Pope: No More 'Monsignor' for Most Priests

Francis aims to further simplify honorifics
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jan 9, 2014 2:14 PM CST
Pope: No More 'Monsignor' for Most Priests
Pope Francis has a lamb placed around his neck as he visits a living nativity scene staged at the St. Alfonso Maria de' Liguori parish church, in the outskirts of Rome, Monday, Jan. 6, 2014.   (Uncredited)

Pope Francis has done away with the honorific title "monsignor" for all but a few priests, further evidence of his desire for priests to be simple, humble servants. The Vatican's secretary of state sent a letter to its embassies asking them to inform bishops' conferences of the change. From now on, only diocesan priests who are "chaplains of the Holy Father" can use the honorific, and then only after they turn 65.

Bishops, vicars, and archbishops still get to be called "monsignor" and Holy See officials will have the title if their office warrants it. The Vatican noted that Pope Paul VI reduced the number of ecclesiastic honorifics in 1968 and that Francis' decision "should be taken in this vein, as a further simplification." (More Pope Francis stories.)

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