What's in a Name?

Yesterday we celebrated the Martyrdom of John the Baptist, or as it is remembered in many of the liturgical texts, the Beheading of John the Baptist. In honor of this celebration I offer you a story.

As an undergraduate seminarians, I had a friend who was preparing to enter a Benedictine Abby in Illinois. While most seminarians would spend much of their time daydreaming about what their first Mass would look like, my friend spent his daydreaming about his final profession of vows, at which time he would receive his new religious name. Sometimes, when several of us were gathered together, we would look at the copy of the sanctoral calendar (the calendar listing the dates of the Church's various celebrations) in the back of our breviaries and suggest names. As often as not, this was done in jest - and suggestions would range from Brother Claire and Brother Ursula to Brother Bruno or Brother Finbar. Other times we would suggest that he take a name like those of the Carmelites - Brother Joseph Maria Goretti of Jesus Christ of the Nativity. The whole game reached its climax one evening, though, when it was suggested that he become Brother Beheading of John the Baptist.

Today, he is a Dominican with the name Michael Dominic. Regardless, I celebrated his patronal feast yesterday.