# Is there a generic word for the "customer" of clergy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 28, 2019, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-generic-word-for-the-customer-of-clergy/830337 "2019-02-28T15:36:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-generic-word-for-the-customer-of-clergy/830337/21 "2019-02-28T20:00:00Z")
Worshipper, follower, disciple, adherent, sectator, cultist… None of these specifically mean “one who is attended by a cleric” ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-generic-word-for-the-customer-of-clergy/830337/22 "2019-02-28T22:43:49Z")
> [@velomont](#): > > This is a bit of a conumdrum for me as I’m looking specifically for the customers of military padres, who can serve, in a multi-faith capacity, as counsellors to individuals in a warship or on the battlefield; as clergy presiding over a religious service in the same circumstances; present at a crash site of an aircraft; or anything else appropriate. I’ve actually known a naval padre who’s done all those things and I don’t know if there’s a one size fits all term. There are so many words in English that we sometimes expect that _every_ idea will have an English word, and it makes us uncomfortable when there is not ☹ Chaplaincy is a non-religious role often (or even normally) taken by religious people. Around here, people who actually use chaplaincy services are called clients. The group of people who the chaplain serves doesn’t have a special name. And the group is often/normally poorly defined at the edges. When there is no other obvious group defined by the people who pay the wages, the pastoral group may be called a **community**. In the special case of a Christian Minster providing pastoral care, the group served could also be called a flock. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-generic-word-for-the-customer-of-clergy/830337/23 "2019-02-28T23:27:53Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > To some extent, yes. > > But I’d still say “the congregation” tends to make me think specifically of Christianity, whereas “the worshippers” does not. I’m not sure why. It’s very possibly a regional thing - but I know of a number of synagogues with names like “Congregation Beth El” and I’ve definitely heard the people attending a particular Jewish service referred to as " the congregation" ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-generic-word-for-the-customer-of-clergy/830337/24 "2019-03-01T01:18:10Z")
In general terms, what you’re looking for is a name for a member of the group to which the cleric provides pastoral care. In specific terms, what you’re looking for is a name for a member of the group to which a military chaplain provides pastoral care. Presumably the group served by a military chaplain is those serving in the forces, and their families. And that’s a group which might well have a signfiicance (and therefore a name) in contexts other than military chaplaincy. So, is there a term for an individual member of that group? That’s the term you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-generic-word-for-the-customer-of-clergy/830337/25 "2019-03-01T03:58:10Z")
It [appears](https://books.google.com/books?id=0KqLfs9VmaoC&pg=PA43) that “counsellee” is a term often used to designate an individual counselled by a chaplain. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-generic-word-for-the-customer-of-clergy/830337/26 "2019-03-01T21:48:12Z")
Hi all. Thanks for all the input and giving me lots to consider. I honestly didn’t think that my question would generate so much discussion. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-generic-word-for-the-customer-of-clergy/830337/27 "2019-03-01T21:57:12Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Agreed. > > “Parishioner” is what the OP is looking for in the sense of being the “customer” of one particular clergyman, except that obviously it’s not generic. Clergy is also not generic. ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2019, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-generic-word-for-the-customer-of-clergy/830337/28 "2019-03-02T12:00:39Z")
How about beneficiary ? ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2019, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-generic-word-for-the-customer-of-clergy/830337/29 "2019-03-02T13:03:07Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I think that’s going to be the case for any English word, simply because most of the English-speaking world is Christian. Do we consider India part of the English speaking world? It’s at last the second language to about 30% of Indians (according to FORBES; Wikipedia puts it at closer to 12.18), and one of the country’s official languages. After the US, the three countries with the most English speakers are India, Pakistan, and Nigeria. I wouldn’t characterize any of them as a “Christian nation,” though Nigeria comes close. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-generic-word-for-the-customer-of-clergy/830337.md?page=1)