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Dear Fr. Joey,
Your parishioners address you as Father Joey, while some of our youth leaders affectionately dub you “Derps”. To me, you’re simply Joey. I trust that you harbor no qualms about this informal salutation. Similarly, I’d kindly ask you to refer to me as “Soc”. Not Monsi, not Mons, but just Soc. It resonates deeply with my essence.
There exists no shade of disrespect in calling each other by our first names. We’re bound as brothers under the watchful eyes of our heavenly Father. Our shared fraternity, the “frat” of priests, further strengthens this bond. And let’s not forget our shared objective: to diligently serve the Archdiocese of Manila, which witnessed our ordination.
Before we lean into titles and honorary addresses, let’s embrace the commonalities that unite us. The title “Father” holds reverence, but the term “brother” warms the heart more profoundly. I don’t challenge the clerical structure; after all, we are clerics. But I champion the spirit of fraternity within our clerical roles. By truly embracing our brotherhood, we can actualize our fatherly roles for our congregation. We would never have assumed the role of “fathers” had we not been bound as brothers, both by baptism and mission. Addressing me as “Monsi” distances me from you, and “Monsignor” even more so. But when you say, “Soc, your brother,” I feel the warmth and camaraderie, reminding me of our shared priestly voyage.
Let’s champion our brotherhood, for it forms the foundation of our fatherly role to our community.
In fraternity,
Soc, your brother.
CALL ME SOC
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