Q: Last May 9, I asked the question about the memento of the Eucharistic Prayers, where we have to mention the pope or the bishop. I wanted to know if we have to mention also the title and rank. Your answer was that the custom is to say the first names of the pope and bishop – no numbers or titles. I have hard time to make my brother priests accept this. They prefer to mention pope Leo XIV. Could you help us with some references or liturgical references where it is explained, or why are we not supposed to mention the numbers or titles; and also could you provide us with the theological explanation behind.
Thank you very much.
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A: All I can give you is my own experience and the words of the missal. I’m 72 years old, so I remember hearing (or saying) in the vernacular “Paul our pope,” “John Paul our pope,” and “Benedict our pope.” Maybe priests in your country said it differently, but that’s what I remember growing up in middle America.
Here’s a telecast from the archdiocese of Chicago. Cardinal Cupich says “Leo our pope” at about 22:15. https://radiotv.archchicago.org/broadcast-masses
The missal uses the letter “N.” which infers that the name is supplied—just as it is for the orders of baptism, confirmation, marriage, and ordination. Once the priest has said “Leo our pope,” there shouldn’t be any question about which Pope Leo this is.
If priests insist on saying “Leo XIV our pope,” I suppose that’s up to them. But I’d like to know where they see the instruction to add a number when the missal just calls for a name.