I met a priest recently, a young, kind, lighthearted man. We spoke for a long time. I got the impression that he wanted to be friends with me. I called him Fr. ---, then he stopped me. "Please, just call me ---."
I thought this was unfortunate. I think a man ought to own his calling. Calling a priest Father, while not very ancient or universal, is still an excellent custom in our culture. If I'm going to be friends with the man, I want to be friends with him as a priest, not as an "ordinary person". I only want to be friends with particular persons, and particular persons as whole persons, including their vocations. "Father", along with clerical garb, is kind of like a priest's wedding ring. I don't think highly of men who take off their wedding rings around certain people.
Also, while I say "Father" to honor the man, I also say it to honor his office. The man is unworthy, but God has called him to lay down his life for the Church, and placed an indelible mark on his soul and consecrated his hands in spite of his sinfulness. I say "Father" to remind me of this. Let me honor what God has done, please, if not for yourself, then for your office! And yes, I'd love to be friends.
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