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Use the honorific that matches the faith tradition, always with the full name. A Protestant pastor gets "The Reverend John Smith," a Catholic priest gets "Father John Smith" or "The Reverend John Smith," and a rabbi gets "Rabbi Sarah Cohen." Write to the house of worship's address, not the person's home.
| Tradition | Envelope address line | Salutation inside the letter |
|---|---|---|
| Protestant pastor or minister | The Reverend John Smith | Dear Reverend Smith, or Dear Pastor Smith, |
| Catholic priest | The Reverend John Smith (or Father John Smith) | Dear Father Smith, |
| Rabbi | Rabbi Sarah Cohen | Dear Rabbi Cohen, |
| Orthodox priest | The Reverend John Smith | Dear Father Smith, |
| Imam | Imam Yusuf Khan | Dear Imam Khan, |
Writing "The Reverend Smith" on the envelope. In formal usage, "The Reverend" must be followed by the full name, never the surname alone. "The Reverend John Smith" is correct; "The Reverend Smith" is the etiquette equivalent of writing "The Mister Smith." The salutation is the mirror image: there you use the surname alone, as in "Dear Reverend Smith." People mix these two up constantly, so checking once will put you ahead of most senders.
The honorific rises with the office. A Catholic bishop is "The Most Reverend John Smith" on the envelope, with "Dear Bishop Smith" inside. An archbishop or cardinal follows the same pattern with their own style: a cardinal is "His Eminence, John Cardinal Smith" in the address block. A monsignor is "The Reverend Monsignor John Smith." An Anglican bishop is "The Right Reverend." If you are writing to someone with a rank you are not sure of, the congregation's website almost always shows the correct style on the staff page: copy it exactly.
If the letter is to the clergy member alone, address it to that person. If it is an invitation or greeting meant for both, traditional form lists the clergy member first: "The Reverend and Mrs. John Smith." For a female pastor and her husband, "The Reverend Jane Smith and Mr. Robert Smith." Modern usage increasingly lists both full names without assuming the spouse's title, which is always safe when you are unsure: "The Reverend Jane Smith and Robert Smith."
To the church, parish, synagogue, mosque, or temple, not to the home. Religious leaders move between postings, and mail to the congregation address gets forwarded by office staff no matter who holds the role. One more detail: include the name of the congregation on a second line under the person's name. Many houses of worship share a building or a mailbox cluster, and the congregation line is what gets your letter to the right desk.
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