How do you act around priests?

[AllSeasons]

Aren’t these what regular confessors/spiritual directors do?

Well, I’m assuming that people don’t usually hang out socially with their confessors/spiritual directors?

 

[EasterJoy]

I act the same around a priest as I would anyone else. Being aware of their religion, I’d keep in mind their sensitivities and try not to say or do anything that would overly upset or offend them…but that’s what I’d do for anyone else, too.

Our parents had many priests as friends, so they seem like automatic family members to me. I trust them automatically, and they automatically have a place of both affection and yet also a special status. This is true even if I don’t find them particularly likeable–like one’s grandparents, I guess. I can’t think of any I do not like excepting those I never got to know very well.

They are, as a rule, very personable, very smart, and very interesting, though. Still, I’m aware that they have to observe certain proprieties and do not need any temptations to do otherwise. If I meet a priest friend for lunch, for instance, I’d observe the sort of boundaries one would if meeting a married friend whose wife is out of town, and a bit more so. Not only do you avoid tempting him–I’m no siren, but one cannot treat emotions as if they are predictable–but you have to avoid anyone taking scandal from seeing him out in public in anything like a compromising position.

I do not have trouble making a confession to a priest who knows me well, but most spiritual directors, priests or not, do not socialize with those whom they direct. As one of them told me, “Spiritual directors are easy to find and for the sake of the one seeking direction ought to be easy to replace. Friends are the opposite.” Still, if you have a priest for a friend and need to talk to someone, they all know someone to recommend that I would not know, so there is that.

The truth is, though, that none of us, being known in public as Catholics, would do badly to observe the kind of proprieties that are appropriate for priests.

 

[wheelie]

The same as around anyone else. Unless it is two of the many bishops I know they were very scary and stern.

I guess I’m different my dad is a priest and I grew up (from the age of 2) in rectories. Most are lovely ordinary blokes. They like sport and DIY and cooking and love it when you treat them like normal men. Especially when they get invited for tea.
(There are the ones who are creepy and really into scripture all the time and I don’t like being around them but that is no different to other people who are the same and aren’t priests)

 

[Holly3278]

I always try to be polite, friendly, and respectful among priests. They are my superiors so I feel that I owe them the respect, politeness, and friendliness.