By Father Thom Hennen
Question Box
Q: What do the designations in priests’ titles mean? What is the difference between “Father” and “Monsignor,” “Reverend,” “Very Reverend,” “Right Reverend,” and “Most Reverend”?
A: We do love our titles and protocol in the Catholic Church, maybe a little too much. However, all of these things mean something, even if they don’t mean much in the end.
Customarily, we call our priests “Father.” Why we do that when Jesus says, “Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven” (Matthew 23:9) is a great question for another day. But when it comes to titles used for clergy on paper there is some long-established custom.
A priest is given the title “Reverend.” The title “Very Reverend” is given to vicars general (the bishop’s “second in command”), judicial vicars (the bishop’s chief canon lawyers), vicars forane (also called “deans,” the bishop’s representative within a territory of the diocese, called a “deanery” or “vicariate”), and episcopal vicars (who represent the bishop among certain groups or areas of ministry). Priests retain these titles as long as they retain the office. Bishops are called “Most Reverend,” and may more formally be addressed as “His Excellency.” Priests who write a regular column for their diocesan newspaper are called “Hardly Reverend.”
Then there are monsignors, an honorary title given to priests in certain positions within the diocese or the Roman Curia. One is not ordained a monsignor, but named such. We might say monsignor is to priest what cardinal is to bishop, in that both are honorary titles not distinct orders within the sacrament of holy orders. Though, one can also be named a cardinal without being a bishop. These are typically theologians or other priests who have made a significant contribution to the good of the Church.
Cardinals may be addressed as “His Eminence,” and the pope as “His Holiness.” One mystery I have never solved is why the title “Cardinal” is usually inserted in the middle of their name, rather than at the beginning, for example: Avery Cardinal Dulles (who, by the way, was the most recently named American non-bishop cardinal).
There are three “grades” of monsignor. From “highest” to “lowest” they are: (1) Protonotary Apostolic, (2) Prelate of Honor, and (3) Chaplain of His Holiness. The rules on who can be named a monsignor were updated by Pope Francis in 2013. Only priests working within the Roman Curia or Vatican diplomatic service are eligible for all three “ranks.” Diocesan priests are only eligible for the third (lowest) of these honors and only after age 65. Personally, I think this was a good move by Pope Francis. In the past, a priest was named a monsignor almost automatically if he served in certain positions in the diocese, regardless of age or experience. One of the priests on the faculty where I attended seminary liked to say that the biblical basis for monsignors can be found in Matthew 6:28-29. I will let you look that one up on your own for homework.
“Right Reverend” is for abbots of monasteries. Interestingly, they do retain this title even if no longer serving as abbot.
In addition to these various titles, you may have noticed the “alphabet soup” behind priests’ or bishops’ names. In some cases they might designate a religious order (ex. SJ for the “Society of Jesus” or the Jesuits). They might also designate a role (ex. VG for Vicar General, JV for Judicial Vicar, VF for Vicar Forane, EV for Episcopal Vicar). Lastly they could also be academic degrees.
What’s in a name? A cleric by any other name would smell as … never mind.
(Father Thom Hennen serves as the pastor of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport. Send questions to messenger@davenportdiocese.org)
More from the Catholic Messenger
