Weird b'day salutation!

A few days ago we had Santiagu's birthday.  We celebrated the day with Mass and supper in the evening, as a community.  Being a Sunday we invited the Salesians of the city for the meal two days later on a Tuesday.  

One weird thing I found, which I felt I should have pointed out much earlier was the way he was addressed during all those days, in different places and at different times, by different groups!  Most kept saying, "Birthday of Fr Provincial!"  

And every time I heard it, I squirmed!   The birthday was of Santiagu, not Fr Provincial; not even of FATHER Santiagu!  On the said day, Santiagu was born, not the Provincial, not the Priest!  Worse still, he'll be the Provincial only for his tenure of 6 years! And celebration of the Provincial's b'day, if at all one is to celebrate the event, is to be on the day he took charge as the Provincial. 

This distinction is essential in bearing in mind that titles, roles, responsibilities as distinct from a person!  Each one has its own place and importance. Human being is the substance; the rest are accidents!