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Monicathree
Guest
Does one refer to the bishop as your excellency, or is that for a cardinal? You wouldn’t just call him father, correct? How do you address as you go higher in rank??? thanks
peace
peace
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Affirmed
Guest
As far as I know, Bishops are addressed “Your excellency” or “your grace”, Cardinals are “Your Eminence”.
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Monicathree
Guest
Aaahhaaa! Cool!
love your signature…Sirach is one of my husband and my favorite books from the bible.
peace
love your signature…Sirach is one of my husband and my favorite books from the bible.
peace
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chicago
Guest
The answers above are correct. However, some people just use the term “bishop”, “cardinal”, or what have you (maybe followed by the man’s name). “Father” isn’t technically incorrect as a bishop is both still a priest and, in fact, represents God the Father. Of course, if you’re friends with the bishop, you may just call him by his first name or a nickname.
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Affirmed
Guest
Thanks Monica, for the compliment on my signature. Sirach is my favorite book as well! 
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demolitionman65
Guest
I am lucky to have a somewhat informal relationship with my bishop, yet I always address him as “Excellency”. Part of the maintenance of respect for the office; just as I always address priests -even in their absence- as “Father”. The increasing familiarity with clerics is -to me- one of the reasons for the drop in vocations; they simply don’t stand out from fellow man like they should.
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Tintin
Guest
Assuming the posts above are correct, there must be some differences in practice from country to country.
To address a cleric (in speech) in England it works this way:
Priest : Father
Bishop: My Lord
Archbishop: Your Grace
Cardinal: Your Eminence
The only Cleric we would address as “Your Excellency” would be the Papal Nuncio, since this is a form of address used for ambassadors.
Of course I know it’s different in countries with different languages, but I am surprised that there are differences in English usage.
To address a cleric (in speech) in England it works this way:
Priest : Father
Bishop: My Lord
Archbishop: Your Grace
Cardinal: Your Eminence
The only Cleric we would address as “Your Excellency” would be the Papal Nuncio, since this is a form of address used for ambassadors.
Of course I know it’s different in countries with different languages, but I am surprised that there are differences in English usage.
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Brendan
Guest
shayward:
The norm in UK and Canada is “My Lord”
It is lately been the custom in the US to address both Bishops and ArchBishops as 'Your Excellency", but I still would use “Your Grace”
The norm in the United States is to address Bishops as “Your Excellency”
The norm in UK and Canada is “My Lord”
It is lately been the custom in the US to address both Bishops and ArchBishops as 'Your Excellency", but I still would use “Your Grace”
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FrRobSST
Guest
What happend to “My Lord Archbishop” in genuine English (i.e., not American)? Has that gone the way of the dodobird?
Also, for those who don’t know, the clergy frequently write one another but omit titles. When a priest writes informally, he can sign:
Rob+ or Robert+
A bishop can sign +Rob or +Robert
Deacons don’t get the luxury, though I had a deacon friend who often signed his name with a minus sign … I thought it was hilarious to see -Mark. I thought he was just putting a dash there at first, till he explaind it was his way of denoting being a deacon.
I never learned that one in seminary!
Thus, I tend to sign almost everything informal (like messages I post) with Rob+, and when i sign formal documents or certificates, I sign my full name with + after it.
Rob+
Also, for those who don’t know, the clergy frequently write one another but omit titles. When a priest writes informally, he can sign:
Rob+ or Robert+
A bishop can sign +Rob or +Robert
Deacons don’t get the luxury, though I had a deacon friend who often signed his name with a minus sign … I thought it was hilarious to see -Mark. I thought he was just putting a dash there at first, till he explaind it was his way of denoting being a deacon.
I never learned that one in seminary!
Thus, I tend to sign almost everything informal (like messages I post) with Rob+, and when i sign formal documents or certificates, I sign my full name with + after it.
Rob+
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mercygate
Guest
shayward:
The Anglican title “your Grace” is parallel to the title of Duke . . .
It’s a whole different thing from the Catholic model, is it not? Or is there crossover?
Would Englishmen address a CATHOLIC Bishop as “my Lord?” Catholic Bishops do not sit in the House of Lords, do they?
The Anglican title “your Grace” is parallel to the title of Duke . . .
It’s a whole different thing from the Catholic model, is it not? Or is there crossover?
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Brendan
Guest
Englishmen can and do address Catholic Bishops as “My Lord”. They also address Judges in that way, though they do not sit in the House of Lords either.
And there are very close parallels between Bishop\Earl\Count and ArchBishop\Duke. The ranked the same in the Order of Precedence in Feudal countries. And this existed prior to the Reformation.
The ArchBishop of Canterbury has always been addressed as “Your Grace”, or at least since Norman times.
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mercygate
Guest
Thanks for the clarification. Since Anglican bishops DO sit in the House of Lords, I was confused.
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EddieArent
Guest
Depends. Some like the title “Comrad.” Like Comrad Glemp. 
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chicago
Guest
Why does the cross come before a bishop’s name but after a priest’s. I recall Cardinal Bernardin signing everything with the cross like that.
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