<p>It seems this is a highly speculative question.<br>
From research, I found out that the formal way to speak to a priest is  <strong>Father + Name + Surname</strong>.<br>
Still, as is, those are not mandatory rules, and the priest might prefer to be called a specific way and say so to his congregation.</p>

<p>So, the discrepancy between Father Roberto and Father Hiraga could be because of his personal choice.<br>
Or because people read his name in the japanese order and see Hiraga as the first name.<br>
It also might the decision of the writer to apply japanese adressing etiquette to the way people call the character.</p>

<p>I don't think a definitive in scenario answer will be possible.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-10T23:42:58.137Z
Accepting this since it seems as definitive as we'll get. Father + $surname seems more common, at least in a Catholic context (which doesn't apply to my _Brothers Karamazov_ example), [but there seems to be some inconsistency](https://forums.catholic.com/t/addressing-a-priest-fr-first-name-vs-fr-last-name/61849).
Maroon
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-11T15:35:36.807Z
2017-09-11T15:35:36.807Z
Sigfried666
<p>In <em>Vatican Miracle Examiner</em>, the main characters are often addressed as Fathers Roberto and Hiraga. Thus, Roberto is addressed by his personal name, whereas Hiraga is addressed by his surname. (Hiraga's full name, using English-style ordering, is Josef Kou Hiraga. Josef seems like a name taken upon entering the priesthood.)</p>

<p>Why is there such a discrepancy? What I've seen in the past (e.g. in <em>The Brothers Karamazov</em>) suggests that at the very least, it's not unusual for priests to be addressed as Father + $personal_name, and Hiraga's form of address does not fit that.</p>

<vatican-miracle-examiner>
Why "Father Roberto" but "Father Hiraga"?
# Why "Father Roberto" but "Father Hiraga"?
Posted by: username_0 on 2017-09-09
In *Vatican Miracle Examiner*, the main characters are often addressed as Fathers Roberto and Hiraga. Thus, Roberto is addressed by his personal name, whereas Hiraga is addressed by his surname. (Hiraga's full name, using English-style ordering, is Josef Kou Hiraga. Josef seems like a name taken upon entering the priesthood.)

Why is there such a discrepancy? What I've seen in the past (e.g. in *The Brothers Karamazov*) suggests that at the very least, it's not unusual for priests to be addressed as Father + $personal\_name, and Hiraga's form of address does not fit that.
**Tags:** vatican-miracle-examiner
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## 1 answers
### Answer by username_1 on 2017-09-11. Score: 2 | Accepted answer
It seems this is a highly speculative question.  
From research, I found out that the formal way to speak to a priest is **Father + Name + Surname**.  
Still, as is, those are not mandatory rules, and the priest might prefer to be called a specific way and say so to his congregation.

So, the discrepancy between Father Roberto and Father Hiraga could be because of his personal choice.  
Or because people read his name in the japanese order and see Hiraga as the first name.  
It also might the decision of the writer to apply japanese adressing etiquette to the way people call the character.

I don't think a definitive in scenario answer will be possible.
> **Comments:**
> **username_0** (2018-12-10): Accepting this since it seems as definitive as we'll get. Father + $surname seems more common, at least in a Catholic context (which doesn't apply to my _Brothers Karamazov_ example), [but there seems to be some inconsistency](https://forums.catholic.com/t/addressing-a-priest-fr-first-name-vs-fr-last-name/61849).  
---
