When addressing a Catholic Priest, I refer to him as:

Though I am a former Roman Catholic, I still have to see them on occasion, being that my wife and daughters are still Catholic.

In reading Matthew 23:9, I have always noticed that it says, "Call no man on earth YOUR Father --" So if I call a priest "Father," I am not actually calling him MY Father, for "Father" is just a title, not an actual position or authority to me. Now if Jesus had said "Call no man on earth Father ---" then it would be clearer not to call a priest with that word. Besides, the verse continues as "for you have only one Father, which is in Heaven." So if I were to take that literally, then I would have to say that God himself had intercourse with my mother and so I was conceived! Too Mormon for me, thank you.

And besides, what about my actual Dad here on Earth?

One could also speculate on how the English are sinning in the worst way by calling their judges "My Lord." Well, don't we have but one Lord? See where this is going? Or the Australians, with "Your Worship?" It gets really mired now.

The best thing to do is not get all hung up on titles. This is where human nature gets all pompous and arrogant. Personally, I have no use for them. But if one wants to be called "The Lord High Father Grand Poobah," then fine. Whatever, as teenagers would say.


mozier

 

Ever since I left the Catholic Church many years ago, I have always called a priest Mister. A nun I call Ma'am. I kiss no ring, nor genuflect to no man.

 

Oops, too late to edit previous post. I'm going to have to think quicker. Anyways...Sometimes I call them "Come back here and fight like a man..."

Pete

 

I ticked 'Rev'as they are ordained. Two of them I call 'Uncle' for that is who they are

Yours in Christ

Matt

 

When our grown kids were small and we lived in Connecticut two of them were invited to eat lunch (picnic style) with some dear neighbors. When they got home our Jon was all excited. I guess there were other guests from their parish and according to Jon there were some God Father's and some God Mothers!

Diane

 

I was a practicing Catholic for 10 years. During that time, I kissed no ring and genuflected to no man either.

Last year, when I was on a community softball team, one of the players was a Catholic priest from the local church. On a Sunday game in June, we all wished him happy Father's day.

 

I usually call them father until I get to know them and then I call them by their names. Here in town the catholic priest is commonly known as Father Bob, so that is what I call him, for now!

 

I put mister but probably should have gone with other. My husband works with the military in the Religious Ed area and works with all faiths. Whenever there is a priest around I never address him by name or a title. I just typically say hi or if they ask a question I'll of course answer it all without adressing names or titles. It's worked well for me for the past 3 yrs or so...lol

 

Well, I am going to step out here and say that I beleive MOST Catholic priests would take offence at being called "Mister."

I'd suggest that, if folks have Romans 14 issues with calling one "Father," to take Dr. Bob's advise. Call them "Reverend."

 

I have something to say about a Catholic Priest and what I would like to call them to their face, but it would be unwise of me to post it here.

Too bad to I made up a dandy of a joke a week ago!

 

Major B,

How about "Father Bubba"?

Dr. Bob,

I think that "Father" and "Reverend" are equally wrong--reverence is due to God alone.

 

I call them Father out of respect for their traditions. I don't call them reverend, but I don't see why you couldn't.

I don't believe that calling them "father" violates any scriptural principle because the name has no spiritual signifigance to me.

If it's my good friend and mentor, Fr Joe McCauley, I usually just call him Joe.

 

I'm a former Catholic and have converted to Baptist just recently, so I've never been in the situation yet where I've had to acknowledge a Catholic priest. My former Catholic church is literally thirty seconds away walking distance/time, so it seems that I'll bump into one of my former "fathers" in due time. I don't know what exactly I'll call them, but I DO know I'm not calling them "father."

 

It's not exactly the same thing but I was in New York this weekend and took some people to St Patricks.

This place was packed with tourists, which was fine. There was no mass going on and they opened it up to the tourist.

I was shocked at how many people don't know how to behave and be respectful in a church. Whether you're a Catholic or not, how do people not know these things?

 

Thank you MICHAEL WRENN for picking up on "Reverend." In the KJV, "reverend" appears only once and is ascribed to God alone: "He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name." I really don't how/where ministers get off by having "reverend" as a title.
As for Catholic priests, it goes without saying not to call him "father" for God alone is "Father." Otherwise, when talking to a priest (which is hardly ever, weddings and funerals maybe), I don't know how to address him - I just nod my head politely and move on. I don't do genuflection, sign language, water throwing or ring kissing...

 

I initially checked "father " on the poll.
I believe however that since Paul said that "you have many teachers but not many Fathers. The term Father should be reserved for those in ministry that are like a spiritual father to you.
I also believe the term father should be a voluntary title.
Maybe Non Roman Catholics should give the title to a select few ministers that they have a relationship with. I have a few that have impacted my life in a way that they deserve the title.
The Episcopal church has titles such as Vicar, and Rector that describes the relationship with the flock better than the term Father in most cases.
I refer to my pastor as "Pastor Greg."
I had another pastor I referred to as "Brother Jim."
This keeps things a little more personal but shows respect and this has also been their preference.

 

I usually call them "pastor". Since Roman Catholic 'priests' are not my spiritual fathers, I do not address them that way. For me to address them as a spiritual father would betray my Baptist heritage and my biblical understanding.

And I did have a problem with a Roman Catholic priest 12 years ago... he got upset with me because I would not address him as "father". I didn't make an issue of it or even mention why I won't do it, but he got upset with me anyway. Finally I had to tell him that I do not recognize the Pope or the Roman Catholic priesthood as spiritual authorities any greater than anyone else.

Of course that didn't help, but it ended our conversation.