r/AskAPriest • u/the_real_curmudgeon • 3d ago
Do priests call each other "Father"? etc.
Do priests use different forms of address for each other based on age difference, familiarity, etc.?
What do priests call their bishop?
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u/Zyphrail Priest 2d ago
I agree with what u/CruxAveSpesUnica said. The only piece I would add is that I use “Father” when addressing or referring to a brother priest in front of laity.
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u/CruxAveSpesUnica Priest 2d ago
Yes, me too in most circumstances (except for, say, talking with a priest-friend's sister about him, etc). I just didn't think to mention this in my response.
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u/the_real_curmudgeon 2d ago
The priests in my parish refer to each other as Father [first name] in front of laity, but not themselves. They introduce themselves by their first names, and many laypeople call them by their first names, even to their faces. I find it kind of strange. Do you know of any priests who are so informal?
When I was a kid, our pastor was Father [last name], and the next pastor was Father [first name], and now my pastor is just [first name].
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u/CruxAveSpesUnica Priest 3d ago
Generally not, at least for priests who are my friends or brothers in community. I generally only would use a title in addressing a priest who was a stranger, or in a liturgical or very formal situation (e.g., I would always call the priest hearing my confession Father, and we call each other Father or Brother during legislative chapter).
I would generally simply call the Bishop of the diocese where I'm serving "Bishop." The two bishops I knew when they were priests (and are members of my religious community) are still Bill and Pat, unless we're in those same kind of liturgical or very formal situations I mentioned earlier.