Monsignor (; it, monsignore ) is an honorific

form of address A style of office or form of address, also called manner of address, is an official or legally recognized form of address for a person or other entity (such as a government or company), and may often be used in conjunction with a personal title. ...

or title for certain male clergy members, usually members of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

''monsignore'', meaning "my lord". "Monsignor" can be abbreviated as Mons... or Msgr. In some countries, the title "monsignor" is used as a form of address for bishops. However, in English-speaking countries, the title is dropped when a priest is appointed as bishop. The title "monsignor" is a form of address, not an appointment (such as a

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

). A priest cannot be "made a monsignor" or become "the monsignor of a parish". The title "Monsignor" is normally used by clergy (men only) who have received one of the three classes of papal honors: *

Protonotary apostolic In the Roman Catholic Church, protonotary apostolic (PA; Latin: ''protonotarius apostolicus'') is the title for a member of the highest non-episcopal college of prelates in the Roman Curia or, outside Rome, an honorary prelate on whom the pop ...

(the highest honored class) *

Honorary prelate A Prelate of Honour of His Holiness is a Catholic prelate to whom the Pope has granted this title of honour. They are addressed as Monsignor and have certain privileges as regards clerical clothing.Chaplain of his holiness A Chaplain of His Holiness is a priest to whom the Pope has granted this title. They are addressed as Monsignor and have certain privileges with respect to ecclesiastical dress and vestments.chapters Chapter or Chapters may refer to: Books * Chapter (books), a main division of a piece of writing or document * Chapter book, a story book intended for intermediate readers, generally age 7–10 * Chapters (bookstore), Canadian big box bookstore ...

Clerics working in the Roman Curia and the Vatican diplomatic service are eligible for all three honors. Priests working in a diocese are only eligible for the "chaplain of his holiness" honor. Priests must be nominated by their bishop and must be at least 65 years old.

Current honor rules

Current honor classes

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his ...

, in his 1968 publication ''

motu proprio In law, ''motu proprio'' (Latin for "on his own impulse") describes an official act taken without a formal request from another party. Some jurisdictions use the term ''sua sponte'' for the same concept. In Catholic canon law, it refers to a do ...

'' ''

Pontificalis Domus ''Pontificalis Domus'' ( en, The Papal Household) was a ''motu proprio'' document issued by Pope Paul VI on 28 March 1968, in the fifth year of his pontificate. It reorganized the Papal Household, which had been known until then as the Papal Co ...

'', reduced the number of papal honors from 14 to three. The protonotary apostolic class was divided into two subsections. The classes of chamberlains and chaplains were abolished, leaving only a single class of "chaplains of his holiness".''Annuario Pontificio'' 2012, p. 1853The three papal honor classes are: *

(two subclasses): ** ''De numero'' (the higher and less common form) ** Supernumerary (the highest grade of monsignor found outside the Vatican) *

Prelate of Honour of His Holiness A Prelate of Honour of His Holiness is a Catholic prelate to whom the Pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop ...

(formerly the "domestic prelate") *

Chaplain of His Holiness A Chaplain of His Holiness is a priest to whom the Pope has granted this title. They are addressed as Monsignor and have certain privileges with respect to ecclesiastical dress and vestments.

Current honor eligibility

In March 2013,

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

suspended the granting of papal honors, with the title of monsignor, to all clergy except members of the Vatican diplomatic service. At the October 2013 meeting of the

Council of Cardinal Advisers The Council of Cardinals (called C9 due to the fact it contained 9 cardinal members for some time), also known as the Council of Cardinal Advisers, is a group of Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinals of the Catholic Church appointed by Pope Francis ...

. Pope Francis stated his desire to scale back the honors as part of a broader effort to project a more modest and pastoral vision of leadership. As

archbishop of Buenos Aires The Archdiocese of Buenos Aires (''Archidioecesis Bonaerensis'') is one of thirteen Latin Metropolitan archdioceses of the Catholic Church in Argentina, South America. The Archbishopric of Buenos Aires is the Primatial see (protocollary first-ra ...

, Pope Francis never requested papal honors for his priests, associating the honors with clerical "careerism". In December 2013, Pope Francis decreed that diocesan priests could only receive "chaplain of his holiness", the lowest of the three papal honors. He also set a minimum age required of 65. Existing honors were not affected. .Pope Francis decided to continue papal honors from all three classes for two groups of clergy: * Officials of the Roman Curia * Members of the diplomatic service.

Current forms of address

These are the current forms of address for a monsignor: * The written form is ''Monsignor (first name) (last name)'' or ''The Reverend Monsignor (first name) (last name)''. For example, "Monsignor Bob Smith" or "The Reverend Monsignor Bob Smith". * The spoken form is ''Monsignor (last name)''. For example, "Monsignor Smith". In English speaking countries, bishops and archbishops are not called "monsignor." However, 1969 the Vatican Secretariat of State indicated that bishops may be addressed as "monsignor." In some countries, the titles "Monsignore", "

Monseigneur Monseigneur (plural: Messeigneurs or Monseigneurs) is an honorific in the French language, abbreviated Mgr., Msgr. In English use it is a title before the name of a French prelate, a member of a royal family or other dignitary. Monsignor is both ...

", "Monsenyor", and "Monseñor" are used for bishops, archbishops and any other prelates below the rank of

patriarch The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in certai ...

. The 1969 instruction also indicated that for bishops "''Reverendissimus''" (translated as "most reverend") could be added to the word "monsignor". For example, the "Most Reverend Monsignor John Doe". This instruction also applied to: * Prelates without episcopal rank who head offices of the Roman Curia * Judges of the Rota * The promotor general of justice and the

defender of the bond The defender of the bond ( la, defensor vinculi or ''defensor matrimonii'') is a Catholic Church official whose duty is to defend the marriage bond in the procedure prescribed for the hearing of matrimonial causes which involve the validity or ...

of the

Apostolic Signatura The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura () is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church (apart from the pope himself, who as supreme ecclesiastical judge is the final point of appeal for any ecclesiastical judgment). In additio ...

* Protonotaries apostolic "''de numero''" * The four clerics of the camera.

Current ecclesiastical dress

In 1979, the Vatican simplified the

dress A dress (also known as a frock or a gown) is a garment traditionally worn by women or girls consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice (or a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece garment). It consists of a top piece that covers ...

of monsignors:

Chaplains of his holiness

Purple-trimmed black

cassock The cassock or soutane is a Christian clerical clothing coat used by the clergy and male religious of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, in addition to some clergy in certain Protestant denomi ...

s with purple

sashes Sashes Island is an island in the River Thames in England at Cookham Lock near Cookham, Berkshire. It is now open farmland, but has Roman and Anglo-Saxon connections. The island is located between Hedsor Water and the present navigation cha ...

, good for all occasions.

Honorary prelates

Red-trimmed black cassocks with purple sashes, good for all occasions. Purple cassocks as choir dress for liturgical events of special solemnity.

Supernumerary protonotaries apostolics

Red-trimmed black cassocks with purple sashes. Purple cassocks as choir dress. Can also wear the purple ''

ferraiuolo The ferraiolo (also ferraiuolo, ferraiolone) is a type of cape traditionally worn by clergy in the Roman Catholic Church on formal, non-liturgical occasions. It can be worn over the shoulders, or behind them, extends in length to the ankles, is t ...

'', a silk cape. The ferraiuolo is for non-liturgical events, such as graduation and commencement ceremonies.

Protonotaries apostolics ''de numero''

Red-trimmed black cassocks with purple sashes and the purple ''

''. Purple cassocks as choir dress. They can wear the

mantelletta A mantelletta, Italian diminutive of Latin ''mantellum'' 'mantle', is a sleeveless, knee-length, vest-like garment, open in front, with slits instead of sleeves on the sides, fastened at the neck. It was for a period of time even more common than ...

in choir dress with a black

biretta The biretta ( la, biretum, birretum) is a square cap with three or four peaks or horns, sometimes surmounted by a tuft. Traditionally the three-peaked biretta is worn by Catholic clergy and some Anglican and Lutheran clergy. A four-peaked bire ...

with a red tuft.

Previous honor rules

Previous honor classes

The Catholic church originally maintained 14 classes of papal honors. A priest with the title of "privy chamberlain" would lose the title when the pope who granted it died. When the pope abolished the privy chamberlain class in 1968, the rule was abolished also. These 14 previous classes included: * Domestic prelates * Four kinds of protonotaries apostolic, * Four kinds of papal chamberlains, and at least * Five types of papal chaplains. The 14 honor categories were reduced to three categories in 1969.

Previous age requirements

Under Pope Paul VI, the Secretariat of State set minimum qualifications of age and priesthood for the three papal honor classes: * Chaplains of his holiness – minimum age 35 and 10 years as priest * Honorary prelates – minimum age 45 and 15 years as priest * Protonotaries apostolic supernumerary – minimum age 55 and 20 years as priest The Secretariat waived the minimum age limit for vicars general proposed for appointment as honorary prelates. The reasoning was that as long as a priest holds the office of vicar general, he is also protonotary apostolic supernumerary. A vicar general could not be named chaplain of his holiness. All these criteria were superseded in 2013.

Previous forms of address

* Priests with the title "Chaplain of His Holiness" were formerly addressed in English as "''The Very Reverend Monsignor''". * Priests with the titles "Protonotary Apostolic" or honorary prelate were addressed as "''The Right Reverend Monsignor''". These forms were changed in 1969. File:External Ornaments of an Apostolic protonotary.svg, Generic

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...

of a protonotary apostolic:

amaranth ''Amaranthus'' is a cosmopolitan genus of annual or short-lived perennial plants collectively known as amaranths. Some amaranth species are cultivated as leaf vegetables, pseudocereals, and ornamental plants. Catkin-like cymes of densely pack ...

galero A (plural: ; from la, galērum, originally connotating a helmet made of skins; cf. '' galea'') is a broad-brimmed hat with tasselated strings which was worn by clergy in the Catholic Church. Over the centuries, the red ''galero'' was restricte ...

with 12 scarlet tassels File:External Ornaments of a Domestic Prelate.svg, Generic coat of arms of an honorary prelate: amaranth galero with 12 violet tassels File:External Ornaments of a Chaplain of His Holiness.svg, Generic coat of arms of a chaplain of his holiness: black galero with 12 violet tassels

Other monsignors

Under the legislation of

Pope Pius X Pope Pius X ( it, Pio X; born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto; 2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914) was head of the Catholic Church from 4 August 1903 to his death in August 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing modernist interpretations of C ...

vicars general A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ...

and vicars capitular (now called diocesan administrators) are titular (not actual) Protonotaries ''durante munere.'' As long as these priests hold the office, they can have the title "monsignor". Vicar generals and diocesan administrators were allowed to wear: * A black, silk-fringed sash (

fascia A fascia (; plural fasciae or fascias; adjective fascial; from Latin: "band") is a band or sheet of connective tissue, primarily collagen, beneath the skin that attaches to, stabilizes, encloses, and separates muscles and other internal organs. ...

), * Black piping on the biretta with a black tuft"Super habitu quotidiano, occasione solemnis conventus, audientiae et similium... zonam tantum sericam nigram, cum laciniis item nigris, gestare poterunt, cum pileo chordula ac floccis nigris ornato" (''Inter multiplices curas'', 67). * A black mantelletta As a result of this they were in some countries referred to as "black protonotaries". However, ''Pontificalis domus'' of Paul VI removed this position (titular protonotaries) from the

Papal Household The papal household or pontifical household (usually not capitalized in the media and other nonofficial use, ), called until 1968 the Papal Court (''Aula Pontificia''), consists of dignitaries who assist the pope in carrying out particular ceremoni ...

, even though the title of "monsignor", which is to be distinguished from a prelatial rank, has not been withdrawn from vicars general, as can be seen, for instance, from the placing of the abbreviated title "Mons." before the name of every member of the secular (diocesan) clergy listed as a vicar general in the ''

Annuario Pontificio The ''Annuario Pontificio'' (Italian for ''Pontifical Yearbook'') is the annual directory of the Holy See of the Catholic Church. It lists the popes in chronological order and all officials of the Holy See's departments. It also provides names ...

''.

Notes

References

Bibliography

* * * * * *
Latin text
of the Instruction, with an unofficial English translation. * *

* {{Citation , first = Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria , last = Montini , author-link = Pope Paul VI , date = 21 June 1968 , title = Pontificalis insignia , trans-title=Pontifical insignia , place = Rome, IT , publisher = The Vatican , author-mask = 3, url = https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/motu_proprio/documents/hf_p-vi_motu-proprio_19680621_pontificalia-insignia_lt.html , language = la

* Major orders in the Catholic Church Honorary titles of the Holy See Italian words and phrases Catholic ecclesiastical titles Ecclesiastical styles