Rude Priests?

[Orthodox Andrew]

Greetings in the Lord, all!

Today a priest was incredibly rude to me in church. And thinking back I have known many priests with grisly personalities. Though, I have met a some very kind ones as well.

I was wondering, has this been my bad luck, or is there some sort of tendency for this among the clergy?

In Christ,
Andrew

 

[Mary of Bethany]

In the 6+ years of attending Orthodox services regularly, I have to say I've never encountered a rude priest. The ones I've known have been very, very kind.

I'm sure they have their bad days, just like the rest of us, and they are probably pretty stressed out by the end of this first week of Lent, too.

Mary

 

[Orthocat]

Even priests are subject to bad passions I guess.

I visited one type of Orthodox church once and the priest in no uncertain terms told me I would be more comfortable in a different one.

well allrighty then...

That's been the only one however. Every other Orthodox priest I've met has been very kind and very reverent and just the way you would want them to be.

 

[Photini]

I've known priests to be extremely busy and under a lot of pressure...and therefore seem short with me. I thought at the time that this was rude. I know better now.

I'm not sure what has happened that you felt was rude, so it's hard to say anything.

 

[Matrona]

Priests can have as wide a range of personalities as anyone else. Mine is an incredibly gentle soul but sometimes he can be kind of quiet and not-altogether-loquacious, especially if he's tired. Priests tend to have a lot of stress put on them; try to understand if they sometimes lose their cool.

I'm sometimes described as being very good for seekers but a few days ago I lost my temper with someone who was discontinuing inquiry into Orthodoxy for what I thought were incredibly superficial reasons. They WERE, but that was no excuse for what I did. He was just pushing my buttons and I bit his head off... :o Things seem to be cool, but I really wish I hadn't done that.

 

[Orthodox Andrew]

I've known priests to be extremely busy and under a lot of pressure...and therefore seem short with me. I thought at the time that this was rude. I know better now.

I'm not sure what has happened that you felt was rude, so it's hard to say anything.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

Not to get into too much detail, but the priest basically yelled at me and questioned whether I had true faith for something I just didn't plain understand. It was really uncalled for, and has made me feel really let down.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

Ouch. I'm sure that was hurtful. Try to use it as a lesson in humility and respond with forgiveness and love, not holding a grudge in your heart.

Easier said than done, of course.

Mary

 

[cassc]

I've known priests to be extremely busy and under a lot of pressure...and therefore seem short with me.

I would tend to agree with that. Of course all priests have different personalities but to generalize I would think that most priests are actually very kind and by the very nature of their work interested in loving and guiding people, but at the same time this puts a great amount of strain on them. I sincerely hope that the priest you were speaking too was simply having a bad day and accidentally took it out on you

Side note, IMO I really believe there are 'no stupid questions', while I know that some thoughts are sent to us from the devil, if those thoughts are bothering you then you should definitely be speaking to your spiritual father about that!!!

 

[Knowledge3]

Thanks for all the replies so far.

Not to get into too much detail, but the priest basically yelled at me and questioned whether I had true faith for something I just didn't plain understand. It was really uncalled for, and has made me feel really let down.

Have faith in God.

The one Lord Jesus Christ is our great High Priest.

 

[E.C.]

Yeesh!

So far all the priests I've encountered have been good people.

 

[Philothei]

Priests are human too. I am pretty sure he did not mean it just was too tired or something was bothering him. Maybe you need to address it with him if it bothers you and he is your parish priest, so you put your mind at ease and you get the story straight. I experienced something similar with our choir director and our priest and he ended up apologizing to her. No hurt feelings they are just human like all of us. And missunderstandings happen. Pray about it.

God bless,
Philothei

 

[buzuxi02]

Ive encountered both friendly and rude priests. I cant say if this is an epidemic or something "normal" among clerical circles. Regardless of how much or lack of a problem it is, we should always pray to God to raise up worthy and honorable shepherds for his flock.

 

[Dewi Sant]

All the priests I've had are wondeful people, even so, we would go out for Sunday lunch after liturgy sometimes (or Saturday...we rarely get a Sunday )

Don't hold judgement against anyone, he might have been trying to teach you something.
Or, it could just be the fast kicking in.
These first two weeks are the most difficult for the fast as it is now that our bodies are altering to non-meat and dairy diets.
Pray for humility and softness of charactor.

 

[Akathist]

Thanks for all the replies so far.

Not to get into too much detail, but the priest basically yelled at me and questioned whether I had true faith for something I just didn't plain understand. It was really uncalled for, and has made me feel really let down.

I think you might have touched a nerve in the Priest.

I was talking with my Priest the other day about how in my work I sometimes need to raise my voice and make decisions that upset the people I work with. (I provide treatment for sexual offenders... so I might for example have a rule that they do not like or I might try to get their attention by raising my voice to say someting like: "No, it is NEVER appropriate to do (bad thing I won't put here) at all, not ever.")

He told me that there are times when sounding angry or being abrupt is needed and is actually the right thing to do. For example, he gets after his children with a strong authoritative voice when he needs to.

I have only had one bad experience with a Priest and it was one that wouldn't return my calls after he said he would help me with something. He was very very nice to talk to when I finally went to his parish to ask him in person.

I read somewhere about a gathering of Priests who were discussing something and they became louder and louder and eventually were yelling at one another. When the meeting was over, they kissed each other on the cheek and went to a Vesper's service together.

I just remind myself that Priest are sinners too.