Vicar Or...

[woodelf]

Is Reverend the same as a vicar and would that person be of the Christian or Anglican faith and would they have the living of a church with Saint in its name or would that be for a Catholic priest - or what is the difference between a vicar and a priest, Reverend or Father? Ta Muchly.

[coccinelle]

I was brought up Anglican (C of E) and we had a vicar. His title was Reverend so and so. In the Catholic religion they don't have vicars but priests and his title is Father so and so. HTH

[coccinelle]

Just to clarify; the Anglican religion is a Christian religion. Anglicans are Protestants so not of the Catholic faith.

[woodelf]

Many Thanks for that C - and does it matter if a C of E church has St in its name?

[coccinelle]

C of E churches do have Saint's names, the one I attended was St Michael's. However, they wouldn't have Our lady.

[Octavius]

Informally you would refer to a catholic priest as Father, but in writing officially would use Reverend.

[woodelf]

Thanks again C and to you too O!

[mikey4444]

Priests are people that have been ordained as Ministers of Religion. There are male and female priests in the Anglican Church ( Church of England, or Church in Wales) but only men in the Catholic Church. Only in the Anglican Churches are Priests in Charge referred to as a Vicar.

To make things even more complicated, priests who are referred to as High Church, ie closer to the Catholic tradition, are usually referred but not always, as Father, the same word that is used for all priests in the Catholic Church. The problem comes when the priest in Charge of a "High Church" parish in the Anglican community is a woman, as I am not aware that they are called Mother !

Reverend can be used as an address for Anglican priests of whatever gender, and for Catholic Priests as well.

Complicated isn't it !

[woodelf]

It is indeed Mikey, but Many Thanks for your answer.

[mikey4444]

Only too happy to oblige !

[atalanta]

Originally a rector was a priest who held the living and received all the income from a church - fees for marriages, baptism, funerals and other moneys. If he chose he could install a vicar and pay him. "Vicar" in this context means "stand-in". A priest could hold many livings, and install a vicar in each parish, so he could become very rich indeed, without ever celebrating a single service if that suited him. That is one of the reasons the Church/es fell into disrepute.
If you knew a priest was a rector, you would address him as Rector. Otherwise, as Vicar.
I can't help you with methodists, etc, but "Minister" probably sounds about right.

[atalanta]

And "Padre" for a priest in the Armed Forces.

[woodelf]

Many Thanks for those Atalanta and I think I have enough info now for my needs.