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M
Please pray for
Father Maximilian
Christopher Okapal, O.Praem.
Canon of Saint Michael's
Abbey
Orange County, California
Ordained a Priest of Jesus
Christ
23 June 2012 - St. John's
Eve
 |
| Image by Pacino di Bonaguida from Web Gallery of Art |
You seek Jesus of
Nazareth, who was crucified.
He is risen. (Mark 16,
6)
So stupid question of the day... How come one of the common way you are called is Father Maximilian, but the rest of us rarely get called by the name we recived at the last sacrament at which we received a name (confirmation)?
ReplyDeleteThe simplest answer might be that you haven't asked others to call you by your confirmation name. There are some (usually converts) for whom their confirmation is such a significant event that they ask their friends to begin calling them by their confirmation name.
DeleteA deeper reason why most Christians don't ask to be called by their confirmation name is that, as important as the sacrament of confirmation is, it doesn't change one's state of life. Some Christians don't even take a new name at confirmation, but are confirmed under their baptismal name.
A change in one's state of life, however, is often accompanied by a change or addition of name or title, e.g., Sister, Brother, Father, Mrs.
As for me, I received the name Maximilian not upon receiving a sacrament, but when I entered the religious state of life at the beginning of my novitiate.