Addressing a Bishop

[SenorSalsa]

I am attending a Seminarians Christmas party with the Bishop and the Vocations Directors tomorrow, along with some meetings and more business type stuff in the morning.

My question is how should I address the Bishop when I talk to him? It seems as if simply calling him Bishop is the ordinary(pun not intended), but that seems like an odd title to address him as. Is there a more proper one?

Note: I am already aware of the whole genuflection and kissing the ring, and I also know he is uncomfortable with that, which is OK with me, I am not even technically a Seminarian yet(I am in the middle of the application process), the last thing I need to do is come across as a “rad-trad”

 

[tee_eff_em]

“Exellency” (But if he requests you address him in another fashion, do so)

tee

 

[CUAGRAD08]

A few factors are going to determine the way you address the Bishop. The first and most important is your relationship with the Bishop. (I have friends who are seminarians that are on a first name basis with their bishops.) Your post leads me to believe that you are not that intimate with your bishop so the next thing you will need to know is his “Rank”. A regular bishop/archbishop will be referred to as “Your Excellency”. (Calling him “Excellency is technically improper English but most people will not notice.) However, if he is a Cardinal than the proper address would be “Your Eminence”. With that being said, most of the bishops I have met are far more likely to ask that you refer to them in some way much less formal, and are very appreciative when you do. The proper title is good for one go, but if they ask for something else, it is in your best interest to use that something else.

 

[eelpis]

In Britain it’s “Your Lordship” to a bishop and “Your Grace” to an archbishop.

Excellentia is the Latin. “Your Excellency” in (American)English.

 

[Joannm]

In our diocese most just address the bishop as Bishop or Bishop Last Name. One of our auxiliaries doesn’t mind Bishop First Name. Only once have I seen anyone genuflect and kiss our bishop’s ring and that was a Polish nun. Most people just shake his hand and some of the women even hug him or give him a kiss on the cheek.

 

[eelpis]

In our diocese most just address the bishop as Bishop or Bishop Last Name. One of our auxiliaries doesn’t mind Bishop First Name. Only once have I seen anyone genuflect and kiss our bishop’s ring and that was a Polish nun. Most people just shake his hand and some of the women even hug him or give him a kiss on the cheek.

Actually you don’t kiss his ring but his hand as a sign of respect for his sacred orders. These hand-kisses are also part of the TLM, where the hand of the celebrant is kissed.
Those hands were consecrated at ordination to hold the sacred body of the Lord, to absolve from sin and to anoint. Through those hands grace comes to us.

Today it’s “Howdy Bshp Bob!” How does that compare the TLM and the NO?

 

[FightingFat]

In Britain it’s “Your Lordship” to a bishop and “Your Grace” to an archbishop.

Excellentia is the Latin. “Your Excellency” in (American)English.

I heard this great story about a particular pedantic Bishop of an English diocese who insisted on being called “my Lord”. A story grew up around time he spent in the chapel: an hour of prayer each evening before bed. One night he was knelt in the chapel as always and when he had finished his prayer, he said softly “good night Jesus!” at which a voice issued from the tabernacle “Good night my lord!”

Cracked me up first time I heard that!!!

 

[eelpis]

I heard this great story about a particular pedantic Bishop of an English diocese who insisted on being called “my Lord”. A story grew up around time he spent in the chapel: an hour of prayer each evening before bed. One night he was knelt in the chapel as always and when he had finished his prayer, he said softly “good night Jesus!” at which a voice issued from the tabernacle “Good night my lord!”

Cracked me up first time I heard that!!!

 

[Chatter163]

Actually you don’t kiss his ring but his hand as a sign of respect for his sacred orders. These hand-kisses are also part of the TLM, where the hand of the celebrant is kissed.
Those hands were consecrated at ordination to hold the sacred body of the Lord, to absolve from sin and to anoint. Through those hands grace comes to us.

Actually, in the Latin rite, one traditionally DOES kiss a bishop’s ring, rather than the hand itself, as a sign of respect for his office. I realize that it is different in the Easter rites.

 

[malphono]

Actually, in the Latin rite, one traditionally DOES kiss a bishop’s ring, rather than the hand itself, as a sign of respect for his office. I realize that it is different in the Easter rites.

From many years ago I recall the etiquette to be observed when greeting a Latin Rite bishop was to genuflect on the left knee, and kiss his ring, which is (well, was, at least) a symbol of the bishop’s office and authority.

In the East, normally we incline the head and, in a bowing posture, kiss the back of the bishop’s right hand. (Of course he wears a ring on that hand too, so in practical terms the difference is mainly in the physical posture.)

For form of address, I’ve heard “Your Grace” used for Latin Rite bishops as well as Archbishops, although admittedly the term “Your Excellency” was always far more common in the US 9and for both). (Personally, I have never heard “Your Lordship” but in French, of course, the traditional term is Monseigneur so I’m not about to argue the English usage, which in translation is quite the same.)

In the East, at least in the US and in English, the titular form of address for a bishop is generally the same as above. But of course there are some “particular customs” to be considered. Both the Maronites & Melkites often address a bishop by Arabic title “sayyidna” (loosely translated as “Your Lordship”). The Syriacs (and also to an extent, the Maronites) often address a bishop as “mor (or mar) [first name]” (which from the Syriac, loosely translates to “Lord [first name].)” I believe the preceding also applies to the Chaldean and to the Syro-Malabr & Syro-Malankara Churches as well. The Copts hold to the title “anba [first name]” (which I believe derives from the Semitic term for “father” even though Coptic is not a Semitic language). For all of that, I have no idea of the “particular custom” among those of the various Byzantine traditions, nor among the Ethiopians or Armenians.