Sunday 26 June 2016

Titles and Forms of Address for Catholic Priests

In the English-speaking world, there are particular forms for the title of a Catholic priest. A priest is addressed as "Father" but for a priest ordained for a Diocese and not a Religious Order, the following is the title (an example of names is given) :

The Reverend Thomas LEONARD 

There are other correct forms of this title : 
Reverend Thomas Leonard
(The) Reverend Father Leonard (Christian name omitted or unknown)
(The) Rev. Thomas Leonard (an abbreviation)
(The) Rev'd Thomas Leonard (a contraction) 
(The) Revd Thomas Leonard (a contraction)
Rev. Fr. Leonard (an abbreviation)

There are also incorrect forms, which should be avoided :
Rev. Leonard (bad grammar)
Rev. Father Thomas Leonard (an affectation).

A Catholic priest, being an ordained member of a Religious Order (for example, Benedictine, Carmelite, Cistercian, Augustinian, Franciscan, Dominican) has the following title (an example of names is given) :

The Reverend Father Stephen Reville OSA

There are other correct forms of this title :
(The) Rev. Fr. Stephen Reville OSA (an abbreviation)
(The) Reverend Father Stephen OSA (surname omitted)
(The) Rev'd Father Stephen (a contraction) 
Rev. Fr. Stephen (an abbreviation)

There are also incorrect forms for priests of Religious Orders, which should be avoided :
(The) Reverend Stephen Reville OSA
Father Reville OSA

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Adapted from The Sacristan's Manual, Burns and Oates, 1951.