I’m hoping for Leo or Gregory.  I predicted Benedict the last time.

Ouch… British burn.

Hoping for Gregory or Pius, but I suspect it’ll end up being Paul VII.

You forgot to mention all the Sly Stallone/Rocky impersonations that would come with an Adrian, too.

Not Leo (XIV), since that was the “Pope’s” name in _Saving Grace_. (Which, come to think of it, is a story about a Pope who has “job burnout”.)

St. Malachy prophecy geeks?  Oh, burn.  I was looking forward to a Peter!

Francis I would be nice—but probably too much of a longshot. I suppose likelier possibilities would be John Paul III, Paul VII, John XXIV, Pius XIII or Benedict XVII. Leo XIV would also be a possibility. (I assume that David Naas is referring to the 1986 movie with Tom Conti, not the 21st Century cable TV series with Holly Hunter.)

he may be an African pope and then he will choose Leo or Augustine.

Wasn’t Pius XIII the name of the Pope in the movie Foul Play with Chevy Chase?

Give aquinasadmirer ten points! Yes, indeed—the pope in the Chevy Chase movie was named Pius XIII.

I dunno, I’d kinda like to see “Pope Adrian” redeemed. The last one http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01159b.htm was unfairly maligned in Rome, but in hindsight served as an example of how the Curia should *not* relate to their pontiff (if the Curia hadn’t ignored him, the Counter-Reformation might have gotten started a lot sooner!)

If he’s from Latin America or a Spanish-speaking country, could we have a “Pope Jesus”?

Well, Pope Adrian IV was the only English pope.
The Popes historically avoid Peter anyways out of respect for the first Pope, and happy feast of the Chair of St Peter (at Rome, if you are of the trad-mindset)!

Please not Sixtus.  That would make him Pope Sixtus VI.  Too many sixes for my liking.

No Pope Adrian? How about Hadrian? Are there no fan’s of Corvo’s novel Hadrian VII left in the world?

However there is a papabli(SP?)Peter Cardinal Erdo of Hungary.

What’s wrong with Pope Lando or Pope Luke.

You have to admit, the next Pope could do a LOT worse than taking the name of someone who blew up a Death Star.

“The previous English pontiff was Hadrian IV. The present English pontiff will be Hadrian VII.”

(A previous scene had suggestions of “Formosus II” and “Aloysius I”.

And, of course, don’t try “Sixtus VI”.

Other possibilities might include: Gregory XVII, Clement XV, Innocent XIV, (although I think the name is too presumptuous-sounding—should be avoided) Alexander IX, Urban IX, Eugene V or Martin VI. I still like “Francis I,” because it would call to mind the Lord’s words to Francis of Assisi, “Francis—rebuild my Church.” Or maybe he might take other Apostles’ names, like “Andrew” or “James” or “Matthew.” But watch out! If the Cardinal Dean comes out on the balcony and announces the new pope has taken the name Peter II—we’d all better put our spiritual affairs in order and buy a nice new suit for Judgment Day!

With regard to the alleged prophecies of St. Malachy, and Peter the Roman, there is a school of thought within the group that holds to these “prophecies” which says that “Petrus Romanus” need not choose the name of Peter.  He may, in fact, only operate in a clearly Roman Petrine vein, from the discussions I’ve heard.  So avoiding the name of Peter will not take the wind out of the sails of some of them.  Oh well. . .

Hey, one thing bothers me about the St Malachy - ahem - “prophecies”.  There is a certain country that is ruled by clerics of a different faith and which is trying very hard to obtain weapons grade uranium.  A few of these clerics have said that they would like to see Rome destroyed.  Should such a horror happen the Church and the Papacy will survive, but many good people and things would not.  Sadly, the St Malachy stuff would live on in a creepy way.  One certainty I have learned is to never say never.

Personally, I think maybe a name from an Eastern saint would be interesting.  While I think it certainly would harken back to the deep (and intellectual - might help with the New Evangelization?) history of the Church Catholic, do you think it would cause problems with the Orthodox?

Clement XIV - St. Clement of Alexandria

Ephrem I - St. Ephrem the Syrian (It’s a long shot, but I like that saint a lot.)

Theophilos I - St. Theophilos of Antioch

Anthony I - St. Anthony of Egypt (or, do you think that might give the wrong message as in “seclusion from the world”?)

I wish we could use Dionysios, but most everyone else would see the pagan god of revelry, and that certainly would not be good.

Of Western saints

Bonaventure I (unlikely; but he was a powerful saint)

Francis I (I think he would nearly the same foundational value as St. Benedict of Nursia; plus, he’s my confirmation patron)

Gregory XVII (I would like the connotation with the evangelization and reform efforts of Gregory the Great)

John XXIV (There’s the connection with John XXIII and, of course, John the Divine)

We shall see.

We might as well give up on avoiding Maher’s ridicule; the very fact that we have faith makes us a target. In fact, if he uses the guy’s name to make fun of us, it will turn off some of his less unsophisticated devotees.

Besides, “Simplicius” is an awesome name.

The best thing about this surprise Papal election is that it might finally put the fake St. Malachy prophecy geeks out to pasture.

Really? Are you sure about that? It’s been quite accurate so far, if you care to do any research on the matter.

I’m hoping to see the day when we get a Gen X Pope or Patriarch who takes the name Optimus so we can call him Optimus the Primate.

As for Adrian, sure there would be _Rocky_ references, but what about _Monk_?

also the whole rocky reference to adrian…

“YO ADRIAN!!!”

Awesomous. That should be the name. Just because.

Actually, if Card. Peter Turkson of Ghana is elected pope, we may have to look at St. Malachy’s prophesy in a different light.  Not that I believe in the prophesy, but hey . . . who really knows?

I must be missing something; why not Peter?

Look, every pope is a peter the roman, so it dosent matter wht name is chosen. They will SILL insist tat rome is about to be whiped off the face of the planet, and it wont be till AFTER the new pope’s succesor dies and rome is still standing fr them to shut up. Yes, it will take t popes, because if nothing happens during “peter” they will just say that he was the last guy before it all. Youd need for nothing to happen during the leanght of a whole other papacy in order for them to shut up.

I would like the new Pope, despite where he hails from, to think outside of the box.I like Augustine, but I would really love names that would reach out to a younger crowd like Timothy or Mark, young men inspired and mentored by the apostles Paul and Peter.

I think it is time for another Pope Innocent. Innocent XIV

“Sisinnius: Seriously? Do I even need to explain this one? Let’s just say this name makes it increasingly difficult to promote traditional marriage. Best if avoided.”

Seriously, did you write this in 1950? I suppose it’s still considered funny in certain circles to make fun of “sissies” and other “effeminate” men. Wow, when i read this my jaw practically hit the floor.

FYI, if you want to bring more gay Catholics into the fold, making light of who they are won’t exactly accomplish that.

How do you define a “gay” Catholic, Edward? If a man is engaging in sexual activity with other men, he must cease, desist and repent of the sin in Sacramental confession. If he merely suffers from certain temptations upon which he does NOT act, then he is morally innocent—but nonetheless, he must not identify his very self with the kind of immorality that tempts him. One should never be proud of the evil to which he is attracted. Rather, he should take comfort that he is a child of God, redeemed by His Blood. Temptations are to be fled from, not used as badges of identification and honor.

Read your Cathechism, section 2359. You can be a chaste homosexual, yet still be a compete member of the Church. There is no sin, however, in being effeminate or a “sissie” and to make fun of such people is a woefully outdated practice. As the saying goes, “hate the sin, love the sinner” and not “hate the sin, make fun of the sinner.”

Worst name for a pope: Judas (after the apostle Saint Judas Thaddeus)

I have read the Catechism, Edward—specifically also #2357 which refers to homosexual ACTS as being “intrinsically disordered” and #2358 which says that the “inclination” is “objectively disordered.” The section you quoted, #2359 refers to “homosexual persons,” but I think a more accurate term would be “same-sex-attracted persons,” because I would argue that someone who practices chastity in thought, word and deed is not in fact a “homosexual.” Although homosexuality is as old as humanity, the idea that certain people are somehow fated by forces beyond their control to be able to express their sexuality only with the same sex and to be constitutionally incapable of heterosexual marriage in the fullest sense only goes back to about the mid 19th Century—and I think is a highly dubious idea and one which I find hard to believe. I’m very much in favor of persons afflicted with SSA seeking help in achieving and maintaining chastity through counseling and fellowship—especially in a Catholic context. But such fellowship and counseling must not extend to wearing the so-called “gay” label as either a source of pride or public and total self-identification, as though it were impossible to distinguish an individual himself from his afflictions and disorders. An SSA-afflicted person deserves respect, yes—along with love and concern—certainly help. They do not deserve condemnation. But NEITHER do they deserve adulation. SSA is a disorder—not an attribute. Let’s keep a proper perspective.

Since we’ve had Pope John Paul, that leaves, of course….

George Ringo.  Just sayin’.

Edward: true, but doesn’t mean the name is necessarily good PR.
Richard L. Kent: Thanks for the laugh!

Hey, Matt and Pat,

I observe that the top of your excellent post is bordered with a pink stripe.  Does this mean that you are illegaly driving English words?

I would think that Pius or Innocent should be avoided. Also Sixtus. He would be Sixtus the sixth. I woul,d probbly choose Alexander.

Pope Michael I - what better name or the battles that lie ahead

Hah Hah!  I think Hyginus is another bad name.

Pope Cajetan I. With all the unemployment,workplace discrimination,lack of union,lack of equal pay in this country and the rest of the world-we need a pope who who look out for the worker.We had an actor and world traveller (Pope John Paul II) and a Nazi youth (Pope Benedict XVI) we need someone new for this century.

Dumping on the British: Safer than dumping on Germans and has a humor element that dumping on the French lacks.  Have fun, but when the action starts and you get into real trouble, you’ll call us.  We might answer you.

Wow Ann, thanks, we never get tired of the cheap shots.  To define Pope Benedict as “a Nazi youth” is about as cheap as it gets.  He was forced in, basically at gunpoint (for a German to resist the Nazis at that point pretty much meant execution), and left the first chance he got, at great personal risk to himself (again, if he had been found by the Nazis, he would have been executed).

Sure is easy for modern Western liberals, in their safe, cozy ivory towers, to slander a man for something he had nothing to do with and to which he was opposed.  However objectionable your opinions may be, I doubt you ever face being executed for them, as he did.  Really, really cheap Ann.  Your post says a lot more about your lack of character than it does about Pope Benedict’s.

I’d be fine with a pope named Adrian All Day….

I would pick Matthew and I hope the Pontiff-elect gives it serious consideration. One could say that prior popes avoided it because it was an apostle’s name, but that did not prevent the use of John and Paul, and of all the unused names, Matthew sounds the best and has Apostolic times ties which the Latinate names cannot rival.

I like Matthew, or Mark .... modern, fresh, and young yet still traditional. Then again, Daniel might not be so bad, and I’ve always liked Joseph and Isaiah, but I think is really irrelevant. As I understand it, the name His Holiness chooses is a personal matter.

I like Francis I, Dominic I, Mark, Matthew, Timothy, or Andrew. What are hard to endure are misinformed hurtful comments about holy men who have given their life in service to Christ and his Church. God bless Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. And I pray for those who feel the need to to knock down the Church may they be further converted to the Heart of Jesus.

The only way to get the modern media to love our pope is if he takes the name Pope RuPaul… especially if he dresses like him.

How about Andrew, or Maximillian?

St.Stephen,accepting a terrible(martyrs) job:

Personally I am not at all humorously inclined after Benedict XVI fell victim of the Vatican’s darker hallways.

Here is the way that the secular world not only learns about “How To Become Pope”, but all can see how a Pope’s name is chosen as well. (hint: the new name comes toward the end of this little video, & even children will love it!.....said tongue-in-cheek…..) Seriously though, I hope you guys will watch! It. 1.5 million apparently already have (And that makes is flawlessly true, of course)  ;-)

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kF8I_r9XT7A

Why change the name at all. If the man was given a saint’s name, then he should have the right to use his own name (title added). Definitely should be an original…I am lousy with Roman numerals.

People make the silliest comments. Not all, of course, but many do. I would like to make an uplifting comment on the Church and the next Pontiff. I feel that we have reached the apex of evil in our Church. We have to remember, we Catholics(practicing, of course) are all in this together, and we must learn to be positive about the future of our Church. I strongly feel the next Pontiff will have the strength and determination to clear and clean the Church of evil deeds by some of the hierarchy, and will continue the efforts of Benedict XVI to reform the Church in a very positive way. We must all pray to the Holy Spirit to guide the Pope and give him courage, strength, and determination. The gates of Hell will NOT prevail!

pope to call himself: simon peter?

I would like to see a John XXIV as the next Pope.

@Stephen, I like your suggestion of Pope Stephen. While the Pope might not be martyred physically he has plenty of stones thrown at him. And the vision of St Stephen would give him strength in these difficult times.

Pope Stephen?  I don’t think so. What would that make him? Stephen X (XI)? Wiki Pope-Elect Stephen to find out about THAT silly controversy. (Stephen II died in 752 before he was consecrated Pope, which sparked an argument and threw all the numberings of the Popes named Stephen off thereafter….)

OTOH, the next Pope could just say ‘Call me Stephen X’ and have done with it…. after all, John XXIII, a Church scholar of the first rank, made pretty much the same decision when he dissed Antipope John XXIII by taking his name and number….

Come to think of it, the next Pope could be REALLY original and call himself “Pope John XX.” There was no Pope John XX, so that slot remains open! :)

What about Benedict X?  There never was one.  They skipped over it and went directly to XI, I think.  Maybe they skipped XI and went to XII.

  If you look at the earliest popes you can see that most of the strange named ones were probably their real names Linus Cletus Zosimus, it was not until after a man named Mercury was elected that he changed his name to John that we start seeing name changes. As far as the comment on the last pope Benedict being in the Youth Group he had no choice as did his brother they had to join or be shot. What would you yourself do. I heard a local radio host call him on the day of his election a “Nazi Pope” Not only is it untrue it is Racist. However I have to agree that Pope John Paul was a professional actor and I think that was why so many gestures he did may have been “scripted” I know from reading “Man of the Century” he starting acting in his early teenage years and even talked of going to Hollywood.

Joseph I would be perfect.  It would honor the just man, Joseph, stepfather of Our Lord and Pope Benedict, aka Joseph Ratzinger.

  Most of the first Century Popes had their own names when they were elected and many of these names are strange. Nationality may have been a factor. It was not until a man named Mercury was elected with a Pagan name that he changed his name to John and I believe that is how this custom started. There have been already 3 African Popes 1 English 8 or 9 Germans including the Pope Emeritus and some Spanish and many French at the time of Avignon. There has never been a North American Pope and if the Cardinal of Hungary is elected he would be the second Slavic or Eastern European after John Paul II. I don’t think they should take the name of the 4 Apostles although one Pope’s name was Mark.

Now there’s a thought. Should the next pope take the name Emeritus? It sounds papal. He could even call himself Emeritus II just to muddy the waters!

Zachary II . . . a good, solid Biblical name, mild, well-ordered papacy for Zachary I together with personal holiness, a Greek/Eastern connection, and kinda cool and modern-sounding too. I vote Zachary/Zacharias II.

Viva il papa!

I’ve always liked Pope Linus.

Also Pope Joseph.  Honor’s B16 and was the given middle name of John Paul II.

Good Names: Joseph (for the openness to life and family), John (The Patron of the faithful), Michael (The Protector of Faith and Justice), Pius (Only because there’s always been amazing, holy men to take this name), Matthew or Mark (to return our church to read scripture more often), Justin (To hearken back to Justin Martyr, who is the original liturgical ‘reformer’) and My personal favorite is Paul.

Bad Names: Linus 9The security Blanket jokes would come on an hourly basis), Sylvester (Stallone or the Cat, either one is bad), Julius (it didn’t save Caesar from being stabbed in the back, a pope would be no better), Flavius (All I need to say, Flava Flaaaaaavvv!!!!) and John Paul (Don’t reinvent the wheel, buddy lol)

How about Pope Malachy I.  Imagine what that would do to the doomsday prophecy crowd!

@Larry on Feb. 22 at 12:32 - congratulations, you called it!  Pope Francis it is.  :)

I am going to add something their about Benedict as well Ann for your illumination.  He had a 14 year old cousin killed by the Nazi’s because he was Downs Syndrome. Which is a sin in our faith, so I doubt Benedict and his family had anytime for the Nazi’s.  Easy to make cheap shots.

OK Larry, Geoffery Chauncer, and Bob D., how much money have you won in the lottery in the past year?  :-)  I mean, you called it, bro’s!  Pope Francis!  I never would have thought so, but I love it.

Lottie & Edward C: Thank you for the congrats! It was definitely Divine intervention. I would never dare bet in the lottery because my prognostications are almost never right—which was why I was so stupefied yesterday when the dean of cardinals announced it. It must be a connection with “Francis, rebuild my Church.” I don’t know—maybe I got the idea because we have a little statue of St. Francis of Assisi in the backyard. For the past several years, whenever it snows, the snow will pile up on the statue’s shoulders, looking like the white papal vestments. Sometimes I’ll jokingly say out loud, “How come you’re dressed as the pope, Francis—when you were so humble?” Maybe God was saying something to me—I don’t know. (You suppose Cardinal Bergoglio reads the Register?)