Pope stops conferring title 'monsignor' on priests

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catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=19047
Pope Francis has stopped conferring the title “monsignor” on priests.
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The Italian daily Il Messagero has reported that shortly after his election, the Pope instructed the Secretariat of State to stop approving requests for priests to be given the rank of monsignor. The Pope said that the moratorium on granting the title should continue at least until October; it is not clear whether he will continue the new policy beyond that time.
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Would this have anything to do with the number of designated titles in proportion to the overall number of priests? As in, he thinks priests are being overly promoted, or titled too easily:confused:🤷?
 
Catholic Culture is just repeating what was posted in an Italian daily. I’d take it with a grain of salt. Maybe it’s true. Maybe not. 🤷

I know one diocese where they only had, I think, maybe three monsignors in the whole diocese. Then I know another where it seems like any priest who is a pastor is a monsignor. If there are a lot of places like the latter, I can see wanting to cool things off for a bit.
 
Monsignor is an honorary title often given for long and faithful service or to recognize particular accomplishments. In the U.S. some priests’ councils had in years past requested that no monsignor titles be granted, and for a long time in many dioceses that was the case. But I know that in some dioceses that decision was reversed because it allowed the bishop to recognize particular priests with long service.
 
Though this is for now a temporary suspension. I mean, the Pope is not required to give honors to priests any more than a kindergarten teacher is obliged to give anyone a gold star.
 
Do we even have confirmation that this story is accurate? It’s a story in The Tablet from a few days ago that alludes to an unnamed source saying that Pope Francis did this five months ago.

Even if we take it at face value, it was only a temporary suspension and there are some cases where it is not suspended at all.
 
Joe_5859 said:
Do we even have confirmation that this story is accurate? It’s a story in The Tablet from a few days ago that alludes to an unnamed source saying that Pope Francis did this five months ago.

Even if we take it at face value, it was only a temporary suspension and there are some cases where it is not suspended at all.
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And even if it was permanent, it’s a matter of policy. If his successor (hopefully sometime far into the future) were to start appointing again, nothing would stop him.

It’s not as if the Pope is ever obliged to confer honors on someone, any more than Congress is obliged to confer a Medal of Honor on anybody.
 
ProVobis said:
catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=19047
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Note that the article says the moratorium would remain in effect at least until October. That’s the time when the Group of 8 Cardinals meet with the Pope to talk about Curia reforms.

I believe Pope Francis doesn’t want to confuse their work, much rather start afresh after plans for Curial reform have been devised. If he intended to stop conferring “Monsignor” titles completely, I think he wouldn’t have added the line on October.
 
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