Monsignor

Pope Paul VI, in his 1968 publication motu proprio Pontificalis Domus, reduced the number of papal honors allowing "Monsignor" as a style from 14 to three.

[13] At the October 2013 meeting of the Council of Cardinal Advisers, Pope Francis stated his desire to scale back the honors as part of a broader effort to project a more modest and pastoral vision of leadership.

In December 2013, Pope Francis decreed that diocesan priests could become "Chaplain of His Holiness", the lowest of the three papal honors.

In some countries, the titles "Monsignore", "Monseigneur", "Monsenyor", and "Monseñor" are used for bishops, archbishops and any other prelates below the rank of cardinal or patriarch.

[citation needed] The 1969 instruction also indicated that for bishops "Reverendissimus" (translated as "most reverend") could be added to the word "monsignor".

This instruction also applied to: In 1979, the Vatican simplified the dress of monsignors: Purple-trimmed black cassocks with purple sashes, good for all occasions.

The reasoning was that as long as a priest holds the office of vicar general, he is also protonotary apostolic supernumerary.

[18] Vicars general and diocesan administrators were allowed to wear: As a result of this they were in some countries referred to as "black protonotaries".

[23][page needed] However, Pontificalis domus of Paul VI removed this position (titular protonotaries) from the Papal Household, even though the title of "monsignor", which is to be distinguished from a prelatial rank, has not been withdrawn from vicars general, as can be seen, for instance, from the placing of the abbreviated title "Mons."

before the name of every member of the secular (diocesan) clergy listed as a vicar general in the Annuario Pontificio.