The Very Reverend


The Very Reverend is a style given to members of the clergy. The definite article "The" should always proceed "Reverend" as "Reverend" is a style or fashion and not a title.

Catholic

In the Catholic Church, the style is given, by custom, to priests who hold positions of particular note: e.g. vicars general, episcopal vicars, judicial vicars, ecclesiastical judges, vicars forane, provincials of religious orders, rectors or presidents of cathedrals, seminaries or colleges/universities, priors of monasteries, canons, for instance. Monsignors of the grade of Chaplain of His Holiness were formerly styled as The Very Reverend Monsignor, while Honorary Prelate and Protonotary Apostolic were styled The Right Reverend Monsignor. An extant example is the . Fr. Talamo is both the pastor of his parish and holds an exalted position in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Now, apart from legitimate custom or acquired right, most monsignors are simply styled The Reverend Monsignor. The title is also accorded in the Dominican Order to holders of the title of Master of Sacred Theology.

Orthodox

In the Eastern Orthodox churches, the style is used for archpriests and unmarried parish priests, while married priests are typically styled The Reverend.

Anglican

In the Anglican Communion, the style is used with certain senior priests in a diocese. The senior priest of a cathedral, whether a dean or a provost, is usually styled as The Very Reverend regardless of whether the priest is also the rector of the cathedral parish, or whether the cathedral is a parish church. In the Episcopal Church USA, the dean of a seminary or divinity school is also styled in this form, as is the priest who is either appointed by the local bishop or elected by fellow priests as the leader of a deanery, which is a geographic subdivision of a diocese. In some Episcopal dioceses convocation is used in lieu of deanery. The deans of dioceses in the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada are also styled as The Very Reverend.

Presbyterian

In some Mainline Protestant Churches with a Presbyterian heritage, the style is used for former Moderators of the General Assembly, such as:
By custom, the Dean of the Chapel Royal, the Dean of the Thistle and the Principal of St Mary's College, St Andrews, are also styled The Very Reverend.