I’ve heard that expression before; however, it’s not correct. They are not married. They have taken vows, one of which is to be celibate and another one is to dedicate their lives to Christ.
If I was meeting someone I knew to be a Mother Superior, Abbot, or Archabbot I would address them as such with the reasoning that it is less likely to offend as few people get offended by someone giving them their formal title, but some might be offended by you not doing this. Now I’d not go around calling random nuns Mother superior though.
Nuns are addressed just like any other parcel–zip+4 preferred. The hard part is sticking on all the stamps.
I’ve never heard the expression, Reverend Mother*, but have heard Mother Superior quite often. To whom does each term apply?
*Actually, I’ve seen the term in print once before reading this thread and that was for the Episcopal Priest serving in the parish my parents attend.
But isn’t a nun “married” to god?
For the record, some orders of nuns no longer require habits. Already when I was in Katlick high school back in the '80s, several of the teacher nuns came to work in mufti.
It should be noted that in many communities the concept of “married to God” is no longer in vogue. The women I live with would consider themselves to have taken vows (obedience, fidelity to the monastic life, and stability for this order) to the entire community.
You are, of course, correct. I should have been clearer. I was thinking more of the formation process that goes along with becoming a priest rather than the ordination itself.
“Firstname Lastname”, “Firstname”, or “Friend” suffices for myself and most other Quakers I know.
While Colibri understandably does not wish for a debate, I feel I am answering factually in stating that it suffices for judges, the POTUS, etc. Nothing newfangled about it or terribly unusual about it IME.
Well, there’s no way to know if a nun has ever been married–she could have been widowed.
Well, firstly, as Manda Jo points out, Nuns can certainly have been married and widowed. But most importantly, the entire point of using ‘Ms’ is that women should not be defined by their marital status, just as men aren’t. It’s called equality of the sexes.
Off the subject I guess, but what does NAF mean?
That it might be an interesting thread: “Need Answer Fast”
I agree. If you feel the sting of a ruler, you got it wrong.
Mother Superior and Reverend Mother seem to be (from my quick checks) alternate names for the same thing. I’m going to take a guess and say that which you might use may very by order or just by preference of the person being spoken too.
Thanks everyone! I have the application form in my sticky paws.
I was at a funeral for an old friend of my family who was a nun. She had lived long enough that she had gone through several forms of address — all of which were used by speakers giving eulogies who had known her at different times of her life.
Here is a NASA procedural requirment (like a regulation) that indicates a Mother Superior is to be addressed as Reverend Mother.
I would assume that a Mother Superior/Reverend Mother doesn’t go around wearing some identifying insignia displaying her rank, so shey may simply accept an address of “Sister” from someone who reasonably would know no better.
A brilliant pun like that and this is all the response I get? Maybe this place is going down hill. 
At the risk of seeming stupid…what pun?