Do you ever feel weird calling a very young priest, "Father"?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gordon_Sims
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
No, never although with the really young ones, I might concentrate on his hands which are used to help confect the Eucharist.
 
I have experienced dissonance, but not based on their age. Someone has already mentioned knowing someone before ordination. My parish regularly receives seminarians in training, so I have come to know quite a few freshly-ordained men. Furthermore, I recently discovered that a high school classmate was ordained, and it’s not so much weird but it’s difficult to train myself that this old buddy is no longer “Scott” but “Father”.
 
Nope doesn’t feel weird to me at all. I’ve been blessed to attend ordinations at my Cathedral and love to greet the new priests afterwards and get their blessing. My vicar is most likely younger than I, but it doesn’t feel weird calling him Father.
 
I’ve never thought it strange to call a young priest “Father”.

But I have had some, “Wow! I’m definitely an adult, aren’t I?” moments when I’ve met priests who seem to be considerably younger than I.

Like some others, I have felt a bit strange addressing a priest I’d known prior to his ordination as “Father” since I was used to addressing him by his first name.
 
That is an interesting question because I am of an age where new priests are younger than me. I guess I have always had a difference in gut feelings when considering what is meant by my dad as father, a priest as Father, and Holy God as Father. So, since my gut feeling tells me each one is Father in a different way, I have not had the problem you describe in using the word. I will watch and see how I react to anything else along those lines, though. Good question!
 
Gordon_Sims said:
A couple weeks ago we had a very young, newly-ordained priest help out during Mass. Nobody mentioned how old he was but he looked to be about 15. After Mass he was standing by the doors with our priest, shaking hands with people as they left. I noticed that people were calling our priest, “Father,” but almost nobody addressed the young priest as, “Father.” I didn’t think much of it at the time but when I was talking to my wife about it later we both admitted that it felt a little strange referring to someone who looks younger than our son by that title. Has anyone else felt the same way?
Click to expand...
No!
 
pensmama87 said:
It was strange to start calling our friend who was ordained “Father,” when before to us he’d always just been “name,” but it became natural to us to do so pretty quickly. He is the same age as us. We are about as young as you could be to be ordained a priest in our diocese, so we haven’t experienced anyone younger than us yet, but we certainly hope that is something we run into more often!
Click to expand...
Since he is your friend, is allowed for you to still call him by his name?
 
SuS33 said:
Since he is your friend, is allowed for you to still call him by his name?
Click to expand...
Most people I know who have a close friendships with a priest call him by his first name when they are in private situations. But in in a public situation they would refer to him as “Father”.
 
I have no issue with that especially since my diocese had an ordination of a young man about a year ago, and he looks much younger than his late 20’s he actually is. Lets pray for more young men to answer God’s call to the priesthood.
 
MissRose73 said:
I have no issue with that especially since my diocese had an ordination of a young man about a year ago, and he looks much younger than his late 20’s he actually is. Lets pray for more young men to answer God’s call to the priesthood.
Click to expand...
Amen
 
MaryFrancesRome said:
That is an interesting question because I am of an age where new priests are younger than me. I guess I have always had a difference in gut feelings when considering what is meant by my dad as father, a priest as Father, and Holy God as Father. So, since my gut feeling tells me each one is Father in a different way, I have not had the problem you describe in using the word. I will watch and see how I react to anything else along those lines, though. Good question!
Click to expand...
I think I mentioned it before, but I believe part of why I took note of this priest’s age is that, up until a few years ago, all the priests I knew were considerably older than me. Even in the last few years all the priests I’ve known were at least 5-10 years older. I’m just finally hitting an age where they’re younger than I am. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great that we have young priests coming in, especially because so many of them seem to be so fundamentally sound in their faith. It could also help keep more young people around.
 
Gordon_Sims said:
I think I mentioned it before, but I believe part of why I took note of this priest’s age is that, up until a few years ago, all the priests I knew were considerably older than me. Even in the last few years all the priests I’ve known were at least 5-10 years older. I’m just finally hitting an age where they’re younger than I am. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great that we have young priests coming in, especially because so many of them seem to be so fundamentally sound in their faith. It could also help keep more young people around.
Click to expand...
You’ll really know you’re getting old when the Pope is younger than you are 😛 :bigyikes:
 
I was the baby sitter for my cousin when he was a little, two year old boy. When he was ordained as a Priest and I had to greet him as Father after the ceremony, it was a little bit awkward for a number of month’s.
 
Novena7 said:
I was the baby sitter for my cousin when he was a little, two year old boy. When he was ordained as a Priest and I had to greet him as Father after the ceremony, it was a little bit awkward for a number of month’s.
Click to expand...
Why was it awkward?

Do you think the Church should have a change of title for the clergy? Or is it hard for you to separate “Father” the office, with father a parent?
 
It was a bit awkward because I was in the habit of calling him by only his nick-name, or “Hey, Cuz!”. 🙂
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
Why was it awkward?

Do you think the Church should have a change of title for the clergy? Or is it hard for you to separate “Father” the office, with father a parent?
Click to expand...
No, I do not think the Church should have to change the title for the clergy. It is a most wonderful title, just as it is.
 
Has anyone else felt the same way?
Click to expand...
No. Most priests are younger than me today. Some of them are very wise and excellent spiritual directors.
 
Novena7 said:
I was the baby sitter for my cousin when he was a little, two year old boy. When he was ordained as a Priest and I had to greet him as Father after the ceremony, it was a little bit awkward for a number of month’s.
Click to expand...
Why would you switch what you called him – except perhaps in reference to him with others? As a family member, especially one who is older than he, I would expect that you would still use his name.
 
SuS33 said:
Since he is your friend, is allowed for you to still call him by his name?
Click to expand...
It probably is “allowed,” but my husband and I wouldn’t dream of not saying it, unless he specifically told us to just call him [name]. Switching to Fr. [name] for everyone seems to be the norm around here - the exception being immediate family who just uses the first name.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top