I am not presenting myself as an historical linguist, but I have a hard time accepting that in ancient times in the Middle East, four guys were named Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and they hung out with a lot of Marys. For my whole life and for centuries every Christian knew these people by their Europe-Centric names with no one really caring that they had actually had real names originally and we only know them by their assigned names.
This might be subtle change over time that people just slowly slipped into, but we do have evidence that God accepts name changes since he was responsible for two big ones.
Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter, and in a real showy display, God knocked Saul off his horse, made him blind, reversed that, and then said his name was Paul from now on.
We even misname Jesus, Himself.
A heavy influence in my past was a saint named John Bosco, actually Giovanni, but because he was an Italian priest, rather than “Father,” the title was “Don”, like the Godfather. Most people refer to him, not as John Bosco but Don Bosco, and often those who do not know have to be told the Don/John name confusion. Even members of the order he founded refer to him as Don.
What’s the popes real name? Most people may have heard it in passing, but once the Holy Spirit descends and picks a pope, the pope picks a name and is never referred to by his old name again except in rare occasions.
Never heard, “Hey, it’s Roncalli, not John!”
Eduardo Cruz has been Ted for decades.
Yet, ignoring its own history, traditions, and teachings, suddenly, using preferred names, chosen names, or new ones is against the Catholic church.
Bishop Donald DeGrood of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has issued a policy that bans Trans students and staff in the diocesan schools from using their preferred or purposely chosen names making it mandatory to only use the “dead name”, the birth name of someone who has changed it for whatever reason, and bans the use of preferred pronouns, gender appropriate clothing, and the restroom that matches their gender.
Although this is becoming a common action by the MAGA-Bishops of the Catholic Church who confuse Christ’s teachings with politics, the apostles have become the Pharisees, Bishop DeGrood has gone the extra step to suggest that Trans people should be denied the Eucharist. and requiring that priest use the person’s dead name at funerals.
I have to confess that if this were to spread, I will find myself at funerals not sure if I am at the right one since it is not the name I have always known.
Remember all those times before curing the sick, feeding the hungry, getting the lame walking, and curing groups of people in one fell swoop, like the guys with leprosy, or comforting anyone at any level Jesus asked for their names and then perhaps if it was their “real” name then sent them away if he found the name false or not original?
You can’t because He never did that.
Unlike the MAGA-Bishops who seem to have more tests for the love of Christ than He had, the man they are supposed to be following only judged people like the bishops who in those days were the pharisees.
I live in a major fishing port, so I have some familiarity with the business of fishing. There’s a museum dedicated to the history of commercial fishing just a few blocks from my apartment and the country’s largest fishing port at the end of my street, and when I bend my elbow at the bar, there is usually a fisherman or two doing the same and conversations have ensued.
Jesus said to be fishers of men. If the bishop has a way of trawling a net and only entrapping selected fish, I know an industry that could use that method.
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