Monsignor (/mɒnˈsiːnjər/mon-SEEN-yər;Italian:monsignore[monsiɲˈɲoːre]) is aform of address or title for certain members of the clergy in theCatholic Church. Monsignor is theapocopic form of theItalianmonsignore, meaning "my lord". "Monsignor" can be abbreviated asMons.[1][2][3][4] orMsgr.[a][b] In some countries, the title "monsignor" is used as a form of address forbishops.[citation needed] However, in English-speaking countries, the title is unrelated to the episcopacy, though many priests with the title later become bishops.[1][2][3][4]
The title "monsignor" is a form of address, not an appointment (such as abishop orcardinal). A priest cannot be "made a monsignor" or become "the monsignor of a parish". The title "Monsignor" is normally used by clergy who have received one of the three classes of papal honors:
The pope bestows these honors upon clergy who:
Clerics working in theRoman Curia and theVatican diplomatic service are eligible for all three honors, while priests working in a diocese are only eligible for the honor "Chaplain of His Holiness". Priests must be nominated by their bishop; an additional requirement in the reign ofPope Francis was the minimum age of 65 years.Pope Leo XIV reverted to the traditional practice by bestowing the title on Indian priest Sebastian Febin Puthiyaparambil of theSyro-Malabar CatholicEparchy of Thamaraserry.[10]
Pope Paul VI, in his 1968 publicationmotu proprioPontificalis Domus, reduced the number of papal honors allowing "Monsignor" as a style from 14 to three. The protonotary apostolic class was divided into two subsections. The classes ofchamberlains and chaplains were abolished, leaving only a single class of "chaplains of his holiness".[11] The three papal honor classes are:
In March 2013,Pope Francis suspended the granting of papal honors, with the title of monsignor, to all clergy except members of theVatican diplomatic service.[12][13] However, by 2022 the title had started to be awarded again.[14]
At the October 2013 meeting of theCouncil of Cardinal Advisers, 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. AsArchbishop of Buenos Aires, 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 become "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.[15][16][17] Pope Francis decided to continue papal honors from all three classes for two groups of clergy:
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These are the current forms of address for a monsignor:
In English-speaking countries, bishops and archbishops are not called "monsignor". However, in 1969 the VaticanSecretariat of State indicated that bishops may be addressed as "monsignor". In some countries, the titles "Monsignore", "Monseigneur", "Monsenyor", and "Monseñor" are used for bishops, archbishops and any other prelates below the rank ofcardinal orpatriarch.[citation needed]
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:
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In 1979, the Vatican simplified thedress of monsignors:
Purple-trimmed blackcassocks with purplesashes, good for all occasions.
Red-trimmed black cassocks with purple sashes, good for all occasions. Purple cassocks as choir dress for liturgical events of special solemnity.
Red-trimmed black cassocks with purple sashes. Purple cassocks as choir dress. Can also wear the purpleferraiuolo, a silk cape. The ferraiuolo is for non-liturgical events, such as graduation and commencement ceremonies.
Red-trimmed black cassocks with purple sashes and the purpleferraiuolo. Purple cassocks as choir dress. They can wear themantelletta in choir dress with a blackbiretta with a red tuft.
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.[11][citation needed][15][16][17] These 14 previous classes included:
The 14 honor categories were reduced to three categories in 1969.
Under Pope Paul VI, the Secretariat of State set minimum qualifications of age and priesthood for the three papal honor classes:
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.[15]
These forms were changed in 1969.
Under the legislation ofPope Pius X,vicars general andvicars capitular (now called diocesan administrators) are titular (not actual) Protonotariesdurante munere. As long as these priests hold the office, they can have the title "monsignor".[19] Vicars general and diocesan administrators were allowed to wear:
As a result of this they were in some countries referred to as "black protonotaries".[24][page needed] However,Pontificalis domus of Paul VI removed this position (titular protonotaries) from thePapal Household, 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 theAnnuario Pontificio.[citation needed]
Pariter, qui vicarii generalis aut etiam capitularis munere fungitur, hoc munere dumtaxat perdurante, erit protonotarius titularis.
