Veteran priest

VETERAN. A lay minister was recently scolded by his parish priest for calling an archbishop a veteran priest. He was told that it's improper for anyone to call a bishop, let alone an archbishop, a veteran priest. The lay minister apologized but gave an explanation.

EXPERIENCED. He said it is common for writers to call anyone veteran for his experience in his trade. Like veteran basketball player, veteran salesman, veteran teacher, etc. But the parish priest retorted: "The archbishop you referred to is not an old practitioner in his trade."