Title for Pastor

[rkrispies]

I was reading through a short history of my parents’ parish this weekend and they had a list of the pastors during the 20th century. One was listed as Msgr. X, and most of the rest were simply Rev. Y. However, there was a “Rt. Rev.” Z listed. Now I am assuming that this stands for “Right Reverend” Z, but I had never heard that title being used for a Catholic priest. Anyone have any insight or information on using that particular title in a Roman Catholic church?

 

[jmcrae]

I was reading through a short history of my parents’ parish this weekend and they had a list of the pastors during the 20th century. One was listed as Msgr. X, and most of the rest were simply Rev. Y. However, there was a “Rt. Rev.” Z listed. Now I am assuming that this stands for “Right Reverend” Z, but I had never heard that title being used for a Catholic priest. Anyone have any insight or information on using that particular title in a Roman Catholic church?

“Monsignor” is a title given by the Pope for extraordinary service above and beyond the call of duty.

I’m under the impression that “Right Reverend” is someone who has a doctoral degree in theology, and/or who has acted at some point as Vicar General to his Bishop - I’ll need to check on that, though.

 

[ProVobis]

I was reading through a short history of my parents’ parish this weekend and they had a list of the pastors during the 20th century. One was listed as Msgr. X, and most of the rest were simply Rev. Y. However, there was a “Rt. Rev.” Z listed. Now I am assuming that this stands for “Right Reverend” Z, but I had never heard that title being used for a Catholic priest. Anyone have any insight or information on using that particular title in a Roman Catholic church?

“Right Reverend” is reserved for bishops. Here is a list of titles:

traditioninaction.org/religious/d003rpHowToAddressClergy.html

 

[LoyalViews]

“Right Reverend” is reserved for bishops. Here is a list of titles:

traditioninaction.org/religious/d003rpHowToAddressClergy.html

It all depens on where you live to, though. In the Commonwealth countries, a Bishop is addressed as His Grace rather than “His Excellency”, and Archbishops are addressed as the Most ReverendHid Grace and/or His Lordship/Your Lordship$My Lord, respectively.

But, Right Reverend is used for some Bishops.

 

[rkrispies]

Thanks to all who replied. Being under 30, was it at all common for a bishop to be pastor in ~1930-1940? I know it was not the diocesan bishop, but I have never come across a bishop as pastor of a parish other than the cathedral.

 

[MarkThompson]

Thanks to all who replied. Being under 30, was it at all common for a bishop to be pastor in ~1930-1940? I know it was not the diocesan bishop, but I have never come across a bishop as pastor of a parish other than the cathedral.

I’ve never even come across a bishop who was pastor of the cathedral parish. Maybe in small dioceses?

 

[rkrispies]

I’ve never even come across a bishop who was pastor of the cathedral parish. Maybe in small dioceses?

I was under the impression that by definition, the bishop is pastor of the cathedral parish. However, usually, there is a priest designated as his parochial vicar. Then again, the local cathedral has a priest as its pastor according to the website.

 

[ProVobis]

I was under the impression that by definition, the bishop is pastor of the cathedral parish. However, usually, there is a priest designated as his parochial vicar. Then again, the local cathedral has a priest as its pastor according to the website.

I too thought the bishop was the default pastor of the cathedral parish. (But then you have auxiliary bishops as well.) You captured my curiosity though and I did a search. In many of my hits, the bishop appointed/appoints a rector or pastor to run the day-to-day stuff of the cathedral. Here’s a couple who didn’t:

rcdok.org/the_diocese/the_bishop/index.php

parishes.dioceseaj.org/altoonacathedral/parish_history.htm

 

[MarkThompson]

I too thought the bishop was the default pastor of the cathedral parish. (But then you have auxiliary bishops as well.) You captured my curiosity though and I did a search. In many of my hits, the bishop appointed/appoints a rector or pastor to run the day-to-day stuff of the cathedral. Here’s a couple who didn’t:

rcdok.org/the_diocese/the_bishop/index.php

parishes.dioceseaj.org/altoonacathedral/parish_history.htm

As to the first, the pastor of the cathedral parish is listed as a Rev. John Vaughn, not Bishop Medley. As to the second, the diocesan site lists a Rev. Monsignor Robert C. Mazur as rector, and does not mention the bishop.

 

[AJV]

I was reading through a short history of my parents’ parish this weekend and they had a list of the pastors during the 20th century. One was listed as Msgr. X, and most of the rest were simply Rev. Y. However, there was a “Rt. Rev.” Z listed. Now I am assuming that this stands for “Right Reverend” Z, but I had never heard that title being used for a Catholic priest. Anyone have any insight or information on using that particular title in a Roman Catholic church?

“Right Reverend” was the peculiar English translation of the Latin Illustrissimus et Reverendissimus (Most Illustrious and Most Reverend). This was a title that when used for priests** signified a certain ‘type’ of monsignor called a “Domestic Prelate”. Since 1968/9, they known as Honorary Prelates of His Holiness and may now only use the title “Reverend Msgr.”

I must say I got a slight chuckle out of the fact that the TIA site lists the revised rules for addressing clergy.

** this title was also used for titular bishops. The reason priests could be addressed by this was because elevation to a prelatial rank meant that the person could adopt certain styles reserved to bishops e.g. the title “Monsignor”, wearing certain items of purple instead of black, or with purple trim, etc. In the most highest cases, such individuals even had the privilege of celebrating Mass like bishops (with some modifications, of course) and using certain episcopal vestments.

 

[Chatter163]

To simplify, there are, generally speaking, three classes or ranks of Monsignors:
Papal Chamberlain, Honorary Prelate and Protonary Apostolic (P.A.)

Until 1968, the second rank was known as Domestic Prelate and such a Monsignor, along with the P.A., enjoyed a limited use of pontifical regalia and other perks otherwise reserved to bishops. One of these perks was the use of the title The Right Reverend Monsignor. The Papal Chamberlain was titled The Very Reverend Monsignor. Since 1969, all three classes are titled The Reverend Monsignor.

Today English-speaking Catholics associate the title The Rt. Rev. with abbots and* The Most Rev. *with bishops and archbishops, but as was mentioned above, prior to the inter-war era, The Rt. Rev. was associated with Catholic archbishops, bishops AND monsignors. Anglicans still use it for bishops, reserving *The Most Rev. *to their relatively small number of archbishops.

Further confusing the issue is the fact that in Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and French-speaking countries, Catholic bishops and archbishops are frequently addressed as Monsignor (which means My Lord), whereas in English-speaking countries we generally have used that terms only for priests who have been given that title by the Holy Father.