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
Your questions
Are all archdeacons
like the archdeacon in the TV series
Rev? S. D.
Why is the
Archdeacon of Canterbury responsible for enthroning bishops in the
Province of Canterbury? What happens in the Northern
Province? J. S.
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