You have all heard about some poor priest whose phone erupts during Mass or in the confessional. By “erupt”, I mean Father forgot either to leave the phone in the sacristy (best) or to switch off the ringer (acceptable). The only thing that makes the phone going off (usually a mistake) worse is when he answers!
That said, I was in car with a priest friend recently and, … I heard coughing.
There is nothing unusual about coughing, for priests do, occasionally, cough.
The coughing was coming neither from me nor my priest friend at the wheel.
No, there wasn’t anyone hiding in the backseat.
Father explained that sound was his ringtone. One cough for a text message, extended coughing for a call.
He added that this cough-tone had saved him more than once while saying Mass.
I offer this tip, to my brother priests (and maybe a bishop or two).
With thanks to Fr Z.