Call No Man Your "father," Especially On Facebook

[KnightofChrist]

Call No Man Your "Father," Especially on Facebook

 

Priests threatened with loss of accounts when using their religious title on social media site.

 

 

 

Father Peter West has been a priest for almost 25 years, but this week he became simply “Peter West” again.

At least on Facebook.

Father West, if we may call him that, said he went to log on to the social media site Tuesday and was blocked because his user name included the title “Father.”

In truth, Facebook has long had a policy restricting members from using professional titles. “Facebook is a community where people use their authentic identities,” its policy explains. “We require people to provide the name they use in real life; that way, you always know who you're connecting with. This helps keep our community safe.”

The policy goes on to ask users to refrain from adding to their names “titles of any kind (ex: professional, religious)” as well as a host of other items.

“The name you use should be your authentic identity; as your friends call you in real life,” it says.

Many Catholic priests get around the restriction by combining “Father” or “Fr.” with their first name, or using a hyphen between the two, or in the case of religious priests, simply using the initials of their order at the end.

“I know a priest who’s Italian and uses ‘Don,’” a common title in Italy for “Father,” said Father West, who is vice president for missions at Human Life International.

But a recent wave of priests experiencing corrective measures from Facebook has led to supporters creating this week a Facebook community page, "Tell FB: Allow Catholic Priests to keep the title ‘Father’ in their FB name.” It has more than 2500 likes so far.

“The Facebook policy seems unevenly enforced,” said Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, in an interview—conducted through Facebook.  “I got around it by combining my title with my name: ‘ArchbishopPaul Coakley.’  It seems as if it's an unreasonable restriction on the kind of discourse social media ought to foster.  I want people to know who they are communicating with when communicating with me.  One of the things that drew me to Facebook is the opportunities it can afford for evangelization.”

“It’s bizarre. This is the first time it’s happened to me,” said Father James Chern, who experienced trouble using “Father” on Tuesday. As director of the Office for Vocations in the Archdiocese of Newark, N.J., and a university chaplain, he finds Facebook very useful for communicating with young people. “I was on earlier this morning and I got a message saying my name ‘doesn’t meet our policies or standards.’ I thought I’d gotten a virus. When I logged on again, same thing. They said ‘We’re not allowing any professional or religious title.’ So I tried putting ‘Father’ in the first name slot, ‘Jim’ in the middle and ‘Chern’ in the last. It came back and told me ‘You’re violating the policy. In one minute you’ll have an opportunity to change your name. If you keep putting in the same name, we will deactivate your account.’

"I was like, ‘Wow! I got a virtual time out, and I have a minute to sit and ponder my existence.’ So I went with Jim Chern, and one of my friends made that profile pic.”

The profile picture is a drawing of a young priest with the initial “Fr.” In the corner. 

Father West and Father Chern report seeing other religious titles on Facebook, such as “Rabbi” or “Chaplain.” This reporter found a few imams.

Father Stephen Imbarrato, who also has had trouble using “Father,” points out another anomoly.

“People bring up the contradiction that Facebook came up with all the different genders by which users can classify themselves,” said Father Imbarrato, pastor of Sacred Heart parish in Albuquerque. “They were very accommodating there, so why not here?”

Why is it important to be able to use “Father?”

“It’s my heavenly vocation. I did not choose to be Father; God choose for me to be Father, plain and simple,” Father Imbarrato said. “Even my family members don’t call me Stephen. This is not some professional title, it’s a vocation in life.”

In response to multiple requests for an interview, Facebook simply sent an email to this reporter: “Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re constantly trying to improve Facebook, so it's important that we hear from the people who use it. Unfortunately, we can’t respond to your emails individually, but we are paying attention to them. We appreciate you taking the time to write to us.”


John Burger is news editor for Aleteia's English edition.

[PhuturePriest]

Facebook having a dumb policy? And I'd thought I'd heard everything.

[Nihil Obstat]

This has been the rule in the books for years, but it is unfortunate that they have decided just now to start enforcing it.

[Basilisa Marie]

They've been enforcing it for a while, at least a few years. 

 

But I know a lot of priests on facebook (handful, really) and they all have Fr-Firstname or something on their names. 

If people can use their first and middle names and no last name, why not a religious title? Meh. Stupid. 

[Nihil Obstat]

They've been enforcing it for a while, at least a few years. 

 

But I know a lot of priests on facebook (handful, really) and they all have Fr-Firstname or something on their names. 

If people can use their first and middle names and no last name, why not a religious title? Meh. Stupid. 

If it has been enforced, it has been very selective. And that is a bad policy for a case like this.

Even our friend Staretz here on PM has "Br." in his name.

[Winchester]

Any facebook rule will be poorly enforced. This is a non-issue. You don't like it, quit facebook. 

[truthfinder]

We require people to provide the name they use in real life; that way, you always know who you're connecting with.

The hilarious irony of this is that if certain priests (who don't even use fb, btw) were forced to use solely their first and last name, I'd never know who they were.  I actually forgot my former parish priest's name, and had to look it up on the parish website, because no one uses his first name, always Fr. Lastname. 

[KnightofChrist]

Any facebook rule will be poorly enforced. This is a non-issue. You don't like it, quit facebook. 

 

Consumers don't have to quit a product because they don't like the way it's packaged or made. They can say "Hey this is a stupid rule, stop it." Of course the company doesn't have to listen but that also would be stupid.

[veritasluxmea]

I know priests who either get around it or just don't put the title up there. It's dumb, I hope they change it. Back in middle school there were kids RPing on FB all the time pretending they were anime characters or whatever. That's not even their real identity and they never got in trouble. Anyone reminded of the "virgin mary should have aborted" controversy? 

[Era Might]

Facebook is the world's greatest invention for making you feel like you're doing something for doing nothing.

[KnightofChrist]

Facebook apologized to Drag Queens for the 'real name' rule.

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/oct/01/victory-drag-queens-facebook-apologises-real-name-policy

[veritasluxmea]

the internet is the world's greatest invention for making you feel like you're doing something for doing nothing.

fixed that for you

[Luigi]

Any facebook rule will be poorly enforced. This is a non-issue. You don't like it, quit facebook. 

 

Poorly enforced or selectively enforced?

[oratefratres]

it is not just priests - it is anyone putting a title in their name. like, Doctor, or Sister or Reverend or Lady or Sir or Dame.

[Winchester]

Poorly enforced or selectively enforced?

Probably both, since it's a massive site with thousands of people whining about their particular grievance to the few beleaguered souls listening to those gripes.