Addressing Clergy from other Denominations

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cmodrmac said:
we use the term Rector for our Priest-we have a Rector which is the official Pastor of the Church-often a Parish will have a “Priest in Charge” -this person is not officially the Rector or Pastor but is in charge of liturgy and other aspects of the daily life of the Parish-this is an intermediate step-the Priest either becomes the Rector or will move on to another Parish -

to remove a Rector requires a more complicated set of actions including the approval of the Bishop-this is less intense for a Priest in Charge-

Vicar is not used too often in Florida where I reside -we do have a couple of Canons ( think like Monsignors) in the Diocese attached to the cathedral

we have a Bishop over the Diocese
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Interesting info, cmodrmac. One of the churches I know of where I reside only has a priest in charge. It’s a mission church, or I believe that is what it is called, and I just assumed their priest was called “priest in charge” due to it being such a small church. Small church but a huge outreach program to the needy. I was there once to drop off some clothing and was amazed for such a small church. Although my understanding is they get volunteers from other churches. But would such a church with only a priest in charge have their own vestry or does the diocese more or less oversee matters that a vestry would? The previous priest in charge was there over 10 yrs before leaving this yr and now they have a new priest in charge.
 
the major step in the process of closing a Church is for the Bishop to change the status from a Parish Church to a mission Church- when a Church is declared a mission church the diocese takes it over -including its finances and supplies a Priest for Services (usually rotates a number of different Priests-the Vestry ceases to function as an active body until the Diocese decides to close the Church or the Church rallies and has enough members to be self supporting

it works the other way-when a new Church is founded -usually as part of Church planting by a larger Church it is first called a Mission church -when it is independently viable it then becomes a regular Parish and can hire a Priest in charge -who then can become the Rector et al

The term “Mother” for a female Priest -I have never personally heard but I guess it is in the lexicon
 
cmodrmac said:
the major step in the process of closing a Church is for the Bishop to change the status from a Parish Church to a mission Church- when a Church is declared a mission church the diocese takes it over -including its finances and supplies a Priest for Services (usually rotates a number of different Priests-the Vestry ceases to function as an active body until the Diocese decides to close the Church or the Church rallies and has enough members to be self supporting

it works the other way-when a new Church is founded -usually as part of Church planting by a larger Church it is first called a Mission church -when it is independently viable it then becomes a regular Parish and can hire a Priest in charge -who then can become the Rector et al

The term “Mother” for a female Priest -I have never personally heard but I guess it is in the lexicon
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This information is interesting. The church I was referring to, from what I’ve read about its history, formed in the 1960s. At first they had a priest chosen to be their first vicar who was then elected rector. But I know for at least more than 10 yrs now it has been served by a priest in charge. The previous priest in charge served for over 10 yrs and this yr they have a new priest in charge. On its website it is described as an Anglo Catholic mission. But is part of the Episcopal diocese. And the current priest in charge speaks of them as being part of the Episcopal Church. The previous priest in charge was female and seems to have been addressed as Rev and her 1st name. The one there now is male and is addressed as Fr (1st name). The Anglo Catholic designation which wasn’t stated on the site prior to the current priest in charge sorta threw me off. Because I could certainly be wrong but I thought Anglo Catholic and Episcopal weren’t always interchangeable and did not necessarily convey the same meaning. Yet the priest in charge in correspondence referred to them as part of the Episcopal Church and is a church where all are welcome, where God want us come to him the way we are, a place open to all, where there is place for all.
 
Sy_Noe said:
This information is interesting. The church I was referring to, from what I’ve read about its history, formed in the 1960s. At first they had a priest chosen to be their first vicar who was then elected rector. But I know for at least more than 10 yrs now it has been served by a priest in charge. The previous priest in charge served for over 10 yrs and this yr they have a new priest in charge. On its website it is described as an Anglo Catholic mission. But is part of the Episcopal diocese. And the current priest in charge speaks of them as being part of the Episcopal Church. The previous priest in charge was female and seems to have been addressed as Rev and her 1st name. The one there now is male and is addressed as Fr (1st name). The Anglo Catholic designation which wasn’t stated on the site prior to the current priest in charge sorta threw me off. Because I could certainly be wrong but I thought Anglo Catholic and Episcopal weren’t always interchangeable and did not necessarily convey the same meaning. Yet the priest in charge in correspondence referred to them as part of the Episcopal Church and is a church where all are welcome, where God want us come to him the way we are, a place open to all, where there is place for all.
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Anglo-Catholic and Episcopal (as in the Episcopal Church) are not interchangeable. But they are not mutually exclusive, either. The term Anglo-Catholic (historically, arising from the Tractaritan and the Ritualist movements in the Church of England in the 19th century) refers to a particular flavor of Anglicanism (of which Anglicanism, in its motleydom, possesses a number). It refers both to the doctrines affirmed and accepted liturgical rituals practiced. This is not identical with high church Anglicism, but is closely related. Anglo-Catholicism, like Anglicanism in general, varies from place to place, but is identifiable, generally. One may be an Anglo-Catholic, and be an Episcopalian, or be an Anglo-Catholic, in some other jurisdiction of Anglicanism. In the contemporary Episcopal Church, Anglo-Catholics are likely to be a further subdivision, Affirming Catholics, who retain the liturgical rituals while drifting the doctrines toward more liberal forms. From your closing sentence, I’d say you are looking at an Episcopal Church parish of the affirming sort.

One other confusion point is that there exist some Continuing Anglican jurisdictions who incorporate Anglican and Catholic into their names, as in the Anglican Catholic Church. They tend to be more consistently Anglo-Catholic, but the term Anglo-Catholic can be used for appropriate Anglican parishes in any jurisdiction.
 
GKC said:
Anglo-Catholic and Episcopal (as in the Episcopal Church) are not interchangeable. But they are not mutually exclusive, either. The term Anglo-Catholic (historically, arising from the Tractaritan and the Ritualist movements in the Church of England in the 19th century) refers to a particular flavor of Anglicanism (of which Anglicanism, in its motleydom, possesses a number). It refers both to the doctrines affirmed and accepted liturgical rituals practiced. This is not identical with high church Anglicism, but is closely related. Anglo-Catholicism, like Anglicanism in general, varies from place to place, but is identifiable, generally. One may be an Anglo-Catholic, and be an Episcopalian, or be an Anglo-Catholic, in some other jurisdiction of Anglicanism. In the contemporary Episcopal Church, Anglo-Catholics are likely to be a further subdivision, Affirming Catholics, who retain the liturgical rituals while drifting the doctrines toward more liberal forms. From your closing sentence, I’d say you are looking at an Episcopal Church parish of the affirming sort.

One other confusion point is that there exist some Continuing Anglican jurisdictions who incorporate Anglican and Catholic into their names, as in the Anglican Catholic Church. They tend to be more consistently Anglo-Catholic, but the term Anglo-Catholic can be used for appropriate Anglican parishes in any jurisdiction.
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GKC, thanks for this. As motley as it can be, I believe it nevertheless makes more sense to me now. They’ve worshiped in their parish hall for many yrs following structural damage to their sanctuary. The new priest in charge has installed pews and a more formal altar to give the look of more of a chapel as I understand it, and switched their Wed night services at members’ homes, a practice the previous priest in charge began, to now a healing Mass at the church. And he added Adoration and Meditation one Friday each month. And I know he previously was a Roman Catholic missionary. So I’m thinking you are most likely right. That they very much affirm the Catholic rituals while holding to somewhat more liberal forms of doctrine.
 
Sy_Noe said:
GKC, thanks for this. As motley as it can be, I believe it nevertheless makes more sense to me now. They’ve worshiped in their parish hall for many yrs following structural damage to their sanctuary. The new priest in charge has installed pews and a more formal altar to give the look of more of a chapel as I understand it, and switched their Wed night services at members’ homes, a practice the previous priest in charge began, to now a healing Mass at the church. And he added Adoration and Meditation one Friday each month. And I know he previously was a Roman Catholic missionary. So I’m thinking you are most likely right. That they very much affirm the Catholic rituals while holding to somewhat more liberal forms of doctrine.
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Nobody’s perfect, with Anglicans likely to be low on the scale. But I salute the Adoration and Meditation.
 
cmodrmac said:
The term “Mother” for a female Priest -I have never personally heard but I guess it is in the lexicon
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Never heard it either. I was actually surprised the first time I read that some female priests actually prefer the use of “Mother” as the form of address as an analogue to “Father.” The female priests in my congregation perfer to use their title when addressing them or simply their name. Such as Dean XXX or Mrs. XXX.
 
Padres1969 said:
Never heard it either. I was actually surprised the first time I read that some female priests actually prefer the use of “Mother” as the form of address as an analogue to “Father.” The female priests in my congregation perfer to use their title when addressing them or simply their name. Such as Dean XXX or Mrs. XXX.
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Both female Episcopal priests I’ve known beyond casual acquaintance asked not to be called “Mother.” (“Do not call me mother. I am not your mother.”) While there are a few that do use that title, I would not approach one and call her mother unless I knew that was a title she had specifically had used herself somehow.
 
mjwise said:
Both female Episcopal priests I’ve known beyond casual acquaintance asked not to be called “Mother.” (“Do not call me mother. I am not your mother.”) While there are a few that do use that title, I would not approach one and call her mother unless I knew that was a title she had specifically had used herself somehow.
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Agree totally. ‘Mother’ is not at all an assumed title, which is why I always ask. No one could be offended in the asking.
 
Raised in the Episcopal church and a priest is addressed as "Father [first or last name].
 
Graceful_Lamb said:
Raised in the Episcopal church and a priest is addressed as "Father [first or last name].
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And what do you call your women priests? I believe we are about half male and half female in the priesthood now, nationwide.
 
The Episcopal church has changed very much over the years. Until more recent years, only Anglo Catholic parishes and high church parishes called their priests/ministers Father.

Actually the one I was raised in the Rector did not refer to himself as a priest, only as a minister.

I believe that in the 70,s the Episcopal church changed the BCP and also most parishes became more of a broad church, which also meant more of the ministers wore liturgical vestments and not just an alb and stole.

This probably is not the same in the south, as the Episcopal church spans a very low theology to a very high one, as in Anglo Catholic parishes. Every though it appears that now all parishes are pressured into having women as their pastors and are very liberal.

I understand that there are many Episcopalians who keep holding on to the faith as taught before, hoping that the church will return to its roots.

For myself I am very happy that I was Catholic before all the changes that were made.

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette
 
BernadetteM said:
The Episcopal church has changed very much over the years. Until more recent years, only Anglo Catholic parishes and high church parishes called their priests/ministers Father.

Actually the one I was raised in the Rector did not refer to himself as a priest, only as a minister.

I believe that in the 70,s the Episcopal church changed the BCP and also most parishes became more of a broad church, which also meant more of the ministers wore liturgical vestments and not just an alb and stole.

This probably is not the same in the south, as the Episcopal church spans a very low theology to a very high one, as in Anglo Catholic parishes. Every though it appears that now all parishes are pressured into having women as their pastors and are very liberal.

I understand that there are many Episcopalians who keep holding on to the faith as taught before, hoping that the church will return to its roots.

For myself I am very happy that I was Catholic before all the changes that were made.

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette
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I grew up in the Episcopal church in the 50’s and 60’s and we always referred to our priest as Father. It was not a high church or a low church.
 
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