Addressing clergy

[babochka]

The recent thread regarding the address of deacons in the west led me to start this thread, particularly this:

The "Deacon " is interesting to me, since Byzantines generally use the baptismal name, not the surname, since that is the name preferably used in church settings, it seems. I would imagine Christians historically used this baptismal name at one point in all rites, since surnames have only been common in much of the world for a few centuries.

In practical usage, the Baptismal name is, for a parish priest, generally his first name. We also extend this to our bishops and they are addressed as Bishop (first name) or Bishop (monastic name).

Many traditional-leaning Catholics in the western tradition insist that it is not only improper, but disrespectful to address a priest as Father (First Name) and seem pretty sure that it signifies a lack of respect and general lack of decorum. Personally, I call a priest what he indicates to me he would rather be called, or in keeping with the conventions appropriate for the situation. (Example:I know a couple of priests whom I first met in Byzantine churches. They introduced themselves to me as “Father Firstname”. They are now serving in FSSP parishes, where the convention is “Father Lastname”. I still think of them as "Father Firstname, but make an effort to call them “Father Lastname” if I’m at the FSSP parish.)

I wonder at the history of these conventions, and whether they vary from culture to culture. The Latin Church here in the US is very Irish-influenced and German-influenced, so naturally the conventions in those countries would have been transferred. What is the situation in other cultures? In African cultures, for example? Or Latin America?

Also, as pointed out, surnames are of relatively recent usage (they began in the early middle ages), and early on were either patronymic or descriptive, as in Eric the Red or John the Taylor.

When we refer to the Church Fathers, we use the baptismal name - Saint Augustine, Saint Ambrose, St. Polycarp, Saint Basil, Saint John Chrystostom (Chrystostom is a description, not a surname). Of course, the Church Fathers didn’t have surnames

“Father” is a title, but it also indicates a relationship. It seems to me that insisting upon the use of “Father Lastname” as a matter of respect minimizes the spiritual relationship between two people.

I’m looking for others’ thoughts on this, and a history lesson about other cultures if anybody has that knowledge.

 

[SyroMalankara]

In Malankara Syriac usage, the priest’s baptism name is Traditionally used, however informally many will call him by his family-nickname followed by the Malayalam word ‘achen’ which translated to ‘father’. You will almost never hear the last name convention used, except when the person’s name was flipped due to immigration rules in the US (like in India a person’s name might be , but on emigrating to the US, this became .

 

[Petaro]

In my Parish we are too busy rushing to the carpark after Mass to worry about naming the Priest. The Priest is normally surrounded by the clique who carry name tags like croziers and “flutter” like butterflies. I normally just call him Father as I am sure he doesn’t remember mine.

 

[dconklin]

It is very easily up to the priest. I remember growing up and we always used their last name - until we had an Assoc Pastor with a multi-syllabic last name. He prefered us using his 1st name.

 

[adamhovey1988]

I remember a friend of mine telling me about a story where he asked our former pastor (now retire) how to address a Bishop, Fr. told him “you call him Bob”! (Our Bishop has an uncommon, in the US at least, last name)

 

[The_Apostolate]

When I address a priest I say, Hello Father ,or Father and his first name.