Inviting the Priest to dinner

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I haven’t invited my priest over to dinner yet, but after reading your posts, I will call him soon.
 
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leschornmom:
I’m not Catholic but I sure wouldn’t mind having a priest come to my house for dinner. I have a miilion and one questions about your church and you can only do so much typing in a day.

Can you imagine someone saying, “Okay Father, while you finishing your desert, heres my 14 page list of questions lets get started!”😉
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Actually, that is exactly what a lady I know did. She and her husband were non-denominationals but were developing an interest in the Catholic Church. So, logical as they are, they invited the local pastor over for dinner, letting him know they had questions. He stayed for 4 hours and commented how nice it was to be invited to dinner - he wished more of his own parishioners would invite him.

This lady was suprised that priests aren’t invited over very often.

um, ok, so I have never invited over a priest for dinner. I cannot even imagine the stress…who was the poster that polished fine silverware? I don’t even think we have a complete set in our house!

Gee, maybe I should. There is a new priest in our parish whom I would like to invite over. Anyone know if it is impolite to invite the associate pastor before the pastor?
 
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Princess_Abby:
I think it’s interesting that you say this, being that you live in NYC and on the east coast. My experience in Philadelphia was that no one DREAMS of calling a priest Father “First Name.” The few priests I know from Boston and NYC are the same, so maybe I only am familiar with the exceptions. However, in Philadelphia, it is most definitely only Father “Last Name!”

The midwest, however, is a different story, and it is ALWAYS Father “first name.” I also notice a much more personable attitude among priests who minister to our parishes out here.
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Very interesting. Here in Baltimore (big city and east coast) we ALWAYS call our priests Father “first name”. When the newly assigned ones come along, often it’s difficult to know what their last name even IS because nobody calls them by that.

We’ve had only 2 priests over in the twenty years we’ve lived in our house. One was the pastor and one was a visiting priest from Liberia who was here for more studies. (That was fascinating because I used to teach in Liberia in the late 60’s early 70’s and had a chance to find out what exactly was going on there now.) We’ve always talked about having more over, but my husband was too embarrassed with our broken dining room furniture and the general rundown appearance of our place. Now, we have new furniture, refinished floors, newly painted walls, and lovely artwork on the walls, but we are moving. Wish we hadn’t cared so much about appearances. People are so much more important. And the priests probably wouldn’t have even noticed. Next parish . . . .

Mary Fran
 
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becauseIsaidso:
um, ok, so I have never invited over a priest for dinner. I cannot even imagine the stress…who was the poster that polished fine silverware? I don’t even think we have a complete set in our house!
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We’re the ones with the oyster forks and grape scissors. But honestly, I’ve been invited to the homes of people who think “good crystal” means Corona in glass bottles and the “good china” is disposable plastic plates, not paper. Don’t matter nuttin’ to me! Sure, I enjoy the fancy stuff and I love having it and using it but if somebody else is doing the cooking (or ordering the pizza!), I’m cool with it – and I am CERTAIN that a priest would be too. You don’t go into that line of work because you expect to be entertained in Park Avenue penthouses all the time!
Gee, maybe I should. There is a new priest in our parish whom I would like to invite over. Anyone know if it is impolite to invite the associate pastor before the pastor?
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You are entitled to invite anyone you wish to you your house. If the associate pastor is someone you think you could talk to about the things that concern you, then he’s the one to contact. But you might not have to stress out over dinner: ask for an appointment at the Church – although dinner would give you the whole evening . . .
 
Detroit Sue:
We are tertiaries of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. Whenever a priest comes into town for our community, we always have him stay with us.
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Tertiaries of the FI? Cool! Father Martin Mary gave the Confraternity of Penitents retreat two weeks ago. It was powerful.

I now return you to the theme of this thread.
 
I often wish I could but being a single woman it would be a bad move. So I just serve them in other ways. Like today is the feast of St John Vianney - patron of parish priests. I know my pastor loves this St, in particular, so I am dropping off a card to the rectory.

He would enjoy that better than my cooking any way.😃
 
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jrabs:
I often wish I could but being a single woman it would be a bad move. So I just serve them in other ways. Like today is the feast of St John Vianney - patron of parish priests. I know my pastor loves this St, in particular, so I am dropping off a card to the rectory.

He would enjoy that better than my cooking any way.😃
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You and a couple of friends could jointly host . . . I did that when I was single (you know, the year Noah built the ark).
 
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mercygate:
Yup. My parish priest, parochial vicars, priest friends from the next diocese over. We have two summer priests in from Rome and plan to have them over next weekend.

The best one was an elderly priest who at the age of 16 turned his back on a Yale education and his whole Park Avenue Episcopalian family to follow his vocation to Catholic Prieshood. He was brilliant, a published poet, and professor at the Diocesan seminary who helped in our parish on weekends.

What a GENTLEMAN!

When he came to dinner (just 2 weeks before he had a fatal heart attack), we starched the linen, polished the good silver, and brought out the antique crystal. We gave him raw oysters, green salad with French mustard vinaigrette, baked salmon, roasted asparagus, little bitty red potatoes, and home made apple pie, good German Riesling, brie & green grapes.
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Yum-----can I come over to your house? Just curious–are you a man or a woman?
 
We used to have priests over a lot… but now our house is in a state of minor disarray, so we need to clean it before we can have more guests
 
At our previous parish we had Father Greg to our house at least once a quarter. Not often but his schedule was terrible. More often than not I would go to his place and visit and drink imported beer! Great times.

At our new Parish I started a group of 4 couples who host a party once a month and our Priest is always invited and generally shows up. I have a Men’s night out where I invite a big group of guys to my house and we play cards and Father Ted hasn’t missed yet. He doesn’t stay real long as he has Sat. obligations usually be he is always good for a few hands and beer. My last one was during lent and one of the fellas brought sausage for a snack. Ft Ted walks in late and before you know he is eating sausage. Made for a Great Laugh and alot of teasing from the fish eaters in the house. Just goes to show how human we all are.

Don’t make is so hard. Invite them over. They put their pants on just like you do. And what a wonderful example for your kids…if you have them.

Enjoy Dinner!

Eric
 
When you invite a priest over for dinner don’t forget to put him to work blessing your home that way he won’t feel bad asking for seconds. 👍

God Bless
 
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leschornmom:
I’m not Catholic but I sure wouldn’t mind having a priest come to my house for dinner. I have a miilion and one questions about your church and you can only do so much typing in a day.

Can you imagine someone saying, “Okay Father, while you finishing your desert, heres my 14 page list of questions lets get started!”😉
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Isn’t there a better way? Maybe a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and a Copy of Canon Law would help you get solid answers to a lot of those questions.

Maybe it would help to prioritize those questions, also.

There are on-line versions of the books I mention above. I hate the title of the book “Catholicism for Dummies” but maybe it would help you a lot, as it was put together by very knowledgeable priests.
 
By all means, do. Priests are regular people who have hobbies and interests just like you. We have had our priest over many times and try to have something nice when he comes. For instance, we ate fresh fish one night, and he said it had been many many years since he had eaten such, because he isn’t a fisherman. My husband hunts, and we gave him venison “filet mignon,” (backstraps to you hunters and hunters-wives), and he was very impressed with it.

It’s very hard living alone and cooking for one. Have your priest over. He will be delighted to have the company and don’t worry about the conversation, it will flow.
 
Yes, we have had many “priest dinners.” I think at one point we had 9 of them at once. It was awesome and great fun! Priests make such great friends. Also, they really appreciate a home cooked meal!

We had a retired priest over for breakfast a few times as well. What a pleasure to get to know him and all of teh wisdom he had to offer.

(Once when I told the butcher that I had 9 priests coming for dinner, he gave me the meat for a huge discount! I got 9 pounds of meat for $8 and they ate it all!!!

PCR
 
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PCR99:
(Once when I told the butcher that I had 9 priests coming for dinner, he gave me the meat for a huge discount! I got 9 pounds of meat for $8 and they ate it all!!!

PCR
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Awesome! That’s another thing. Make sure you have enough. I’ve never seen anyone eat as much as a priest! 😛
 
Our priest likes a good scotch so we always have some for him for drinks after dinner. He also loves our kids and playing with them. He says after he leaves our house he knows why he became a priest:) We have three under four. I have found that priests really want to get to know their parishners on a more personal level.

The song Christmas in Killarny says it all: “And Fr. John before he’s gone will bless the house and all.”
 
I currently live alone so it would really be weird to have a priest over for dinner, but I would do so in a hearbeat with a dinner or other kind of gathering.

I have had my house blessed and was completely upset because it happened last minute and I really wanted to make it a celebration…but he came over and blessed my house just the same.

I may be getting a roomate soon as both my potential roomie and I are in financial straits (I own the home, am discerning a vocation and have substantial debt…and she can’t come close to paying her current rent).

I just realized through this thread that we can invite our priests over when there are at least 2 of us here and it would finally be appropriate…I look forward to being able to honor the sacrifice our spiritual fathers made when they were ordained.

I can sometimes cook very well…I hope I don’t poison them… :eek:

A friend of mine and her father recently had our new parish priests over for dinner to get to know them as they are both very involved in the parish.

As I understand it, in our area, it is a frequent custom to have the priest over to be welcomed as a part of the family he has joined.

I think I would serve my garlic soup, stuffed manicotti or maybe chicken fettucini, or if in the summer…grilled steak and green salad or barbecued ribs and coleslaw, corn…mmmm.

Ok, maybe I can cook…some.
 
My parents used to have our parish priest over every third Monday night. He’d look forward to it so much that he’d show up an hour before dinner. He is why I have such a fondness for priests, and no fear of them… he had some brother priests whom he found pompous, and he had no time for them. From him, I learned the first rule of priests: Priests are Guys. (Not just human beings. Guys. And he didn’t want anyone telling us differently.)

I do know of priests that won’t socialize with someone for whom they are a spiritual director–I would guess that is generally true–but I don’t know of any who won’t socialize with parishioners in general.

What do you talk about? Same as you would any other guest, really. Some like talking about theology–best if it is a real discussion and not a put-him-on-the-spot teach-in–some would just as soon not. Some are into sports, some not. Most have hobbies, or places they like to vacation, whatever. Most don’t find it terribly relaxing to talk about work, so I wouldn’t bring up the parish fundraiser unless he does. You can expect the full spectrum, although all are bright enough to get through seminary and all schooled in the peculiarities of what the concept of authority brings out in people. (According to our parish priest, some of these “guys” aren’t quite so schooled as to what authority brings out in them. Human beings. Guys. There you are.)
 
BLB ~
I do know of priests that won’t socialize with someone for whom they are a spiritual director–I would guess that is generally true–but I don’t know of any who won’t socialize with parishioners in general

Do you know why this is? Is it to avoid a conflict of interest and to avoid losing objectivity in their spiritual relationship? Or is there another reason?

Sorry, don’t mean to be OT. Reply via personal message if you prefer, if you know the answer.
 
This probably goes without saying, but as with any guest whose dietary foibles are unfamiliar to you, be sure to ask if there is anything he can’t, doesn’t or won’t eat.

I sometimes like to scare my guests a little by serving something like brussels sprouts, which I consider a delicacy. An Irish nun once nearly ran out of the house screaming once when I served stuffed grape leaves – I didn’t think they were particularly exotic but she acted like she though they would kill her. Good thing I didn’t offer the grilled octopus that day!
 
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