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Facebook Hates Catholics
By Fr. Dennis | June 10, 2008
Okay, to be fair, I have no idea if the entire Facebook organization hates Catholics. The headline was just to get your attention. But they do discriminate in particular against Catholic clergy and vowed religious (priests, sisters, etc.).
Facebook will not allow me to change the name of my Facebook account to “Fr. Dennis Schenkel.” When I attempted to do so, the name was kicked out. When I contacted the company, someone named “Diego” wrote back, addressing me as “Hi Dennis,” even though I had signed my email as “Fr. Dennis Schenkel.” Diego claims that religious titles are not allowed and are a violation of Facebook’s terms and conditions. I read all the terms and conditions. Nothing about this “policy” is mentioned.
Turns out I’m not the first to encounter Facebook’s anti-Catholic bias, as you can read about here.
Here is “Diego’s” lame email to me:
Hi Dennis,I apologize for the inconvenience, but we no longer allow users to list religious titles on their names. Additionally, users who currently have religious titles on their names are in violation of our Terms of Use and may have their accounts disabled. Unfortunately, we will not be able to make the name change you have requested. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks,
Diego
User Operations
Suggestions?
Topics: Anti-Catholicism, Evangelization, Internet |
June 10th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Fr. Dennis,
Suggestion: Come to CatholicDestination.com. Right now we have the WordPress blog, but the admin is in the process of adding additional features to rival what you have on Facebook. He says it’s going to be easier to work with AND, being a Catholic site, you will never have a “policy” that says you can’t have your priestly title as part of your name.
HUGE CONGRATS ON YOUR ORDINATION!
I’m going to have to drive out to St. Louis to see you soon.
June 10th, 2008 at 9:49 am
1. See if they also suppress “Dr” and claim to suppress titles because people can lie and say that they are priests or doctors. If that’s the policy, I think you are SOL.
2. If they don’t suppress Dr., ask them how they prove to their own satisfaction that the person IS a doctor. Offer to submit similar proof as to your ordination. Let them turn you down again. THEN we’ll figure out how to raise a little heck. As a newly ordained priest, you are such a sympathetic character that I’m sure a sizable ripples can be created in the blogosphere.
God grant you overflowing grace, by the way, as you enter your life of priesthood! How wonderful! I’ve never attended an ordination, but I am sure it is a total joyful tearfest by everyone involved.
June 10th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
I have somehow managed to fight off the censors thus far although I have tried to change “Fr.” to “Father” because more non-Catholics would understand it.
June 10th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
…weird? i know priests who definitely have fr. in their name. and i thought facebook had reinstated religious titles
June 10th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
by the way, do you know dominic petan? he just finished his first 2 years at st. meinrad and is working at my church this summer. he’s from the diocese of lafayette-in-indiana.
congratulations on your ordinations!
June 16th, 2008 at 12:05 am
Interesting. I just became a member at Facebook because..well my friends talked me into it
So…I guess I’ll be sending you an invite…apparently not as Father, which really saddens me.
But be assured….I’ll address you as “Father” in every other way. God bless.
~ Julie
June 24th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
We were not aware of the issue you wrote about however at http://www.4marks.com not only do we permit priests and religious to use their proper titles but we actually promote them as celebrities because they carry a special status in the Church. Check it out for yourself… http://www.4marks.com
God Bless,
– Brian
June 30th, 2008 at 7:16 am
That is strange. I’m new to your blog, but not new to facebook.
About a month ago, I set up a facebook account for my friend and pastor, and I just put his title as his first name.
“Fr. James” and then attached his last name.
Or if you tried “Father Dennis” and use a different email address than you had before, you might be able to get around that silly rule that way.
Best of luck!
June 30th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Thanks, Abby. Starting about the same time as my ordination weekend, they added a feature to their database that blocked the any names that include “Fr. “, “Sr. “, “Rev. “, or even “Dr. ” as part of the first name. It’s not possible to set up a name with those letters as initial letters.
Since I complained, I’m on their radar now, and every time I’ve done something to contravene their proscription, they go back in and change it.
June 30th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Fr. Dennis,
I’m having the same issue, having been recently ordained myself. According to Facebook, I’m still Deacon Cory Sticha. I guess they don’t think my ordination was valid.
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Well, Fathers, that stinks! Can you even sign up for a facebook account?
I was going to say that I can’t believe they would do such a thing, but I can believe it. It’s sad that this side of the world doesn’t recognize your title and your vocation.
Put a giant picture of you in your collar.
July 30th, 2008 at 12:59 am
His name was “Diego,” you say? curious….
July 30th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Yeah, I had that same thought.
AMDG,
Janet