Abbess,
    Christian Orthodox       
Abbot,
    Christian Orthodox        
Accountant        
Acting Official       
Adjutant General     
Admiral, Rear         
Alderman         
Archbishop, Catholic        
Archbishop,
   Christian Orthodox        
Archdeacon, Episcopal        
Archimandrite        
Architect
Archpriest        
Ambassador to the U.S.
   from a foreign country      
Ambassador of the U.S.        
American Indian Chief        
Assemblyman
   U.S., State / or           
   Assemblywoman            
Associate Justice,
   U.S. Supreme Court          
Associate Justice of a
   State Supreme Court
Attorney         
Attorney General           
Attorney, U.S.         
Australian Officials    

Baron, Baroness           
British Officials,
   Royalty, Nobility     
Brother, Catholic         
Brother,
   Christian Orthodox          
Bishop, Catholic            
Bishop,
   Christian Orthodox         
Bishop, Episcopal        
Board Member     
Boy        
Brigadier General       

Canadian Officials    
Candidate    
Captain,
   USA, USAF, USMC     
Cardinal             
Chairman
    Federal Reserve      
Chaplain in the
    Armed Services        
Chaplain of Congress          
Chargé d’Affaires         
Chief Executive Officer 
Chief Judge          
Chief Justice,
      U.S. Supreme Court 
Chief Justice, of a State
      Supreme Court             
Chief of Police          
Chief of Staff     
Chief Operating
   Officer          
Child            
City Manager    
Clergy & Religious
    Officials     
Colonel, "Honorary"
     Kentucky, or other
     state/organization      
Colonel, USA, USAF,
    or USMC     
Congressman, U.S.              
Congresswoman, U.S.   
Consul and or
   Consul General              
Commissioner, Court      
Commissioner       
Corporate Executive         
Councilman
    Councilwoman      
Counselor (Diplomat)      
Countess     
Couples     
Curator        

Dalai Lama          
Deacon         
Dean, academic            
Dean, clergy            
Deceased Persons        
Delegate, U.S., State            
Dentist             
Deputy Chief of Mission      
Deputy Marshal          
Designate, Elect,
    Pro Tempore      
Diplomats      
District Attorney           
Doctor of Dentistry           
Doctor of Medicine              
Doctor of
   Veterinary Medicine          
Doctor of Osteopathy            
Doctor, Other Disciplines     
Doctorate        
Doctorate, honorary      

Earl            
Elect, Designate
   Pro Tempore      
Eminence     
Etiquette    
Excellency           

Fiancee      
First, Second,
   Third, etc.        
First Lady, Spouse
   of the President of
   the United States 
First Lady, Member
    of Her   
    White House Staff      
First Lady, Spouse
   of a Governor
   or Lt. Gov.    
First Lieutenant   
Flag Protocol     
Former Officials    
Freeholder       

Geshe
General
    USA, USAF, USMC
Girl
Governor, Lieutenant 
Governor, Lt., Spouse   
Governor, Tribal Council          
Governor, U.S. State       
Governor, Former    
Governor
    Spouse of     
Governor's Staff,
    Member of      
Governors, Board of 

Honorable, The          
Honorary degrees    
Honourable, The       

Indian Chief         
Inspector General    
Introductions       
Invitations  
   Writing &  
   Addressing  
Invitations
    Military:
    Writing &
    Addressing

Judge, former     
Judge of US City or
        US Count     
Judge, US Federal            
Junior, Senior,
    I, II, III, etc.       
Justice, Associate
     Federal
     Supreme Court
Justice, Associate
     State
     Supreme Court

King     
Knight      

Late, The
   (deceased persons)        
Lawyer      
Lieutenant      
Lieutenant Colonel,     
   USA, USAF, USMC          
Lieutenant General,
   USA, USAF, USMC      
Lieutenant Governor         

How to Address
Clergy and Religious Officials
Questions & Answers, Frequently Asked Questions, and Blog

How to Address a Pastor who is Also a Chaplain?      
How to Address a Pastor who is a Professor?       
How to Address a Pastor who Is Also an Attorney?
How to Address a Pastor with a Doctorate?       
How to Address a Pastor & Her Husband?       
How to Address a Pastor & Her Military Husband?       
How to Address a Pastor & His Professor Wife?       
How to Address a Pastor & His Pastor Wife?       
How to Address a Rabbi & His Rabbi Wife?       

How to Address a Muslim Teacher -- a Shaykh?        

How to Introduce the Pope?            
How to Address a Roman Catholic Bishop?        
Is a Roman Catholic Bishop Addressed as "Your Excellency"?       
How to Address a Roman Catholic Deacon?          
How to Address a Superior"?        

How to Address a Retired Protestant Pastor?       
How to Address a Retired Roman Catholic Priest?       

Do Clergy Introduce Themselves with an Honorific?               

How to Address a Roman Catholic Deacon?
         Having attended Catholic school for many years, I was sure that we had had some deacons/seminarians in high school who were called Reverend Mr. ___. With some Googling I have found this is the correct form of address used for a deacon who is preparing to be ordained a priest, who is called a “transitional deacon.”
        What do you think of this advice? 
        So my question today is how to address a deacon on the outside envelope. We are addressing some some beautiful Crane’s wedding invitations that have to be just perfect!
                   – Chris Wilder, Syosset, New York

Dear Ms. Wilder:
       People I've consulted with in the Roman Catholic hierarchy have the opinion that there are two types of Roman Catholic deacons — Permanent Deacons who are not addressed as “The Reverend.” … and Transitional Deacons {seminary graduates on their way to becoming priests} who are addresses as "The Reverend".  So that would suggest you will need to find out which type of deacon you are inviting.
       TRANSITIONAL DEACON
              Outside envelope for an invitation:
                     The Reverend Mr. (Full Name)
                     (Address)
              Inside envelope for an invitation:
                     Deacon (Surname)
       PERMANENT DEACON
              Outside envelope for an invitation:
                     Deacon (Full Name)
                     (Address)
              Inside envelope for an invitation:
                    Deacon (Surname)
Here’s what I think:
       1) Always use The Reverend … not just Reverend. It is a courtesy title used just like The Honorable would be used a U.S. elected official ... with a The and always preceding a full name.
       2) The use of  The Reverend + Mr.  is REALLY unusual in the United States. In the US we don’t use duplicate honorifics. The American tradition is to use just one courtesy title or honorific before the name. E.g., a Navy Captain who is also a physician is not addressed as “Captain Dr. (name).” or a member of the House of Representatives who is an PhD would not be "The Honorable Dr. (name)."
       Double titles are typical in the UK, and when people tell me of such a form ("Reverend Mr.”), I always wonder if their source isn’t a British (Church of England) style guide?  While I’ve seen The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. here and there … it is not what they use that at The King Center in Atlanta. They use The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  He was a The Reverend and he held a doctorate, but used one honorific or courtesy title at a time.
       Note to other readers: I am interested in hearing from you if you have an opinion.  (See two of the notes below from others.)
       — Robert Hickey
                 PS: I am glad you like your Crane’s invitations.
                           Pamela Eyring and I updated the new edition of the Crane’s Blue Book of Stationery.

Dear Mr. Hickey,
       As a deacon, I can tell you that in the Diocese of Trenton (and other NJ dioceses I believe), there are two standards:
              Permanent Deacons are addressed: Deacon__________
              Transitional Deacons are addressed Reverend Mr.________
       I believe this is fairly consistent throughout the US.
              – Deacon Kevin

Dear Mr. Hickey:
       Get real – why are we splitting hairs? In the Roman Catholic church we do have “transitional” and “permanent” deacons – but the ministry is the same. Therefore you address either deacon the same. Formal address is Reverend Mr. Casual is simply Deacon. The transitional deacon will go on to priestly ordination and become Reverend.. and casually addressed as Father. Permanent deacons remain as they were. Same ministry – same title – no difference – only the length of time in that ministry.
              – Deacon Dale

How to Address a Retired Roman Catholic Priest?
    We are working on our Honor Roll of Donors and do include our donor’s title in their listing.  I actually came across your website a few days ago and used the information on the site to clarify a retired military question I had.  I bookmarked the page and went back to it when I came across the retired Priest (actually a Monsignor) who is a donor. How should I handle him?
          -- Valerie

Dear Valerie:
     Clergy continue to be addressed as clergy when they retire. So while a retired monsignor might be identified in an introduction as being "retired from (a specific job or position)" -- his forms of address stay the same.
     I have all the forms of address for a monsignor ... business, social, place cards, introductions, conversation ... in my book on page 287.
          -- Robert Hickey

Is a Roman Catholic Bishop an Excellency?
     How do I address my (Roman Catholic) bishop? Is he Your Excellency? Are there more and less formal forms of correct address?
                   ~ Barbara Montgomery

    I taught catechism for years and when the kids prepared for a visit by the Bishop for confirmation they were always told to say Your Excellency or Bishop (Name).
                   ~ P.D.

Dear P.D. and Ms. Montgomery:
    In conversation it's correct to call the bishop Bishop (Surname).
    A Roman Catholic bishop is not an Excellency -- he's a Most Reverend. So when you address an envelope, write The Most Reverend (full name) and on the second line Bishop of (diocese).
      The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops suggests to address bishops with the courtesy title the Most Reverend.  See how they list their member bishops ON THIS PAGE ... their advice makes sense.
     Excellency is the courtesy title used with the accredited representative (ambassador) of one head-of-state to another head-of-state. The term was invented and established at the Conference of Vienna in 1814 for that purpose
    So a papal nuncio ... the accredited representative from His Holiness to a foreign head-of-state is addressed as His/Your Excellency ... because he holds the rank of ambassador.
    It is not used correctly when addressing bishops in general.
                 -- Robert Hickey

How to Introduce Pope Benedict XVI?
Dear Mr. Hickey.
     I will be meeting the Pope. If I introduce him, would you say, "May I introduce the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI" or would you say, "May I present His Holiness" and not use Benedict in the introduction?
                   ~ Meeting the Pope

Dear Meeting the Pope:
    (All this is covered on page 282 in my book.)
    The Holy Father is "so high" he is never introduced to anyone: individuals are presented to The Holy Father. He requires no introduction: anyone about to meet the Pope already knows who he is. Rather he is announced .... as he enters a room an aide says so all can hear  "His Holiness" ... and that's it.
     As to whether his name is ever used: Neither you, I, nor anyone else calls him Benedict ... he is addressed in conversation as "Your Holiness"
     This not using the name is also the rule for other very high officials.  For example, the Queen of the United Kingdom is never addressed as Queen Elizabeth ... she is always addressed as "Your Majesty"
                       -- Robert Hickey

FYI: To see an interesting news story about a mistake by the President of the United States in addressing the Pope, cardinals, and bishops, click here.

Dear SM in California:
    Addressing bishops as Your Grace is from British etiquette books. In the Church of England bishops are granted the precedence of a Duke ... and dukes.. and thus by courtesy, Anglican bishops too ... are addressed as Your Grace. BUT, the Episcopal Church in the USA suggests the Most Reverend and Bishop (Name).
       His/Her/Your Excellency is a courtesy title used by accredited diplomats who have presented their credentials to a foreign head of state as the single designated representative from another head of state. So the Papal Nuncio (who would always have the rank of bishop) is addressed as Your Excellency ... but other bishops are not.

             -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Professor Who is Also a Pastor? 
        How would one address the envelope to a reverend with a PhD who is a professor at a Christian university? Should I use The Reverend Dr.?  The Reverend PhD?
        -- Gail Ann in Michigan

Dear Gail Ann:
        In the USA we follow a simplified form when addressing someone with multiple roles in their life ... in the manner appropriate to the role they are to us at the moment.
        Therefore, if you are contacting him as clergy use:
                The Reverend Luther Heritage
                       (Address)
                Dear Dr. Heritage
        Addressing him as a professor use:
                Luther Heritage, PhD
                       (Address)
                Dear Dr. Heritage
        As an example of someone else who hold more than one title is Colin Powell -- who was a United State Army General and subsequently the Secretary of State.
                As a retired U.S. Army General he is entitled to be addressed as:
                        General Colin Powell, USA, Retired
                And as a former Secretary of State, an post appointed by The President and approved by the US Senate, he is forever entitled to:
                        The Honorable Colin Powell
                He is either .... but never both .... so he is never:
                        The Honorable General Colin Powell
       -- Robert Hickey

How to Address Retired Protestant Clergy?

     I’ve used your site several times recently and it’s extremely helpful.  Thanks for providing such a comprehensive reference. My current questions:
     1. How do you address protestant clergy?  For example, do you still use “Rev.” or “The Rev. Dr.”  to address a retired minister?
     2. Does a person’s personal preferences matter in forms of address?  For example, the minister mentioned above writes but uses no forms of address with his signature.  When you respond, do you use his professional honorific or a standard like “Mr.”?
         -- Higgins Clinton

Dear Mr. Clinton,

    Clergy continue to use "The Reverend" for ever.  It never expires.
    I would always do the envelope formally:
        The Reverend James Wilson
                        ... that form of his name is for the post office.
    Also there's a rule that in writing one does not give oneself an honorific .... so the minister not signing his name on a letter as "Pastor James Wilson" make sense. I don't sign my name "Mr. Robert Hickey" ... but that is how others would address me.
    Is that what you mean?
    I would formally address him in a salutation as something like "Dear Dr. Wilson"  .... or if I was on a first name basis "Dear Jim"
    -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Female Pastor & Her Husband?
      How do I address a sympathy card to our female pastor and her husband on the death of her husband’s son from a previous marriage?
    -- nskcomstock

Dear nskcomstock,
    Most formally on an envelope your Pastor is listed first since she is The Reverend (Full Name) and he is a Mr. (Full Name). People with courtesy titles rank higher than people without them.
     And because she has a title ... she gets her whole name as a unit ... not mixed in with her spouse's name. So avoid anything resembling The Reverend Allyson and Mr. Wilson Smith... which is really bad.  
     And assuming they use the same last name ... the most formal would be:
          The Reverend Allyson Smith
               and Mr. Wilson Smith
     In the salutation you could use the form you think she prefers in conversation ....
          Dear Pastor and Mr. Smith,
          Dear Dr. and Mr. Smith,
     Or if you are on a first name basis use:
          Dear Allyson and Wilson,
               -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Two Pastors?
    What is the proper way to address a letter to my pastor and his wife is also a pastor? Thank you in advance.
          -- Susan Wise

Dear Ms. Wise:
     I cover how to address two pastors in Chapter Nine: Joint Forms of Address.
     You didn't mention if they both use the same last name ... so I will assume the do.
    And I will also assume you address each as Pastor (surname) in conversation rather than Dr., Father, or something else.
    That said ... on the envelope ... address it to "your pastor" first ... and put the name of "his spouse" on the second line:
        The Reverend Clinton Jones
            and The Reverend Susan Jones
                (address)
    On the salutation to both use:
        Dear Pastors Jones,
      -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Two Rabbis?
        How would I address and invitation to Rabbis that are husband and wife?
          -- D.K.

Dear D.K.:
        The most formal way would be to list them both fully .... first one ... then the other.
                Rabbi Joel Pine
                and Rabbi Julia Pine
                2141 Wilson Boulevard
                Silver Spring, Maryland 20987
        Which one you put first will depend on the topic on which you are writing:
               If it's an invitation to her and he is on the letter as her spouse .... she'd be first
               If it's to him or to them together use the Mr. and Mrs. order .... list him first.
      -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Member of Clergy Who is Also an Attorney?
        How do you address an Episcopal Deacon in the U.S. who is also an attorney?  In The Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky, deacons are normally addressed, “The Rev. ABCD.”  Deacons who have a PhD are addressed, “ The Rev. Dr. ABCD.”  Normally an attorney will not use “Dr.,” but will use “Esquire” or Esq.” as a post nominal title.  Can you advise?  This would be for an written address.  Thank you.
        -- H. Engle

Dear H. Engle:
        The rule is that if one has a courtesy title ... you don't get anything after the name.  
        So if you put "The Reverend"  "The Very     Reverend" "The Most Reverend"  "The Honorable" "Your Excellency" before a name ... they don't get anything after their name. 
        Many members of Congress are JD's  .... but none are:
                The Honorable (full name), JD 
        They are simply:
                The Honorable (full name)
        So a deacon who you are addressing as a deacon is
                The Reverend (full name)
        If you are addressing him as an attorney at his law office address the envelope as:
                (Full Name), Esq.
        You suggest that "The Reverend Dr. (Full Name)" is typical.
        I'd say I see it now and then, but actually is what called the "compound form" ... a  form based on the British style (and the German's do it too) in which one includes everything to which one is entitled. Your full name basically being your resume. For example an accomplished person might end up with:
                His Excellency The Right Reverend General Dr. Sir (Full name), CBE
        In the USA we use a simplified form in which we only use what's pertinent to the conversation.  So military doctors are never Captain Dr. (Name)  ...... Senators are never Senator Dr. (name) ..... Mayors are never The Honorable Dr. (full name).  You would see all of those if you follow the British style.
        I see the compound forms most typically in the USA among Episcopalians ... who are probably using British etiquette books.  I am not saying they are wrong ... but its a form that is not consistent with what's done in forms of address used in other organizations in the United States. That form would be:
                The Reverend (Full Name)
        on the envelope or letter's address block. And he or she held a doctorate it would be
                Dr. (Surname)
                  

How to Address a Pastor and Her Military Husband?
     My question has to do with addressing envelopes.  Our Pastor, Alyson Smith, of the Presbyterian Denomination, is married to a retired Lieutenant Commander, USN, Richard.  He is to be awarded his PhD soon.  Regardless of the degree, I have not been able to find out how one is to address an invitation, card, or letter to the two of them, together.
         --- Bobbi Sue Minton

Dear Ms. Minton:
    I have an entire chapter on joint forms of address in my book for just this type of situation. I am guessing you are addressing him socially, so ... socially his name is written:
        Lieutenant Commander Richard Smith
    As a member of the clergy, her name is written:
        The Reverend Alyson Smith

RANK WITH A POST-NOMINAL ABBREVIATION
    Regarding his PhD. In the US academic post nominals are never used with a rank. So he can be Lieutenant Commander Richard Smith (or Commander Smith in conversation) or Richard Smith, PhD (or Dr. Smith in conversation if he wants to be address as "Dr.") but never Lieutenant Commander Richard Smith PhD.

USE OF DOCTOR
    Usually holders of PhD's don't use Dr. (name) unless they work in academia or research. E.g., the holder of a doctorate in French who teaches would use Dr. (name) .... The holder of a PhD in finance who works at a bank wouldn't. But ultimately it's his option how he is addressed.

WHOSE NAME IS FIRST?
    An active duty or retired military person has higher precedence than a civilian so is listed first. So in most circumstances the joint form would be:
        Lieutenant Commander Richard Smith
            and The Reverend Alyson Smith
    BUT if she is the invited guest ... and he is invited as her escort, then as the guest her name would appear first:
        The Reverend Alyson Smith
            and Lieutenant Commander Richard Smith
     I have spelled out "Lieutenant Commander" every time above, to avoid the whole issue of how to abbreviate his rank. I cover that in my book on pages 94-98 (service-specific abbreviations) if you need that information.
                  -- Robert Hickey

How To Address a Pastor and His 'Professor' Wife?
     I refer to your book often. How do I address a thank-you note to a pastor and his wife when both hold doctorates and she is a college professor?
     -- Lucy Hendershott, Great Falls, Virginia

Dear Ms. Hendershott:
    If it's a thank-you note ..  it's social correspondence (as opposed to official correspondence to one or the other's office) so it's easier .... because you don't use their post-nominal initials on social correspondence.
    Put each name a line of its own ... so each gets their full name just right
            The Reverend Dennis Winslow
                and Dr. Marilyn Winslow
    His name would be first .... as a member of the clergy. Clergy has higher precedence than a private citizen. Even as a professor with a doctorate ... she's a still private citizen.
    You definitely want to avoid forms such as The Reverend and Dr. Winslow or The Reverend Dennis and Dr. Marilyn Winslow
         -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Pastor with a Doctorate?
       I need to mail something to my pastor, Rev. Calvin Cole who has received his doctorate  - How do I address the envelope or even introducing him?
        -- Marsha Talltree

Dear Ms. Talltree:
     You don't mention the denomination, but in many denominations (Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran...) they use The Reverend as a courtesy title (other courtesy titles include The Honorable and His/Her Excellency), not as an honorific like Dr. or Pastor or Mr.  In the US it's our tradition not to use compound honorifics, so I would avoid The Reverend Dr. Calvin Cole.
    In those denominations the envelope is addressed with the courtesy title:
              The Reverend Calvin Cole
                    e.g., The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
    and in a salutation (and conversation) he's addressed with an honorific:
              Dr. Cole
                   e.g., Dr. King
    NOTE: Sometimes clergy DO use Rev. as an honorific, liking to be addressed as Rev. Calvin Cole ... On Monday of this week I visited an African-American Baptist church that uses Rev. (Name) for ordained clergy who preach but are not the pastor, and Minister (Name) for those who preach but are not ordained!  I'd never seen that before, but they were very consistent within their community.
    My mother's Presbyterian pastor likes to be addressed as Rev. Bob, which is not precisely traditional, but of course I address him as Rev. Bob.
    But that said, I'd use the first suggestions, unless I knew he had another preference.
                     -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Muslim teacher -- a Shaykh?
    How do you address (in a e-mail) a Muslim religious teacher who self-identifies himself as a “shaykh”?
         -- Paul in California

Dear Tonyalee:
     Shaykh is a form of address used by some Shiite Islamic clerics. Both Sheikh and Shaykh (and many other variations) are attempts to write the Arabic word in phonetically English. It's sort of equivalent to Catholic clergy using Father or protestant clergy using Pastor. On a e-mail you could address him as:
        Dear Shaykh (surname),
            (Text of your letter)
        Sincerely,
        Paul (your last name)
    My book has a section that includes forms for the highest to lowest Shiite and Sunni Islamic clergy ...which is as far as I know the only book in English to include them.
                    -- Robert Hickey

Do Clergy Ever Give Themselves an Honorific?
    I trust you’re doing well?  I’m envious that you’re in NYC!  I’ve been doing a few seminars here and there and have been having a lot of fun.  I have a question that hasn’t come up yet, but I had lunch today with a rabbi and a minister, so it made me think.   Are the titles Pastor,  Rabbi and Father considered to be honorifics and as such shouldn’t be used when referring to oneself?
          -- Loren -- Protocol School Grad in West Virginia

Dear Loren:
     I love the idea you are thinking about these things!
     One does not normally give oneself an honorific.  I wouldn't write my name or introduce myself as Mr. Robert Hickey.
     But sometimes professionals do give themselves an honorific ... e.g., a doctor entering an exam room will introduce himself as Dr. Wilson since it is useful for the patient sitting in a backless paper gown to know what the function is of this person entering the room.
     "Dr." does that.
     So a Rabbi, Pastor, or Father might well do it when in a situation when they are in their professional mode. It provides useful info to the person he is greeting -- especially if not in "uniform."
     But that same Rabbi, Pastor, or Father might not do it when their status as clergy was not pertinent ... like when meeting the neighbors at his sister's when visiting her at her house.
     Some clergy do think they are always in their professional mode and are always Rabbi, Pastor, or Father. But, I know a Father Sheehan who introduced himself as Tom Sheehan at family events ... thus inviting the others to call him "Tom."
          -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Superior of a Religious Order?
I'm writing a letter to the Provincial Superior of a religious order - I'm not sure what the salutation should be - Dear ____________:   Could you answer this question?  Any ideas?   Thanks so much for your help.
          -- Lisa W.

Dear Lisa W.:
     I include that form on page 289 of my book. A superior of a Roman Catholic order is addressed in a salutation as:
    Dear Mother (name):
        or
    Dear Mother:
          -- Robert Hickey