How do you address a Cardinal or Bishop at a social function?

-- Frank Zenszer (Frank_tatitle@hotmail.com), April 12, 2001

Answers

Usually a, "Yo, Pops, what's shakin?" is considered sufficient for an opening greeting.

Cheerfully,

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.cam), April 12, 2001.

Here is what I have been taught:

Cardinal = Your Immanence Archbishop = Your Grace, Your Excellency Bishop = My Lord, Your Excellency

St. James, and Mary Our Blessed Mother, pray for us!

Ed

-- Ed Lauzon (grader@accglobal.net), April 12, 2001.

Sorry, somehow the above post did not keep the format I submitted it in. I will try again.

Cardinal = Your Immanence; Archbishop = Your Grace or Your Excellency; Bishop = My Lord or Your Excellency.

Ed

-- Ed Lauzon (grader@accglobal.net), April 12, 2001.

Careful, Ed. It is Eminence (not "Immanence") for Cardinals.
If one forgets, he only has to consider the meanings of the adjectives "eminent" (prominent) and "immanent" (inherent) to make the right decision.

I have read that "your Excellency" is good and formal, but that most (arch)bishops do not object to being addressed more informally, such as, "I'm pleased to meet you, Bishop Lauzon."

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jgecik@desc.dla.mil), April 12, 2001.

John:

You won't believe this but, originally I was going to type "Emminence" with 2 "M's" but something just didn't feel quite right, so I checked the dictionary and couldn't find the word spelled my way (your version was on the preceding page with only one "M" and I didn't notice it). So I checked the word "immanence" and learned that it meant an "indwelling" or "the presence of God pervading all creation" so I said to myself, "Bishop Ed, this has got to be the correct spelling", and so, I used it in my post. In my defence however, with a firm belief in Divine Providence, I recall distincly thinking that I had a safety valve. I knew the good Cardinal from the Archdiocese of Washington, his "EMINENCE", John Gecik, would correct the lowly Bishop if he was in error. And now having been duly chastized, His Lord, the blessed Bishop of Cornwall, will take a vow of silence. (hehehe)

Ed

-- Ed Lauzon (grader@accglobal.net), April 12, 2001.

For a Catholic Cardinal:Your Eminence For a Catholic Bishop:Your Excellency

-- Robert Matthews (rlcamatth@aol.com), April 17, 2002.

Pope: His Holiness Pope John Paul II Address: Most Holy Father or Your Holiness

Cardinal: His Emience Michael Cardinal Jacob Address: Your Eminence

Bishop: Most Reverend Michael J. Sabatino Dear Bishop Sabatino Address: Your Excellency

Priest: Reverend Father Humberto Concoinces Dear Reverend Father Address: Father

Religious Brother: Address: Brother

Religious Sister: Address: Sister

Deacon: Reverend Mr. Joseph Shome Address: Deacon Shome

-- Bishop Michael J. Sabatino (frmsabatino@msn.com), August 21, 2003.

One exception to the above ... In the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church, deacons are addressed as "Father Deacon".

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), August 21, 2003.

In the UK a bishop is addressed as 'My Lord', and an Archbishop as 'Your Grace'. To a Cardinal we say 'Your Eminence'.

-- Sara (sara_catholic_forum@yahoo.co.uk), August 22, 2003.

I'd like to thank everyone for their posts. I'm a writer working on a novel where a priest is a main character and posts like this help me be accurate. I'm Episcopal which has very similar rites and titles, but I like to be certian. Thanks for the help. Sincerely, Dawn Hawkins

-- Dawn Hawkins (bookedandprintedsubjects@hotmail.com), September 28, 2003.

dawn, your very welcome. let me invite you to come to the rest of our forum to receive more answer if you need to ask.

click on the catholic link at the top of the page, then you can select "new answers" to breeze through recent posts, or 'ask a question' to create one of your own questions. also, try looking under the archives for what you want.

-- paul (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), September 28, 2003.

Here in India a Cardinal is addressed His Emminence, the Most Rev., an Archbishop is addressed His Grace the Most Rev., and Bishop as His Lordship/execellency, Most Rev. or Right Reverened. A lay normally verbally address Archbishop or Bishop as "Swamyji"

-- Dr.Vincent Barla (barlavincent@yahoo.com), October 02, 2003.

well what do you say i dont know

-- ace aces (grahamwatts@postmaster.co.uk), March 05, 2004.

How about "Hey Buddy..Nice Hat!" This works for all those guys that are more than just padres.

-- Pat Delaney (pat@patdelaney.net), March 06, 2004.