muslims' tendency to name their sons Muhammed?

Or of Jews to name their children David, Samuel, Rebecca, Rachel, etc.?

Oh, right, mocking religion is only fun if it's Christianity, and especially Catholicism, and triple points if the Pope's involved.