Are Roman Catholic priests ever addressed as pastor?
score:8
Typically, in the United States, the priest to whom the parish is entrusted is referred to as "the pastor". The Latin word is "parochus", which the Code of Canon Law translates as "parish priest". Other priests at the parish may be referred to more formally as parochial vicars or less so as assistant pastors.
In any case, though, the priest is not addressed as "Pastor" (in the US at least), but as "Father". The Office of Public Affairs of the US Congregation of Catholic Bishops carries on its website a glossary of Catholic terms, for the purpose of media coverage of Catholic events. This glossary includes the entry:
pastor. A priest in charge of a Catholic parish or congregation. He is responsible for administering the sacraments, instructing the congregation in the doctrine of the church, and providing other services to the people of the parish. Pastor is not ordinarily used as a title before the name of a Catholic priest: He is Father John Smith or Msgr. [i.e. Monsignor] John Smith or the Rev. John Smith, depending on your publication's style manual.
(source)
Upvote:0
Fr. Hardon, S.J.'s definition:
PASTOR
An individual priest or a corporate person (religious order or community) to whom a parish has been entrusted by a bishop, with the rights and responsibilities conferred by canon law and the statutes of the dioceses. (Etym. Latin pastor, shepherd; literally, feeder.)
Upvote:1
Are Roman Catholic priests ever addressed as pastor?
The short answer is: Yes, but not in English.
Priests who are pastors, in English speaking counties are often referred to as pastors. The assistant pastor is called either the assistant pastor or the associate pastor. The signage in front of many Catholic churches bares this out.
However, it is also commonly accepted that pastors in English speaking countries should be addressed as father. I have never heard of a parish priest being referred to as Pastor "X" by any member of the faithful in English.
The title of Father is very commonly given to Secular Priests, as well as to Priests of Religious Orders and Congregations. - Ecclesiastical Addresses (Catholic Encyclopedia)
This is not so true in the French language, where priests who are pastors of a parish church are commonly referred to as Monsieur le Curé.
"Monsieur le Curé", being used for all parish priests. - Ecclesiastical Addresses (Catholic Encyclopedia)
Most Catholics have heard of St. John Vianney also known as the "Curé d'Ars". In France Parish priests are quite commonly called Monsieur le Curé or as one would say in English "Mister [the] Pastor".
St. Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney, T.O.S.F. (8 May 1786 – 4 August 1859), commonly known in English as Saint John Vianney, was a French parish priest who is venerated in the Catholic Church as a saint and as the patron saint of parish priests. He is often referred to as the "Curé d'Ars" (i.e. the parish priest of Ars), internationally known for his priestly and pastoral work in his parish in Ars, France, because of the radical spiritual transformation of the community and its surroundings. Catholics attribute this to his saintly life, mortification, persevering ministry in the sacrament of confession, and ardent devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. His feast day is 4 August.
The YouTube video in French on the life of the "Curé d'Ars" clearly bares this out: Le Sorcier Du Ciel. Although it is an older movie and in black and white, it is quite enjoyable to watch, especially if you understand French. It does have English subtitles for those interested.
While living in France, I would quite often addressee Catholic priests who were pastors as Monsieur le Curé or more affectionately as Mon Père.
The word Curé in French referrers to priest who is charge of a parish.
Prêtre qui a la charge d'une paroisse dans la religion catholique.
Synonymes : abbé, prêtre
Traduction anglais : parish priest
Upvote:4
I managed to track down a Catholic web site which gives the following explanation, which I would like to share with you:
Pastor: This term denotes a priest who has the cure of souls (cura animarum), that is, who is bound in virtue of his office to promote the spiritual welfare of the faithful by preaching, administering the sacraments, and exercising certain powers of external government, e.g., the right of supervision, giving precepts, imposing light corrections — powers rather paternal in their nature, and differing from those of a bishop, which are legislative, judicial, and coactive. A pastor is properly called a parish-priest (parochus) when he exercises the cure of souls in his own name with regard to a determined number of subjects who are obliged to apply to him for the reception of certain sacraments specified in the law. In this article "parish-priest" is always taken in this strict sense.
The power to appoint pastors is ordinarily vested in the bishop. To pastors, who are not parish-priests, the right of assisting at marriages is given by the law as to parish-priests. The other rights usually are granted to them by the bishops and are defined in the particular laws; such is very commonly the case in the United States, England, and Scotland, with regard to baptism, holy viaticum, extreme unction, and funerals. Source: Pastor (Catholic Encyclopedia)
I am grateful to Matt Gutting for his speedy and clear response because I was working to a deadline and needed to submit my assignment before the end of today.
More post
- 📝 Does Catholicism teach that Trinity is reflected in Man?
- 📝 What does the Book of Enoch's apocryphal status imply for the Epistle of Jude that cites it?
- 📝 Did God create Earth as a temporary place of confinement for Lucifer and his Angels?
- 📝 What is the basis for the idea that God is highly involved in human lives?
- 📝 How is spiritual progress described in eastern monastic traditions?
- 📝 What do Christian Scientists mean when they say death is an illusion?
- 📝 Harshness and nihilism
- 📝 How do the Personal Ordinariates differ from Anglicanism?
- 📝 How was Judas Iscariot, as the son of perdition, able to work miracles and cast out demons?
- 📝 What was the difference between the Pharisees and Sadducees?
- 📝 Common arguments in support of the partaking of the divine nature being possible only through Eucharist
- 📝 Words the Holy Ghost teaches with
- 📝 Do Fetuses have souls? Is the aquisition of a soul instantenous or continuous?
- 📝 Why do LDS cross their arms during prayer?
- 📝 What is the support for the idea that the "angel of the Lord" is actually God?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for the idea that non-Christians do not have access to the power of the Holy Spirit?
- 📝 Does Christianity allow for believing on someone else's behalf?
- 📝 Were there any Roman Catholic Church martyrs in the 10–15th centuries?
- 📝 What answer do speakers of 'tongues' have in regard to the emphasis of scripture?
- 📝 The sacrificial perogative of the kings of Israel
- 📝 Is there a generally accepted term for "Christians in Communion with the Bishop of Rome"?
- 📝 Were all the various systems of Gnosticism Docetist?
- 📝 Can a lay person or a group of lay faithful petition the Pope (Vatican) to de-canonize a Saint in light of new findings?
- 📝 Apologetic on suffering using a reference to Jesus
- 📝 What does "son of thy handmaid" means in Psalm 86:16 and Wisdom 9:5?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for moral absolutism?
- 📝 Why does the LDS church (Mormon) put so much more emphasis on the family than most other denominations do?
- 📝 How is "Veneration" similar or different from "Adoration"?
- 📝 URLs for Christian Polemic Repositories
- 📝 What if Hell isn't a punishment?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Are Roman Catholic priests ever addressed as pastor?
- 📝 What are the differences between Roman Catholic and Irish Catholic?
- 📝 How are Catholic priests chosen and assigned to specific parishes?
- 📝 What are the consequences of suicide according to the Roman Catholic church?
- 📝 Is a Roman Catholic ever permitted to take the Anglican Eucharist?
- 📝 Are Catholic priests allowed by church law to provide professional counseling and referrals to penitents who come to them to confess?
- 📝 Has the Roman Catholic Church ever officially condemned the Croatian Ustashi?
- 📝 Which liturgical rites (forms of Mass) are presently used in the Roman Catholic Church?
- 📝 Are spectators allowed during Roman Catholic exorcisms?
- 📝 Has the Roman Catholic Church ever issued an official response to the accusations of the Reformers?
- 📝 What are the requirements for godparents in the Roman Catholic Church?
- 📝 Who are the 144,000 according to the Roman Catholic Church?
- 📝 Catholic priests in China that reject the papal primacy, are their administration of sacraments considered valid?
- 📝 Where are the majority of Roman Catholic converts from today?
- 📝 Are Catholic priests expert in exorcism?
- 📝 Kinds of "Traffic" Catholic Priests are Forbidden to Engage in
- 📝 How can common believers in the Roman Catholic Church be sure that the Church's decisions are correct and not erroneous?
- 📝 What differences are there between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox understanding of the sacrament of marriage?
- 📝 Are those who have a history of eating disorders excused from obligatory Roman Catholic fasts?
- 📝 Why are babies dressed in white during a Roman Catholic christening?
- 📝 Did Roman Catholic Church law ever condone (the contemporary practice of) incest?
- 📝 Which, if any, of the seven Church Councils viewed as "Ecumenical" by Eastern Orthodox Christians are rejected by the Roman Catholic Church?
- 📝 Are there rules regarding the content of Roman Catholic artwork?
- 📝 Are there any Roman Catholic Bishops with a more Protestant View of Mary?
- 📝 Are Catholic priests not supposed to get paid or have any belongings?
- 📝 What are the Roman Catholic pilgrimages in Northern America?
- 📝 Where did the Roman Catholic denomination in India originate, and why are there differences amongst Indian Christians?
- 📝 When did the prohibition of marriage for priests in the Catholic church originate?
- 📝 According to Roman Catholic doctrine, why does Mary refer to God as her Savior if she was born without sin?
- 📝 What is the Roman Catholic view on Matthew 23:9?