When did 'Fr. Smith' become "Fr. Jimmy'

[Armor_of_Light]

When I was a kid in the 70’s we still referred to all priest by their last names…

When did that change? Do you still call priests by their last name?

I just kind of noticed this for some reason…

 

[benjammin]

When I was a kid in the 70’s we still referred to all priest by their last names…

When did that change? Do you still call priests by their last name?

I just kind of noticed this for some reason…

I think it depends on the priest. Most priests I know go by their last names, but some have gone by their first names. I think it just depends

 

[RPRPsych]

When I was a kid in the 70’s we still referred to all priest by their last names…

When did that change? Do you still call priests by their last name?

I just kind of noticed this for some reason…

I once knew a wise old confessor who preferred us to use his first name.

Some of the priests I met at school also encouraged first-name terms, probably to put us boys at ease.

And in India, surnames still aren’t in wide use everywhere. (I use mine, but that’s because my dad travels a lot, and adopted the Western format for passport purposes.) For example, if a priest’s name is Thomas and his father’s name is George, he would be G. Thomas in many parts of the country, and “Father Thomas” would be the formal address. My Principal in school was Father V. Michael (V. being the initial of his father’s name) and we all called him Fr. Michael. So the first-name / last-name thing was hardly an issue for us.

 

[Rich_C]

I grew up (90s) calling priests by their last name. I much prefer it, just like I prefer when my bosses have insisted on titles and so forth. I have no problem with hierarchy, and it makes me uncomfortable when my superiors force familiarity on me.

That said, if father insists with me, father gets his way. Who am I to argue?

 

[Joe_5859]

You can’t go wrong with just “Father”.

Actually, though, I think this is a wider societal shift than just with priests. I think our culture as a whole has gotten less formal. There’s less 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith", too.

 

[Luna_Lovecraft]

This issue came up this week in our parish.

We’ve always called our pastor Fr. William. The priest to came to conduct our mission this week said he was invited to our parish by Fr. Smith. The first night of the mission he referred to Fr. Smith several times. The second night of the mission he referred to Fr. William, so someone - probably our pastor - asked him to make the change. I think it has to do with the individual priests’s preference.

 

[ConstantineTG]

When I was a kid in the 70’s we still referred to all priest by their last names…

When did that change? Do you still call priests by their last name?

I just kind of noticed this for some reason…

Can I side-track here a bit and ask why to Latin Catholics refer to their priest by their last name? Because that is not their baptismal name.

 

[DebChris]

You can’t go wrong with just “Father”.

Actually, though, I think this is a wider societal shift than just with priests. I think our culture as a whole has gotten less formal. There’s less 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith", too.

The first college I attended was a Catholic college run by Benedict monks. Since both priest and brother were the same habit, it was difficult to tell who was a priest and who was brother. To avoid giving the man I was speaking to the wrong title, I just stopped using any.
My mother reprimanded me when one of the priests called my house because I did not end every sentence with “Father.” One of the things that the monks at the college emphasized was their humanity. They wanted us to see them as the men they were, without placing them on pedestals, or seeing them as already saints. Like us, they are saints in the making. The college held “meet a monk” activities on a regular basis. Yes, even in the early 70’s we called the monks by their first names.

Outside the abbey setting, it was a priest with a difficult last name to pronounce who encouraged the use of “Father” followed by his first name.

As mentioned by an earlier poster, not all cultures use surnames. I work in the Middle East where everybody is referred to by his given name. A person’s name consists of his first name, his father’s name, his grandfather’s name, etc. A name might be 5 generations long. I have a brother named Alvin Jude. When he worked in Saudi, he went by Al Jude. My bank card does not even have my surname on it. It has my frst name and middle name. The common practice is to refer to a person by his/her first and second name.

When at the hospital, or conducting business elsewhere, I am often asked for my “good name.” This is understood to mean my first name. As other Westerner’s put it, I would want my name to be good, as in honorable. My parish congregation , and workers througout this country mostly come from the Philipines or the Indian subcontinent.

I like the Southern tradition of addressing elders by Ms. or Mr. using the title followed by the first name, as in Miss Molly.

 

[Joe_5859]

The first college I attended was a Catholic college run by Benedict monks. Since both priest and brother were the same habit, it was difficult to tell who was a priest and who was brother. To avoid giving the man I was speaking to the wrong title, I just stopped using any.
My mother reprimanded me when one of the priests called my house because I did not end every sentence with “Father.” One of the things that the monks at the college emphasized was their humanity. They wanted us to see them as the men they were, without placing them on pedestals, or seeing them as already saints. Like us, they are saints in the making. The college held “meet a monk” activities on a regular basis. Yes, even in the early 70’s we called the monks by their first names.

Outside the abbey setting, it was a priest with a difficult last name to pronounce who encouraged the use of “Father” followed by his first name.

As mentioned by an earlier poster, not all cultures use surnames. I work in the Middle East where everybody is referred to by his given name. A person’s name consists of his first name, his father’s name, his grandfather’s name, etc. A name might be 5 generations long. I have a brother named Alvin Jude. When he worked in Saudi, he went by Al Jude. My bank card does not even have my surname on it. It has my frst name and middle name. The common practice is to refer to a person by his/her first and second name.

When at the hospital, or conducting business elsewhere, I am often asked for my “good name.” This is understood to mean my first name. As other Westerner’s put it, I would want my name to be good, as in honorable. My parish congregation , and workers througout this country mostly come from the Philipines or the Indian subcontinent.

I like the Southern tradition of addressing elders by Ms. or Mr. using the title followed by the first name, as in Miss Molly.

It’s interesting to hear about what is done in other places. Thanks.

 

[MissRose73]

I was under the impression that is was good manners to refer to a priest as Father “Last Name” not Father “First Name”. But then again, the priests I’ve known took no offense to being addressed as Father “First Name”.

Reminds of me of the show “Father Ted” where the title character had to remind Father Dougal McGuire to refer to Bishop Brennan as “Bishop Brennan” not “Len”. Then Father Dougal forgets, calls the Bishop “Len” during his visit, the Bishop is offended and reminds him to address him by his proper title.

The few times I’ve met bishops, I usually address them as Bishop “Last Name”. I’ve heard a few people address them as “Your Grace”.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I was under the impression that is was good manners to refer to a priest as Father “Last Name” not Father “First Name”. But then again, the priests I’ve known took no offense to being addressed as Father “First Name”.

Reminds of me of the show “Father Ted” where the title character had to remind Father Dougal McGuire to refer to Bishop Brennan as “Bishop Brennan” not “Len”. Then Father Dougal forgets, calls the Bishop “Len” during his visit, the Bishop is offended and reminds him to address him by his proper title.

The few times I’ve met bishops, I usually address them as Bishop “Last Name”. I’ve heard a few people address them as “Your Grace”.

When and where did this originate? The RC priests I know we’ve addressed by First Name. In the East the Baptismal name is so important (or ordination name if the deacon/priest/bishop takes up one) that you would never address someone by their family name. I’m wondering why there is a disconnect here between East and West. Can you or someone explain to me the origins of this extensive use of last name? I know Cardinals most famously are almost referred to exclusively by their last name.

 

[MissRose73]

When and where did this originate? The RC priests I know we’ve addressed by First Name. In the East the Baptismal name is so important (or ordination name if the deacon/priest/bishop takes up one) that you would never address someone by their family name. I’m wondering why there is a disconnect here between East and West. Can you or someone explain to me the origins of this extensive use of last name? I know Cardinals most famously are almost referred to exclusively by their last name.

I was baptized as a Roman Catholic in the USA, and not familiar with Eastern Catholic customs. I was also raised post Vatican II and most of the priests I encountered had no problems with being called Father “Name” or one who was a Monsignor as “Monsignor” LastName. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me can enlighten us all.

 

[maltmom]

The Priest at the church I used to go to is from India. His last name is extremely difficult to pronounce so everyone calls him Fr FirstName. The other Priest who retired about the time I was received into the church is also from India. He actually worked with Mother Teresa. We also called him Fr FirstName. For the others, it depends on how well I know the Priest and what everyone else calls him. I received a text from my Priest the other day and he signed it Fr FirstName.

 

[Ohana]

I was taught as a child of the 40’s and 50"s to call priests by their last name, bishops were to be addressed as “Your Exellency”, and cardinals as “Your Eminence” (never met one, but i was prepared! ). Now I mostly use the first name for priests, as in Father Bill, and use Bishop last name, and Cardinal last name when addressing them, T hat is, except for the bishop who wanted us to use his first name, as in Bishop Bill.

I agree with those who say we have just become a less formal culture. This is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

As far as I can tell it was secular priests that were Fr LastName while religious were Fr FirstName most of the time.

My mother remembers calling her two priests in her pre-vatican II parish one of each.

I as a religious use my baptismal name.

But pre-vatican II my community changed the name of the religious at vows so that name was used.

At a point we stopped. Those still around got to choose either to go back to their baptismal name or keep their religious name. I think it was about even numbers.

 

[ringil]

There were Priests before VII who were Father “first name”.

It’s up to them. I think they choose the one which sounds better. Some folks have awkward last names.

I think it’s funny that in Boston it’s Cardinal Sean.

 

[JerryZ]

When I was a kid in the 70’s we still referred to all priest by their last names…

When did that change? Do you still call priests by their last name?

I just kind of noticed this for some reason…

Well…Just now you noticed the whole culture has gone to the dumpster?

When I was young I would never call someone older than me by his or her first names and we would use the mr. or miss to address a person even someone that was friend.
Respect was taught the hard way if I strayed I could “feel” the consequences.

Now days I doubt very much many people know what the word “respect” even means.

 

[ConstantineTG]

As far as I can tell it was secular priests that were Fr LastName while religious were Fr FirstName most of the time.

My mother remembers calling her two priests in her pre-vatican II parish one of each.

I as a religious use my baptismal name.

But pre-vatican II my community changed the name of the religious at vows so that name was used.

At a point we stopped. Those still around got to choose either to go back to their baptismal name or keep their religious name. I think it was about even numbers.

At least in the East it is either your baptismal name or ordination name (which for Religious would be the name they take with their vows). But it is never the last name. I’m wondering when this change came about in the West. I can understand in today’s Western culture that referring to someone by their last name is seen as more formal and respectful. But as Christians, we should be keeping our own subculture, should we not? I’m fine if a non-Catholic calls a priest Rev. LastName. But the reason we call them “Father” denotes that there is that closeness with them. So why do we address them by their last name as if they are someone else outside our close circle?

 

[datritle]

the parochial vicar who just left my church a few months ago was younger than I am, (i am 27), and it was WEIRD calling him Father. lol

 

[Don_Jackson]

The first college I attended was a Catholic college run by Benedict monks. Since both priest and brother were the same habit, it was difficult to tell who was a priest and who was brother. To avoid giving the man I was speaking to the wrong title, I just stopped using any.
My mother reprimanded me when one of the priests called my house because I did not end every sentence with “Father.” One of the things that the monks at the college emphasized was their humanity. They wanted us to see them as the men they were, without placing them on pedestals, or seeing them as already saints. Like us, they are saints in the making. The college held “meet a monk” activities on a regular basis. Yes, even in the early 70’s we called the monks by their first names.

Outside the abbey setting, it was a priest with a difficult last name to pronounce who encouraged the use of “Father” followed by his first name.

As mentioned by an earlier poster, not all cultures use surnames. I work in the Middle East where everybody is referred to by his given name. A person’s name consists of his first name, his father’s name, his grandfather’s name, etc. A name might be 5 generations long. I have a brother named Alvin Jude. When he worked in Saudi, he went by Al Jude. My bank card does not even have my surname on it. It has my frst name and middle name. The common practice is to refer to a person by his/her first and second name.

When at the hospital, or conducting business elsewhere, I am often asked for my “good name.” This is understood to mean my first name. As other Westerner’s put it, I would want my name to be good, as in honorable. My parish congregation , and workers througout this country mostly come from the Philipines or the Indian subcontinent.

I like the Southern tradition of addressing elders by Ms. or Mr. using the title followed by the first name, as in Miss Molly.

I belong to a Franciscan parish, and the “brother”/“father” title is always an issue with everyone…except the friars…who see themselves, all as brothers, so if you don’t know them, to the OFM, “brother” is always appropriate…now, is it Brother Smith, or Brother Jimmy…well, I think thats where we started!