# Roman catholic question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 23, 2021, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520 "2021-12-23T05:02:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/1 "2021-12-23T05:02:29Z")
OK, so we address a Priest as “Father” , and he would address me as “My son”. There are several ways of addressing a RC Bishop, but how does a priest address one? He doesn’t say “My son” for sure but Father? And how does the Bishop address a Priest? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/2 "2021-12-23T05:12:33Z")
Honorifics for Roman Catholic clergy: - the Pope: Your Holiness, or Holy Father - Cardinals: Your Eminence - Archbishops and Bishops: Your Excellence A bishop would very likely address a priest as “Father,” unless they were on a first-name basis. > **[Ecclesiastical titles and styles | Catholic Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecclesiastical_titles_and_styles#Catholic_Church)** > > 1.Pope: Pope (Regnal Name); His Holiness; Your Holiness; Holy Father. | > 2.Patriarch of an autonomous/particular church: Patriarch (Given Name); His Beatitude; Your Beatitude. | > 3.Cardinal: (First Name) Cardinal (Last Name); His Eminence; Your Eminence. | > 4.Cardinal who is also an archbishop: (First Name) Cardinal (Last Name), Archbishop of (Place); His Eminence; Your Eminence. | > 5.Archbishop: The Most Reverend (Full Name), (any postnominals), Archbishop of (Place); bishops in t ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/3 "2021-12-23T05:42:22Z")
Yes, that is helpful, but I wanted to know how they addressed each other, if that was different. ---
**Author:** ![UDS1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47774/32.png) [@UDS1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS1)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/4 "2021-12-23T05:49:43Z")
A priest would address a bishop in the same way that a lay person addresses a bishop - very formally as “Your Excellency” or “My Lord”, less formally as “Bishop”, informally as “John” (or whatever). The degree of formality used will depend on the circumstances, in particular on how well they know one another. And the same works in reverse for a bishop addressing a priest - the bishop will use the same form of address as a lay person would. Formally “Father”, less formally “John”. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/5 "2021-12-23T06:43:31Z")
How would someone who isn’t catholic address a priest? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/6 "2021-12-23T07:15:58Z")
Surely the “my lord” honorific is not used in all English-speaking countries? ---
**Author:** ![UDS1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47774/32.png) [@UDS1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS1)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/7 "2021-12-23T08:48:53Z")
No, it isn’t. But the OP doesn’t specify any particular country. “My lord” is used in some places and “your excellency” in others, and no doubt there are places where both are current. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/8 "2021-12-23T09:16:36Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > How would someone who isn’t catholic address a priest? I can tell you from experience that “Hey, you in the dress!” isn’t the right way to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/9 "2021-12-23T10:04:13Z")
I’ve heard, in German, the standard form that we use for any other grownup man, namely Mister plus surname, also used towards a priest or a bishop. Alternatively, you can replace the surname with the title, so “Herr Bischof” would be OK. The “Your excellency” thing exists, but would be used only in really formal contexts, like when you give a speech and you explicitly welcome a bishop as a guest of honour. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/10 "2021-12-23T11:19:22Z")
“Your Grace” is more common, as a formal address, in the UK and Ireland, I believe - at least as an opener, with “Bishop” thereafter ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/11 "2021-12-23T12:56:42Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > How would someone who isn’t catholic address a priest?.. Nobody corrected me when I just said “Hi, I’m kayaker” when my MIL introduced me to her priest at the church fair. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/12 "2021-12-23T15:33:39Z")
In my experience, non-Catholics usually address priests as “Father”, or “Father \”. And when I address Protestant clergy, I usually use “Reverend”. There has been a shift lately, in that it used to be that most priests went by “Father Lastname”, but nowadays “Father Firstname” is more common. An exception is that many monastic orders have always been “Father Firstname”, though in that case the first name used often isn’t the name he was given at birth, but one taken on joining the order. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/13 "2021-12-23T16:57:23Z")
Yes, _Your Grace_ is UK and Commonwealth, as Bishops are Peers (or were, I am not sure anymore). ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/14 "2021-12-23T17:20:38Z")
Only some bishops of the CofE, none of the RCs, and “Your Grace” as a formal address (I think) applies only to Dukes and bishops, not members of the House of Lords per se. It may not be the most reliable source, but Father Ted (set in the Republic) uses both “Your Grace” and “bishop” to Bishop Brennan\* (who takes umbrage at being called “Len”, where it’s not uncommon in the CofE to talk about “Bishop Alan” or “Bishop Sarah”). \*When not communicating with him [rather more unconventionally.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kicking_Bishop_Brennan_Up_the_Arse) ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/15 "2021-12-23T17:50:31Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > In my experience, non-Catholics usually address priests as “Father”, or “Father ”. And when I address Protestant clergy, I usually use “Reverend”. Really? As a non Catholic I definitely wouldn’t feel comfortable calling a priest “Father”. Reverend seems different to me because it’s just a title but “Father” has certain implications that I wouldn’t be at all comfortable with. I’d also balk at titles like “Your Holiness”, “Your Excellency”, or “Your Highness” (for a secular ruler). They all imply a level of buy-in that I’m not at all comfortable with. I guess I’m lucky I don’t have to rub shoulders either priests or kings… ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/16 "2021-12-23T17:53:56Z")
I’m with you on this, **Babale**. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/17 "2021-12-23T17:59:17Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > In my experience, non-Catholics usually address priests as “Father”, or “Father ”. Um… no. I have certainly been told to do that, but I find it really, really uncomfortable to address anyone but my dad as “father”, because they aren’t my father no matter what their religion tells them. I did it a few times when I was younger (not yet legally adult) and less sure of myself but not anymore. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/18 "2021-12-23T18:07:50Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > An exception is that many monastic orders have always been “Father Firstname”, though in that case the first name used often isn’t the name he was given at birth, but one taken on joining the order. I think those folks tend to go by Brother Firstname or Sister Firstname. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/19 "2021-12-23T18:27:50Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > > [@Chronos](#): > > > > In my experience, non-Catholics usually address priests as “Father”, or “Father ”. And when I address Protestant clergy, I usually use “Reverend”. > > Really? As a non Catholic I definitely wouldn’t feel comfortable calling a priest “Father”. Reverend seems different to me because it’s just a title but “Father” has certain implications that I wouldn’t be at all comfortable with. > [@Broomstick](#): > > I have certainly been told to do that, but I find it really, really uncomfortable to address anyone but my dad as “father”, because they aren’t my father no matter what their religion tells them As a non-Catholic, I would feel a little weird addresisng a priest as simply “Father” but have no qualms about addressing him as “Father [name].” ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520/20 "2021-12-23T19:00:46Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > Only some bishops of the CofE, none of the RCs, and “Your Grace” as a formal address (I think) applies only to Dukes and bishops, not members of the House of Lords per se. Indeed. Dukes are “Your Grace”. Other peers (marquesses, earls, viscounts and barons) are all “My Lord/Lady” or “Your Lordship/Ladyship” (irrespective of whether they sit in the House of Lords). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-catholic-question/956520.md?page=2)