Catholic Info
Traditional Catholic Faith => The Sacred: Catholic Liturgy, Chant, Prayers => Topic started by: Cryptinox on August 12, 2022, 11:59:38 PM
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I am curious about if there are many other countries where priests are given a title other than "Father" before their first and last name. I am asking this because I learned that in Poland they put "kapłan" which just means "priest" before the priest's name.
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In Italy priests are generally titled don as in don Curzio Nitoglia, don Francesco Ricossa. When you address him your call him Padre as in Padre Pio.
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Many places and countries have varying traditions for titles for priests.
Some I have heard are:
"Padre...Pater.." and other various translations of "Father" in other languages.
"Monsieur Vincent" French title used for Saint Vincent Ferrer.
"Monsignor" title of respect for an old and especially esteemed priest in America.
"Dom Francis" for a priest I knew who was an abbot. Also "Dom Thomas Aquinas" before he was a bishop.
"Most Reverend" is sometimes used for a Vicar Generals of orders in English speaking counties.
"Reverend Lord" "Rev. Dom" is used in Italy.
I am sure that there are also many others of which I have never heard. 😅
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I am curious about if there are many other countries where priests are given a title other than "Father" before their first and last name. I am asking this because I learned that in Poland they put "kapłan" which just means "priest" before the priest's name.
Are you sure that it is "kapłan" and not "ksiądz"? It is pronounced roughly "shonzh" (the K is silent to English ears, as in the word "knowledge", though it is very softly aspirated in a way only a Polish speaker could discern) and is abbreviated "ks.". "Kapłan" (pronounced "kop-won") is indeed a Polish word, but I'm not sure it's a common appellation for a priest.
You will also hear "ojciec" (oy-shets), which literally means "father" and is used for natural fathers as well, but "ksiądz" is probably more common.
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Many places and countries have varying traditions for titles for priests.
Some I have heard are:
"Padre...Pater.." and other various translations of "Father" in other languages.
"Monsieur Vincent" French title used for Saint Vincent Ferrer.
"Monsignor" title of respect for an old and especially esteemed priest in America.
"Dom Francis" for a priest I knew who was an abbot. Also "Dom Thomas Aquinas" before he was a bishop.
"Most Reverend" is sometimes used for a Vicar Generals of orders in English speaking counties.
"Reverend Lord" "Rev. Dom" is used in Italy.
I am sure that there are also many others of which I have never heard. 😅
There is also "Monsieur le Curé" in French, which literally means "Sir Curate".
St Jean Vianney was called the Curé d'Ars.
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I asked a (NO)Dominican how I should address him and he said if we are talking to him, Fr is fine. If we are talking about him Friar is the correct way.
"Fr Tom" "Friar Tom"
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Are you sure that it is "kapłan" and not "ksiądz"? It is pronounced roughly "shonzh" (the K is silent to English ears, as in the word "knowledge", though it is very softly aspirated in a way only a Polish speaker could discern) and is abbreviated "ks.". "Kapłan" (pronounced "kop-won") is indeed a Polish word, but I'm not sure it's a common appellation for a priest.
You will also hear "ojciec" (oy-shets), which literally means "father" and is used for natural fathers as well, but "ksiądz" is probably more common.
Yes, it is probably "ksiądz" my best friend is a first generation Polish American so I learn stuff like this from him but it is hard to remember the pronunciations. I have indeed seen "Ks." before a Polish priest's name.
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I asked a (NO)Dominican how I should address him and he said if we are talking to him, Fr is fine. If we are talking about him Friar is the correct way.
"Fr Tom" "Friar Tom"
It's hard to keep all this straight, isn't it? Or you have Traditional Catholics unsure of whether to call a Traditional bishop -- His Excellency, His Grace, Monsignor, etc. Part of that comes from the fact that it may be different in different languages and the Traditional movement is all over the world.
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It's hard to keep all this straight, isn't it? Or you have Traditional Catholics unsure of whether to call a Traditional bishop -- His Excellency, His Grace, Monsignor, etc. Part of that comes from the fact that it may be different in different languages and the Traditional movement is all over the world.
Yes it is hard.
I searched Titles of Catholic Clergy and found this TIA page.
https://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/d003rpHowToAddressClergy.html
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Yes it is hard.
I searched Titles of Catholic Clergy and found this TIA page.
https://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/d003rpHowToAddressClergy.html
And with the first one, about deacons, it was different at SSPX seminary:
Deacons
Direct address: Deacon Morris
Written address: Reverend Deacon Michael Morris
Formal introduction: The Reverend Deacon Michael Morris
At St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary, it was "Reverent Mr. Morris". And, to make it even more confusing, the French (and there was a French presence there) addressed Deacons already as "Abbe" (= "Father"). I understand that the expression for priest is also Father, but with a different word, "mon Pere" or even "Monsieur l'Abbe", so just a "Monsieur" in front of "Father".
So Europeans commonly refer to Bishops as "Monsignor" whereas in the US "Monsignor" is an honorific title for an older or more prestigious priest (bestowed by the Church).
So if you're a Traditional Catholic, you first need to figure out if they're from Europe (which commonly happens) and THEN figure out which of the titles available in each language one should use.
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Up until the 19th century, Catholic priests in Great Britain and Ireland were addressed thus:
Secular priests = Mister (or Doctor) followed by surname
Regular priests = Father followed by professed name
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Are you sure that it is "kapłan" and not "ksiądz"? It is pronounced roughly "shonzh" (the K is silent to English ears, as in the word "knowledge", though it is very softly aspirated in a way only a Polish speaker could discern) and is abbreviated "ks.". "Kapłan" (pronounced "kop-won") is indeed a Polish word, but I'm not sure it's a common appellation for a priest.
You will also hear "ojciec" (oy-shets), which literally means "father" and is used for natural fathers as well, but "ksiądz" is probably more common.
You are correct. In Poland, when addressing a diocesan priest, one says "Proszę Księdza" and when addressing a congregation priest (e.g. a Franciscan), "Proszę Ojca." The literal translation of the former phrase is "Priest, please" and the latter one is "Father, please." In the English speaking world it is "Father." God bless.
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You are correct. In Poland, when addressing a diocesan priest, one says "Proszę Księdza" and when addressing a congregation priest (e.g. a Franciscan), "Proszę Ojca." The literal translation of the former phrase is "Priest, please" and the latter one is "Father, please." In the English speaking world it is "Father." God bless.
Also, when you greet a priest in Poland, you say "niech będzie pochwalony Jezus Chrystus" (pronounced roughly "nick ben-zhuh poke-val-ona yay-zoos kree-stus"), meaning "may Jesus Christ be praised".
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I know ICKSP priests for instance are called canon. I don't think this has anything to do with countries though...