Why are there almost no monsignors any more?

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I am kind of confused about monsignors. 25-30 years ago, when I was a young kid, there were quite a few priests with the title monsignor. I know it’s something given by the Pope. Did John Paul II not bother with making a priest a monsignor so they are almost all gone now? I don’t know of any monsignors at all, and when I was a kid there were 2 of them just at my parish. Is Pope Benedict XVI going to make any more priests monsignors, or will that title be done away with?
 
The parish I was at in the Philadelphia had 2. In fact, one came a Monsignor while I was there. The crazy thing is both of them had were born on the same day.

The parish I belong to now has 2 as weekend assistants.
 
Yah, come to the archdiocese of Philly, we’ve got monsignors a-plenty!

Maybe it has to do with dioceses that have favor with the Vatican? I know that Philly has always enjoyed a special relationship, so maybe that’s a factor? Dunno.
 
StephanieC said:
Yah, come to the archdiocese of Philly, we’ve got monsignors a-plenty!

Maybe it has to do with dioceses that have favor with the Vatican? I know that Philly has always enjoyed a special relationship, so maybe that’s a factor? Dunno.
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Is there is problem with the Diocese of Cleveland that they don’t have any new monsignors?
 
Dunno - one of the nearby parishes here has at least one that I’m aware of.
 
LilyM said:
Dunno - one of the nearby parishes here has at least one that I’m aware of.
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Wow. I don’t know of ANY on the west side of Cleveland anymore. Last one I knew became a Monsignor back when Pius XII or John XXIII was Pope (before I was born); he died about 3 years ago, and I don’t know of any now.
 
If Americans in general knew what “monsignor” means (it means “my lord,” as in the way one would have addressed royalty centuries ago), they might wish to drop the honor entirely. These papal honors never meant anything except that the recipient was entitled to dress more or less like a bishop when he was not one. (In fact, speakers of Romance languages will say, for instance, “monseigneur” when addressing a bishop.) Monsignor is, in my opinon, a custom more honored in the breach that in the observance.
 
jbuck919 said:
If Americans in general knew what “monsignor” means (it means “my lord,” as in the way one would have addressed royalty centuries ago), they might wish to drop the honor entirely. These papal honors never meant anything except that the recipient was entitled to dress more or less like a bishop when he was not one. (In fact, speakers of Romance languages will say, for instance, “monseigneur” when addressing a bishop.) Monsignor is, in my opinon, a custom more honored in the breach that in the observance.
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Do you know if the title was suppressed by Pope John Paul II, or if it is possible for Pope Benedict XVI to make more priests Monsignors? What does a priest need to do in order for the Pope to make him a Monsignor?
 
Someone just posted here the other day attending the “consecration” (using the word losesly cause I don’t know the correct term) of a monsignior. Cleaveland? Know anything about Bishop Amos? PM me if you do.
 
Monsignor is an honorific title–it has no special liturgical power. I am also pretty sure that this title is granted by the bishop, not the Pope (though perhaps any such title requires papal approval). And no, the title was not suppressed by JP2.

If you are in Cleveland, just drive down the road to Columbus and you will find a mountain of monsignors, many of whom were given the title by the former bishop (Griffin). My former parish in Columbus had two monsignors. My current parish in Montreal is also staffed with two monsignors.

I believe that there used to be a tradition in the US for monsignor to be granted to priests who ran parishes with school, or especially if they were themeselves the principal. But this tradition appears to have died out in recent generations. Certain kinds of churches (for example, basilicas) often have rectors who hold the title of monsignor.
 
the only monsignior I remember from my years in Cleveland was the pastor of a suburban parish on the East Side, who was simply legendary, to the extent I cannot remember his name, he was always called “monsignior” for as long as I can remember. He ran the parish and school with an iron hand, but it was discovered after his death that he had supported the school and kept the tuition artificially low by pumping parish funds and even personal money from his family in to keep it going. This put the school in a precarious position, but fortunately it is still open and running. He truly was of the “old school” and a memorable personage to everyone who remembers him.

I imagine the local bishop recommends certain priests to the Vatican for this honor, whether the Vatican pronouncement is a rubber stamp I don’t know, but it is basically a papal honor. In answer to questions from a student, it does not mean that man is on the “bishop track” and will automatically become a bishop. It is more of an honorary title recognizing some achievement or contribution the priest has made to the diocese.

As I recall our former bishop, Anthony Pilla, was not keen on claiming or exercising honors and the outward trappings of honorifics for himself, so perhaps he was among many bishops who consider the title as anachronistic and did not choose to nominate any priests. That is merely a guess, I don’t know.
 
There are plenty of monsignors in the Raleigh Diocese in North Carolina. The bishop is the one who recommends that a priest be given the title, and I believe he has to send a letter of request to the Pope.
 
Our Bishop just named some new Monsignors about a month ago or so. It is an honorary title, but there is nothing wrong with giving certain priests honorary titles. People named Monsignors are usually rectors of Cathedrals, founding pastors of parishes, and priests who work mostly in the chancery.
 
It depends on the diocese. In the Archdiocese of Washington there are several. I don’t know the process on how someone is put up for becoming one but I am betting it involves someone from the Bishop’s office submitting the name to the Vatican. I doubt the Vatican knows about each and every priest that becomes a Monsignor.

Several priest I deal with or have dealt with in the Archdiocese of Washington are now Monsignors, including the pastor of my church, the rector of the National Shrine of the Immaculate concepton, several priests that use to be at my parish and are now pastors of their own parish, etc.
 
Vox_Borealis said:
I believe that there used to be a tradition in the US for monsignor to be granted to priests who ran parishes with school, or especially if they were themeselves the principal. But this tradition appears to have died out in recent generations. Certain kinds of churches (for example, basilicas) often have rectors who hold the title of monsignor.
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From what I’ve always understood Monsignor was for priests who also ran schools. Since there’s been a significant decline in the number of Catholic schools, there’s been a decline in Monsignors.
 
Bishop Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph, MO just named several new Monsignors

The honour in the past had some rather involved tasks assigned to it, such as serving the Pope once a year for a week, to being members of the Curia.
 
Our pastor is a Monsignor!
I know it was a recent title change too… maybe sometime in the last 3 years…

It’s just an honorary title.
 
There are certainly monsignors, and they are not merely limited to priests who run parishes with schools. Many different priests receive the honour for different reasons: those involved in the diocesan administration (it is particularly appropriate if they are filling a role often filled by a bishop); those with many years of service; those who lead large parishes (like cathedrals or basilicas) and the deans of areas. There are 3 grades of monsignor:
the highest is that of Apostolic Protonotary, who can be either numerary (traditionally there are just seven of these high-level Vatican officials); or supernumary, which is merely an honorific. The second is that of Honorary Prelates of His Holiness and the third is that of Papal Chaplain.

This is wikipedia’s explanation of the current dress rules (post Paul VI):
  • Chaplains of His Holiness use a purple-trimmed black cassock with purple sash for all occasions.
  • Honorary prelates use a red-trimmed black cassock with purple sash for all occasions. The red is the same shade as that used by bishops. They may use a purple cassock as their choir dress for liturgical events of special solemnity.
  • Supernumerary Apostolic protonotaries dress the same as Honorary Prelates. As an additional privilege, they have the option of also using a purple ferraiuolo or cape, a silk cape worn with the black-trimmed-red cassock for non-liturgical events of special solemnity (for instance, graduations and commencements). In English-speaking countries, they sometimes add the letters, “P.A.” (for Protonotarius Apostolicus) after their names.
  • Apostolic Protonotaries de numero (and other superior prelates of the offices of the Roman curia who are not bishops) have the same dress as other Apostolic Protonotaries, but wear the mantelletta in choir and a black biretta with a red tuft.
 
I believe that my diocese in S. Dakota has two. I know one of the monsignors because he used to celebrate mass for my parish. In fact I remember when he received the title and how big of a deal everyone was making of it. Pope John Paul II was in charge then, so he did give out the title. As for the other monsignor, I’m not sure about. I remember hearing that we had another monsignor, but I’m not positive about that.
 
I live in the mid-west.

I can know of at least 4 Msgr. in my diocese. (one of them is pastor of my parish)

I then went to my diocese web page, and found the names of 11 more Msgr.

So my diocese has at least 15 Msgr if NOT more.

The names I found on the web-page are different then the 4 I know of… also the names were just names of priest that have some kind of Administration Role… so there could be more 🙂

My diocese web-page does not give a list of all the priest; just a list of all the parishes. I could click on each parish and see who the priest is for the parish, but there is just to many to do that.

OP, that is something that you may want to do…check out the web-page of your home diocese and see what you kind find.
 
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