If you were elected new pope, what name would you choose?

When the next pope is elected, he will choose a new name. Karol Wojtyla, for example, became Pope John Paul II to honor his three predecessors: John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul I.

Those popes' birth names were Giuseppe Roncalli, Giovanni Montini and Albino Luciani.

In the early Church, popes kept their own names. The tradition of changing their names reaches back 15 centuries to Mercurius. He did not want to become Pope Mercurius because he thought it was improper for the head of the Church to be named after a pagan god (Mercury). He opted to become John II.

The Evangelist wondered what Catholics in the Albany Diocese would do if they were elected pope. Some would retain their real names; others would like to honor saints and others:

* "Joseph, because that's my name -- protector of the Church, foster father of Jesus." -- Rev. Joseph Benintende, pastor, St. Mary's in Oneonta

* "Peter or John. Those two Apostles were the ones who were most faithful to Jesus, and Pope John Paul II [took the name] John, so I'd want to take his name." -- Michael Kruczlnicki, 11, fifth-grader at St. Jude's School, Wynantskill

* "Maria I: First, because I am a woman, and I would want the Blessed Mother to be my patroness; second, I would want to honor her as Mother of the Church and place myself in her care as I assumed the tremendous responsibilities of the papacy." -- Sister Nola Brunner, CSJ, diocesan Vicar for Religious

* "Anthony -- that's my real name. But we've always had good [popes], so it doesn't make any difference to me what name people take." -- Tony Calcasola, Sacred Heart, Margaretville

* "Paul, because he showed throughout his life how to evangelize and be a good Catholic." -- Natalie Terry, 16, junior at Catholic Central High School, Troy

* "I'd like to see another John Paul. Or Peter -- I just like the name." -- Deacon Walter Szarejko, St. John's, Newport

* "Monica. Wasn't [St.] Monica the mother of [St.] Augustine, who never gave up on him [despite his initial rebellion against his faith]?" -- Sister Mary Lou Liptak, RSM, parish life director, St. Lucy's, Altamont/St. Bernadette's, Berne

* "Leo XIV, because we had 13 ahead of me! I'd be following in the footsteps of many pontiffs who contributed very much to the Church." -- Rev. Leo Markert, pastor, St. Gabriel's, Rotterdam

* John Paul II "was so influential to young people, I'd like to take Pope John Paul III. [Or] Peter: He was the rock of the Church. He stood his ground." -- Daniel Fogerty, 18, senior class president, Catholic High, Troy

* "Teresa of Avila. She was the patron saint of education and that kind of stuff, and that's a big part of what I do: educate children." -- Christine Goss, pastoral associate for youth ministries, Immaculate Conception, Glenville

* "Therese [of Lisieux]. When I was little, my dad used to say I looked like her, and I always had a picture of her in my room." -- Damaris Gibaldi, 11, fifth-grader at St. Mary/St. Alphonsus School, Glens Falls

(Reported by Kate Blain, assistant editor.)

(4/14/05)