Father / priest
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Father / priest
The form of address and term for a priest who belongs to a Catholic religious order.
Pater Thomas lebt seit zwanzig Jahren im Franziskanerkloster.
Father Thomas has lived in the Franciscan monastery for twenty years.
The word 'Pater' comes directly from Latin and means 'father'. It is used as a respectful term for a religious-order priest who is seen as a kind of spiritual father figure in the community.
Viele Gemeindemitglieder suchen bei Pater Johannes Rat und Trost.
Many members of the parish seek advice and comfort from Father Johannes.
'Pater' (Father) is often used like a title directly before a first name or last name. In direct address, it can also stand alone.
Pater Schmidt wird die Messe leiten.
Father Schmidt will lead the Mass.
While the singular is regular, this noun has a special plural form from Latin: 'die Patres' (the Fathers). This form is used mainly in written language and in formal contexts within the church.
Die Patres des Ordens versammelten sich zum Abendgebet.
The Fathers of the order gathered for evening prayer.
brother
'der Bruder' and 'der Pater' can both occur in a religious context. This makes them easy to confuse. In this meaning, a 'Bruder' is a male member of a religious order, but not a priest. A 'Pater' is a priest in a Catholic religious order and can also be addressed that way. So when it comes to the role within the order, it is important to remember: not every brother is a 'Pater'. 'Pater' is used only when the person is a priest.
Am Sonntag spricht der Pater nach der Messe mit den Besuchern.
On Sunday, the priest speaks with the visitors after Mass.
Der Bruder arbeitet im Kloster im Garten und kümmert sich um die Gäste.
The brother works in the monastery garden and takes care of the guests.