Is It Disrespectful To Call A Monsignor "Father?"

[bben15]

Hello. My parish priest is a Chaplain of His Holiness. But, people always call him “Father,” including the deacon. I always address him as “Monsignor.”

Is it disrespectful to call a Monsignor “Father,” or it is OK? I always thought it would be like calling the Pope, “Your Excellency,” though I could be wrong.

God bless you for answering my question.

 

[malphono]

I wouldn’t call it “disrespectful” unless it’s meant with disrespect. Over the years, I’ve known many monsigniori who introduce themselves as “Father X”. One of my best friends does this regularly. OTOH, I’ve known some who get, shall we say, a but uppity when their formal title isn’t used, even if by someone who is ignorant of it. In any case, a general rule which has served me well over the years is to use the more formal title. If he’s more comfortable with “Father” he’ll say so.

 

[stuart12]

Not if there is no desire or intention to be ‘contrary’. Proper titles should be used but, especially if one is ignorant of it, no worthy priest would make a scene.

 

[Jon_S_1]

Hello. My parish priest is a Chaplain of His Holiness. But, people always call him “Father,” including the deacon. I always address him as “Monsignor.”

Is it disrespectful to call a Monsignor “Father,” or it is OK? I always thought it would be like calling the Pope, “Your Excellency,” though I could be wrong.

God bless you for answering my question.

Even the Pope is sometimes addressed as “Holy Father” right?

I like what everyone said, plus Monsignor sounds so formal in just speaking to someone you see all the time. It would be like calling your friend Mr Smith instead of John.

IMO

 

[bben15]

Even the Pope is sometimes addressed as “Holy Father” right?

I like what everyone said, plus Monsignor sounds so formal in just speaking to someone you see all the time. It would be like calling your friend Mr Smith instead of John.

IMO

The Pope has many titles. I meant addressing the Pope as “Your Excellency” instead of “Your Holiness.”

 

[Linusthe2nd]

I wouldn’t call it “disrespectful” unless it’s meant with disrespect. Over the years, I’ve known many monsigniori who introduce themselves as “Father X”. One of my best friends does this regularly. OTOH, I’ve known some who get, shall we say, a but uppity when their formal title isn’t used, even if by someone who is ignorant of it. In any case, a general rule which has served me well over the years is to use the more formal title. If he’s more comfortable with “Father” he’ll say so.

I run into that once and I thought he was going to make me drop and " do ten. "

Linus2nd

 

[Petaro]

If we truly understand the title “Priest” a title seared into the soul of the man; a title even the saints can perceive; a change going to the man’s very soul, so that he can forgive sins in the name of his Christ; so that he can bring Christ to us in the ineffable mystery of recurring Calvary. Now THAT is a title. Monsignor is a title bestowed by men; priest is a title bestowed by God. I know which one I would use.

 

[felsguy]

Gosh, maybe it’s one of those valid but illicit things…or at least an abuse.

 

[m134e5]

Hello. My parish priest is a Chaplain of His Holiness. But, people always call him “Father,” including the deacon. I always address him as “Monsignor.”

Is it disrespectful to call a Monsignor “Father,” or it is OK? I always thought it would be like calling the Pope, “Your Excellency,” though I could be wrong.

God bless you for answering my question.

It just depends on what the priest prefers. I’d start by addressing him as Monsignor, and in time you will know what he prefers to be called.

 

[janeway529]

As a Monsignor once told me, when I asked him this same question, “No, if the Monsignor has a problem with not being called Msgr., then the problem isn’t with you.”

 

[Evan]

We had a retired bishop in our parish, and he wanted to be called “Father”.

The title of the pope is “pope” which means “father”.

One of the persons of the trinity is called “father”.

So if we can call a bishop, a pope, and a member of the trinity “father”, why not a monsignior?

 

[bben15]

If we truly understand the title “Priest” a title seared into the soul of the man; a title even the saints can perceive; a change going to the man’s very soul, so that he can forgive sins in the name of his Christ; so that he can bring Christ to us in the ineffable mystery of recurring Calvary. Now THAT is a title. Monsignor is a title bestowed by men; priest is a title bestowed by God. I know which one I would use.

If I was a priest, and someone called me “priest,” then I would start answering, “yes, layman?”

 

[Evan]

If I was a priest, and someone called me “priest,” then I would start answering, “yes, layman?”

priest (n.) Look up priest at Dictionary.com
Old English preost probably shortened from the older Germanic form represented by Old Saxon and Old High German prestar, Old Frisian prestere, all from Vulgar Latin *prester from Late Latin presbyter:elder, from Greek presbyteros

So it means elder. An elder parent is a father. So, if priest is from presbyter, then the response should be “yes, youngster” no matter their age.

 

[Country_Gal]

I wouldn’t call it “disrespectful” unless it’s meant with disrespect. Over the years, I’ve known many monsigniori who introduce themselves as “Father X”. One of my best friends does this regularly. OTOH, I’ve known some who get, shall we say, a but uppity when their formal title isn’t used, even if by someone who is ignorant of it. In any case, a general rule which has served me well over the years is to use the more formal title. If he’s more comfortable with “Father” he’ll say so.

That must be some of the narcissism that Pope Francis wants to discourage in the Church