Roman Catholic Priests...

[Mary Anne]

Anyone know what the C.M.R. initials stand for after the name of a Roman Catholic priest? And would such a person always be referred to as "Father"?


(I know D.D.= Doctor of Divinity, as most of my folks were Anglican or Methodist, but I am now embarking into Québec marriages by dispensation and encountering this more and more)

TIA

Mary Anne

[Sue Mackay]

They aren't marriages performed by a chaplain of the Canadian Mounted Rifles, are they?

[v.wells]

Certified Marriage Registrar? And I "think" they were called Father but I could be wrong.

[v.wells]

Chancellor of Marriage Rites?

[Philippa_Harvey]

The letters following a priest's name usually indicate his religious order. He is still a priest, and yes, called "Father".

For example, SJ stands for the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), SDV the Society of the Divine Word (a missionary order), SM the Society of Mary (Marists) and CMR (I think but wouldn't take an oath on it) stands for the Congregation of Mary, Queen (probably of heaven). The letters are taken from the latin names of the orders, which sometimes just happen to coincide with those of the English translation.

I used to know a lot of these abbreviations but have forgotten most of them now.

Any help?

Philippa

[Mary Anne]

Thank you everyone! Philippa, just what I was looking for, thank you - I thought that might be it, but couldn't remember for the life of me.

Sue - no, alas, not the Mounted Rifles - I might have guessed that one, having been immersed in WW1 history for a couple of years recently!

[v.wells]

And I was just guessing Mary Anne - I knw there was something Latin in there but couldn't remember how it went. The religious namings defeat me. I knew there were Jesuit monks and priests, same as RC and the priests were called fathers and monks called brothers. Nuns were called Sister and then nurses are called Sisters and Veterinarians who are doctors are called Mister (in the UK). I tried - googled but couldn't fathom the RC stuff that came up

[CanadianCousin]

Wikipedia has an article on R.C. Religious Orders which includes what appears to be a reasonably comprehensive list of 'religious institutes', including both male and female orders. Sorry to say that I couldn't find a C.M.R. in the list - the closest would seem to be:

C.R.M. (Clerics Regular Minor)
C.F.R. (Franciscan Friars of the Renewal)
C.M.F. (Claretians)
C.M.I. (Carmelites of Mary Immaculate)
C.M.C. (Congregation of the Mother Co-Redemptrix)

There is an order called the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (a.k.a. Redemptorists), but they are abbreviated C.Ss.R or CSSR (for Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris).

I was surprised to learn that there are also Anglican religious orders, although the majority of these these seem to be for women only.

HTH -

Tim

[Penny Gallo]

Some of the Anglican "Sellonite Sisters" went out under their "Mother Eldress" to help nurse in the Crimea. Miss Sellon's Order came from Devonport, and had had practical nursing experience beforehand, unlike some of the other ladies.