This may sound silly, but I don’t understand when and why we use these different titles within the Catholic church.
I wasn’t raised in Catholicism but my husband was so our kids attend a Catholic school.
The Priest is referred to as “Father Blahblah” then he sends memos out as “Rev. Blahblah” and then I’ve also heard Bishop used in services before? I’m just very confused.
Thanks yall 🙂
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You have two kinds of priests; diocesan and religious. Depending on what one you are, the ‘ranks’, as it were, are different. You are probably talking about a diocesan priest, a priest who has been attached to a parish. The lowest ‘ranking’ is just parish priest. You call him father or reverend or Chuck – if Chuck is his name.
If you are an out-frickin standing parish priest, you may be given the honorific of “monsignor.” Fun fact, the man who made the mathematical model for the big bang who went by the name Lamaitre, was a monsignor.
Above the priests you have a Bishop. A bishop is in charge of of diocese, or what a Catholic might consider a county. Important diocese, like Rome, New York, Montreal, etc – will be headed by an Archbishop as those diocese are considered “Archdioces.” That is the basic terminal rank of the vast, vast, vast, majority of Catholics. Think of them as the Colonels or Governors of the Catholic church. The next highest rank is Cardinal, sometimes called ‘Princes’, these men are the Senators/Generals of the Roman Catholic church. The acme rank is, obviously, the Pope. The Pope is also the Bishop of Rome.
In general, priests are fathers or reverends or a monsignor if the Pope bestowed that honor, but Bishops are referred to as ‘your excellency’ or ‘your grace’, or Chuck – if his name is Chuck. Cardinals are called “His Eminence”, or Chuck – if his name is Chuck. The Pope is referred to as “Your Holiness”, or, the Papal name. So you can call Pope Francis ‘Francis’, not Chuck, unless his papal name is Chuck.
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