what does this mean?

[4EverHis]

Hi

if it says “P.P” after a priest’s name, what does that mean? for example… Fr John, P. P.

is that a religious order? anyone know?

thanks!

 

[Tietjen]

Hi

if it says “P.P” after a priest’s name, what does that mean? for example… Fr John, P. P.

is that a religious order? anyone know?

thanks!

It can be a religious order or priestly fraternity. Though the letters P.P. I have never before heard of. For a list of these abbreviations click here.

 

[Saintlucy]

I think it simply stands for Parish Priest. I’m not 100% though.

 

[Windmill]

Usually means “parish priest”, but if in reference to the Pope, it means “Pastor Pastorum”, or “Shepherd of Shepherds” (eg. Benedictus PP XVI).

Incidentally, the phrases “Shepherd of Shepherds” and “Servant of the Servants of God” do not mean that the Pope shepherds other shepherds (bishops) nor that the Pope is the Servant to the Servants of God. The phrases “pastor pastorum” and"servus servorum" are of the same vein as “caelis caelorum” (heaven of heavens) or “virgo virginum” (Virgin of virgins) - they are Hebraic superlatives. They imply that the person or thing being described exhibits the trait more so than anyone or anything else.

Why do I make a big point of this? Many will call the Pope the “Servant of the Servants of God” and imply that the Pope is here to serve the Bishops. That is not the case at all. He is the **first **among the Servants of God. Some who propose this novel idea of the Pope “serving bishops” are really trying to promote a false notion of collegiality which, in practical terms, can denude the Holy Father of his divinely-instituted authority as Vicar of Christ.

So, don’t be fooled

 

[PacoG]

Why do I make a big point of this? Many will call the Pope the “Servant of the Servants of God” and imply that the Pope is here to serve the Bishops. That is not the case at all. He is the **first **among the Servants of God. Some who propose this novel idea of the Pope “serving bishops” are really trying to promote a false notion of collegiality which, in practical terms, can denude the Holy Father of his divinely-instituted authority as Vicar of Christ.So, don’t be fooled

Perhaps this is the Aggie interpretation of “Servant of the Servant of God,” which Pope John Paul the Great called the most important of the papal titles in Crossing the Threshold of Hope.

Everything I have heard and read (and from very orthodox sources) says that this title is derived from Matthew 20:25-27, where Our Blessed Lord says:
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt.But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 

[Ace86]

Perhaps this is the Aggie interpretation of “Servant of the Servant of God,” which Pope John Paul the Great called the most important of the papal titles in Crossing the Threshold of Hope.

Everything I have heard and read (and from very orthodox sources) says that this title is derived from Matthew 20:25-27, where Our Blessed Lord says:
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt.But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

What it means is the Pope is the Servant of God. Catholicism is a God-centered religion, not an anthropocentric one.

 

[Windmill]

What it means is that he is actually the lowest of the servants (as servility is a humiliation). The superlative of a lowliness is “the lowest”.

My point is this: his first responsibility is service to God, not to us. If you approach it with an orthodox perspective, it’s mostly semantics. However, if you are hell-bent on stifling papal authority and keeping the Supreme Pontiff locked away in the Vatican where he can do no harm, you can stretch this phrase to mean that he should keep his nose out of others’ business.

Example: The Pope issue Summorrum Pontificum, the motu proprio (“on his own authority”) allowing any priest to offer the traditional Latin Mass. Since the Pope has, by dogmatic definition, immediate jurisdiction anywhere in the world, this law supercedes any local Ordinary’s right to pass conflicting liturgical norms in his diocese. A disgruntled bishop might turn around and say:

“Gee, this guy sure is throwing his weight around. Whatever happened to him being the ‘servant of the servants of God’?”

**IOW, someone may try to use this title to make it sound like the Pope should be submissive to the authority of the bishops. What they fail to realize is that the Pope is submissive to God alone. **

I hope I’m making my point. Again, for most on these boards it is semantics because we recognize the Pope’s supreme authority in the Church. I’m just pointing out that we shouldn’t let dissenters use this phrase to beat us over the head when we defend our Holy Father’s actions.

 

[C_Romero71]

P.P. – Parochus (“Parish Priest” – used mostly in Ireland)

 

[4EverHis]

thanks everyone

 

[C_Romero71]

Your Welcome