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How to address a woman priest

by
25 January 2013

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Your answers

I wonder if anyone has come up with a suitable form of address, the equivalent of "Father", which could be used when speaking to or of a lady priest. The titles "Mother" and "Sister" clearly have other connotations, and yet using just the lady's Christian name could seem an inadequate acknowledgement of her ministry.

After ordination, I served in Cape Town, South Africa, in an impoverished "Coloured" parish, and was always known as Mother, or Mother Denise. Later, I was at the Cathedral in Grahamstown, and there what I was called varied from Mother, Mama, and Mother Denise to just plain Denise - rarely Mrs Herbert.

The male priests there were treated similarly: using just our Christian name was more common where people of all races had a higher educational level. Since serving in the Scottish Episcopal Church, I have always been known as Denise, and likewise the men are known by their Christian names.

I liked being called Mother. Some of my unmarried women colleagues in South Africa didn't like it, and were known, for example, as "Revd Margaret". This was not popular with the males, who much preferred Father to "Revd" Christian name.

By the way, I was never referred to as Mother Herbert. It sounded too much like Mother Hubbard.

(The Revd) Denise Herbert, Newport on Tay, Fife

 

In view of Matthew 23.7-12, we should address her by the Christian name that she was given at her baptism when she was made a child of God. Compared with that, being made a priest or even a bishop is rather an anti-climax.

(Canon) John Goodchild, Liverpool

 

"As the bishop said to the actress." Which bishop? Which actress?

I have been led to believe that the actress was Lily Langtry, and that the bishop was the then Bishop of Oxford. The story is one that I imagine you would wisely prefer not to publish.

(The Revd) Mike Lewis, Laleston, Bridgend

 

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