The Proper Way For A Catholic To Address A Member Of The Anglican Cler

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='BibleReader' date='31 March 2010 - 02:12 AM' timestamp='1270019549' post='2083914']
Well, I've never been a fan of any pre-written prayer (although I was raised with them), but especially prayers over the dead, and to the saints. I never really liked the prayer books because I could never feel sincere, or I would be so busy focusing on what I am doing that I can't focus on what I'm supposed to be conveying through this prayer.
[/quote]
Ah, I see.
When you say "pre-written", you probably don't include things such as the Lord's Prayer and the Sanctus, right?

[Cherie]

[quote name='BibleReader' date='31 March 2010 - 03:12 AM' timestamp='1270019549' post='2083914']
Well, I've never been a fan of any pre-written prayer (although I was raised with them), but especially prayers over the dead, and to the saints. I never really liked the prayer books because I could never feel sincere, or I would be so busy focusing on what I am doing that I can't focus on what I'm supposed to be conveying through this prayer.
[/quote]

Might be out of place, and I'm not trying to change your mind, I just find this from my own experience.

Sometimes I wish I could say all sorts of things to Our Lord ... but I'm not as articulate as I'd like. Then I see this BEAUTIFUL prayer ([url="http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=127"]like the Prayer Before Communion written by St. Ambrose[/url]) and I think, "Wow, that's just what I wanted to say!" and so I make it my own.

[BibleReader]

I say the Lord's Prayer when the occasion calls for it (usually at a Methodist service, or at meal time at a friends house) however I am not sure what the Sanctus is. As far as the Lord's Prayer goes, I like it for a general guideline for all of my prayers.

To Cherie...

I am not against written prayers, I just feel like there's no connection. That is more of a comfort thing, like I said I was raised with it and find nothing wrong with it, just not my thing I guess.

[Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam]

Quick question though. What if the Anglican clergyman is a clergy woman....would she then be a priestess?.... I know Episcopalians have women priests and the woman bishop, and I guess the Anglicans would be ok with it with their [i]media via[/i] but have there been any women priests/priestesses in the Anglican Church.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam' date='31 March 2010 - 12:16 PM' timestamp='1270055766' post='2084114']
Quick question though. What if the Anglican clergyman is a clergy woman....would she then be a priestess?.... I know Episcopalians have women priests and the woman bishop, and I guess the Anglicans would be ok with it with their [i]media via[/i] but have there been any women priests/priestesses in the Anglican Church.
[/quote]

I'd call a female member of the Anglican clergy "Reverend." However, I have heard of some churches that call their female priest "Mother"--which feels strange to me. Personally, I'd just listen to how other people address her, and then do the same. She is simply a priest, just as a man is, not a "priestess."

I call myself "Anglican" because that is the umbrella term for the Anglican Communion around the world. In the U.S., it's called the Episcopal Church. In England, it's the Church of England.

There have been women priests in the Episcopal church for going on 30 years now (I was present at one of the first ordinations), and now women have been made bishops.

The church of England began ordaining women as priests in 1994. The church's governing body has approved women as bishops, but apparently some further rule changes need to be made before women can actually be ordained, and those rule changes won't come before 2014, so there have been no ordinations of women to the bishopric in the Church of England, yet.

Edited March 31, 2010 by IgnatiusofLoyola

[Vincent Vega]

I think I'd have to address female ministers as "Ma'am"...

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='USAirwaysIHS' date='31 March 2010 - 02:08 PM' timestamp='1270062528' post='2084176']
I think I'd have to address female ministers as "Ma'am"... [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif[/img]
[/quote]

That's fine. You need to do whatever you feel comfortable with, and I think any female priest would understand that, and not be the least bit insulted. Heck, they've been called worse!

[Vincent Vega]

On a related note, I'm always embarrassed when I answer a sister with "yes, ma'am". I guess they probably don't mind it, but I feel like as professed brides of Jesus, they at least deserve their title. It's a sticky habit though (and I really don't like it when people say "Don't call me sir/ma'am, it makes me feel old.").

[Cherie]

[quote name='USAirwaysIHS' date='31 March 2010 - 04:14 PM' timestamp='1270066458' post='2084226']
On a related note, I'm always embarrassed when I answer a sister with "yes, ma'am".
[/quote]

I remember getting tickled pink when a confirmation student at one of our confirmation retreats when I was a Sister would say "Yes ma'am" to me! Some would catch themselves and say, "Yes ma'...uh, Sister" ... and that was fine, but actually I supposed that "Yes ma'am" was fine, too, because well, religious are the brides of Christ!

I love the "Yes sir, Yes ma'am" habit, I think it's so darn courteous - it seems like it's only people in the South who do it, but I sure wish it would catch on all over the country!

[Nihil Obstat]

So I was thinking about this question again in my spare time. My conclusion is that if i were in this sort of situation, and if circumstances allowed, I would take him aside privately and just tell him that I don't feel comfortable theologically speaking, with calling him Father. I figure most people would respect the honesty. Best I can come up with.