How would address a priest?

Irish Stones

I'm going to write a letter or an email to a catholic parish priest in Ireland (I live in Italy, you know).
So how would you addrees a message to him?
Dear Father, Hi Father, or just Father? Or else?

I don't know him well, I just talked to him once for about 15 minutes.
Thanks!

kneemos

Dear..... if you know his first name.

Notorious97

I am sure someone will be along any moment to abuse the church to no end, please stand by.

Personally I would just out Hi Father (insert name)?

Valetta

Father,

Nodin

Irish Stones wrote: »

I'm going to write a letter or an email to a catholic parish priest in Ireland (I live in Italy, you know).
So how would you addrees a message to him?
Dear Father, Hi Father, or just Father? Or else?

I don't know him well, I just talked to him once for about 15 minutes.
Thanks!

Len.

seamus

Dear <name> or Hi <name>

If you're catholic, you should probably address him as "Father".

riffmongous

Dear Father Lastname.. would be fine,

a letter would be addressed to 'The Reverend Firstname Lastname'

FatherLen

Nodin wrote: »

Len.

What?

Kenjataimu

Nodin wrote: »

Len.

kylith

IDK, I haven't had to address a priest with more than 'hello' for years. I'd probably avoid addressing him as anything for as long as I could. I like to think that if forced to call him anything I'd say 'Mister ...' for 2 reasons: I already have a father, and the bible specifically says not to call any person 'father'. In my house growing up priests were referred to just by their surname.

But then, I'm a contrary bitch.

horgan_p

Token "The Defendant" comment

Tombi!

Whats the letter about? Professional or not?

Reiver

Nodin wrote: »

Len.

He said he's writing to a priest, not a bishop.

allthedoyles

Abbreviate the father and address him as Fr. followed by surname

suicide_circus

Father, I killed a man

kylith

Ah, it's a letter. Start it with "A Cara", it's good for every situation.

Dr_Bill

He's not my father so...

Dear Sir.

Regards

Luke Skywalker

Father <last name> usually works. I guess it depends on the context. Some like being referred to by their first name.

I don't think it matters as such if you're a catholic or not. If I were addressing a Jewish Rabbi, I'd be referring to him as Rabbi. Same with whatever title carries for that Religion. It's just a sign of respect.

somesoldiers

Our local lad is Liam, so "Father Liam", come to think- I don't even know his surname

Reiver

kylith wrote: »

Ah, it's a letter. Start it with "A Cara", it's good for every situation.

Careful now. Vocative case, "A chara".

We must be the only people who's language changed names when you addressed them.

"Tá Seán ann. A Sheáin!"

I agree, it is good for every situation, not too formal or informal.

Lenin Skynard

Faader.

Kovu

I suppose it would depend on where he lived.

kylith

Reiver wrote: »

Careful now. Vocative case, "A chara".

We must be the only people who's language changed names when you addressed them.

"Tá Seán ann. A Sheáin!"

I agree, it is good for every situation, not too formal or informal.

I was getting confused with gender (which I only discovered Irish had in 4th year). I'd actually written 'chara' first; raging now!

Galway K9

AM i the only one that addresses a priest by their first name without any title?

Ocditsme

Like the good old days... kneel and kiss his ring.

kneemos

Galway K9 wrote: »

AM i the only one that addresses a priest by their first name without any title?

It's what they prefer apparently.

Don't hear it very often,except maybe on radio or TV interviews.

Uriel.

If it is formal, then Dear Reverend Father. But only in terms of written correspondence... it's just Father if it's a spoken conversation

kneemos

Doubt they'll notice anyhoo

Diamond Doll

I'd begin a letter with "Dear Father *lastname*"
I'd begin an e-mail with just "Father *lastname*"

I definitely wouldn't use "Hi", especially when you don't know him well.

And I'd use the "Father" even though I'm not religious. It's like, say if I wanted to be called Ms, I wouldn't appreciate people going around calling me Miss. Father the general respectful title used for priests, so I'd use it unless I was specifically told otherwise.

Having said that, I've an uncle who was a priest, and I also found it so weird how all of his brothers and sisters, and even his own mother, called him Father. Imagine referring to your son as Father! Very religious family, though.

PLL

My huge culchie family know the local priest very well, his married / christened / buried most of them and he sits down and chats away to all of them like an old friend. They all call him Father <lastname>. To me it's just a sign of respect. So personally I would address a letter Dear Father <lastname>

roadrunner16

Irish Stones wrote: »

I'm going to write a letter or an email to a catholic parish priest in Ireland (I live in Italy, you know).
So how would you addrees a message to him?
Dear Father, Hi Father, or just Father? Or else?

I don't know him well, I just talked to him once for about 15 minutes.
Thanks!

You address me by my proper title, you little bollocks! :mad:

The Backwards Man

Just put 'to whom it may concern' on it. I put that on everything, birthday cards, mass cards, tax letters, everything.

Junkyard Tom

Dear Len, how's the son?

km991148

Notorious97 wrote: »

I am sure someone will be along any moment to abuse the church to no end, please stand by.

I was hoping for that also.. but what do ya know.. 3 pages in and very little..
I am disappointed..

AH has went soft!

gerrybbadd

Howaya Padre

seamus

Deleted User wrote: »

Father <last name> usually works. I guess it depends on the context. Some like being referred to by their first name.

I don't think it matters as such if you're a catholic or not. If I were addressing a Jewish Rabbi, I'd be referring to him as Rabbi. Same with whatever title carries for that Religion. It's just a sign of respect.

I probably wouldn't address a Rabbi as "Rabbi" unless it was relevant to the context. If we were guests at a wedding and he'd been introduced to me as "John", I'd just call him John, not "Rabbi" or "Rabbi John".

In the same way I don't call any Garda, "Sergeant Jones" or "Garda Jones" unless they're actually in uniform or otherwise dealing with in an official capacity.

In that regard, if I was writing a letter of thanks to a priest for a nice funeral or something, I'd probably use the "Father" title. If I was asking him to pay his subs for the local poker club, or asking him if he wanted another beer, I wouldn't.

topper75

kylith wrote: »

IDK, I haven't had to address a priest with more than 'hello' for years. I'd probably avoid addressing him as anything for as long as I could. I like to think that if forced to call him anything I'd say 'Mister ...' for 2 reasons: I already have a father, and the bible specifically says not to call any person 'father'. In my house growing up priests were referred to just by their surname.

But then, I'm a contrary bitch.

Why don't you use the term I use, "Good Sir"?

As in, "I am warning you one last time Good Sir, do not sprinkle me with that holy water or you risk a sound beating."

Ruu

Unhand me priest!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VNhhC3lY64

Royal Legend

Whats up rev,

probably depends on the nature of the letter, if its a thank you, then Dear Father, if its a threatening letter, then probably start with, you're dead you ******* ****, i am going to tear your balls off, purely dependent on the occasion etc

Akrasia

Don't call him Daddy, they don't like that.

Akrasia

Kovu wrote: »

I suppose it would depend on where he lived.

Whatever you don't forget the Eircode

conorh91

Dear Fr. [firstname] if you have met one another informally
Dear Fr. [surname] if you haven't met, or you feel first names would be too familiar.

Nuns are more difficult, because they usually drop the 'Sister' prefix altogether.
Sr Murphy?
Sr. Mary
Mary?
Yo Murph?

Mad nuns.

BlaasForRafa

"Dear F**kface" should do the trick

Fr_Dougal

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

"Dear F**kface" should do the trick

:mad:

Bubbaclaus

Calling someone that isn't your Dad 'Father' has always sounded creepy to me, especially considering the recent history of the church. Call him by his first name.

I've always called priests by their first name, just like everyone else in society.

Bubbaclaus

Calling someone that isn't your Dad 'Father' has always sounded creepy to me, especially considering the recent history of the church. Call him by his first name.

I've always called priests by their first name, just like everyone else in society.

MillField

Well kiiiid

Fleawuss

Dear Melchizedek?

feargale

Reiver wrote: »

Careful now. Vocative case, "A chara".
We must be the only people who's language changed names when you addressed them.
"Tá Seán ann. A Sheáin!"
I agree, it is good for every situation, not too formal or informal.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocative_case

In fact, quite a few languages have a vocative form. Even English has examples e.g. "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring."

darkpagandeath

Hail Satan ?

feargale

darkpagandeath wrote: »

Hail Satan ?

Clearly a man who omitted to read post no. 3.