Abbreviations and Titles

Religious order title abbreviations and other common abbreviations found in the collection

For abbreviations to describe the type of correspondence and typed letters [TL], etc.),
see the Correspondence Type Descriptions page.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Br. - brother, as the title of a male member of a religious order usually taking vows but not ordained to the priesthood

C.D. - ?
C.F.X. - Congregation of the Brothers St Francis Xavier (Xaverian)
C.H.C. - Community of the Holy Cross (Anglican)
CIA - Central Intelligence Agency, a United States government agency focusing on the gathering of foreign intelligence
C.M. [1] - Carmelite Missionaries
C.M. [2] - Congregatio Missionis / Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians or Lazarists)
C.M. [3] - Congregatio Mariae / Congregation of Mary
C.M.I. - Carmelites of Mary Immaculate
C.O. - Congregation of the Oratory (Oratorians)
C.P. - Congregatio Passionis (Passionists)
C.S.B. [1] - Congregatio Sancti Basilii / Congregation of St. Basil (Basilians)
C.S.B. [2] - Congregation of St. Bridget
C.S.C. - Congregatio Sanctae Crucis / Congregation of the Holy Cross
C.S.J. [1] - Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
C.S.J. [2] - Congrégation du Sacré-Coeur
C.S.J. [3] - Congregation of St. Joseph
C.S.M.V. - Community of St. Mary the Virgin
C.S.P. - Congregation of St. Paul (Paulists)
C.S.S.F. - Congregation of the Sisters of St. Felix of Cantalice Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Assisi (Felicians)
C.SS.R. - Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris /  Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists)

d. - used before a year of death when a year of birth is unknown
D.C. [1] - Congregazione dei Preti della Dottrina Cristiana, Dottrinari
D.C. [2] - Daughters of Charity
D.C. [3] - Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent De Paul
De N.D. - Notre Dame Sisters
Dom - title of address used in some religious orders for an abbot
Dr. - as in a doctor, either a doctor of medicine or another field

EP - e-mail printed

FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States government investigative agency
Fr. - father, as the title of a ordained priest, whether in a religious community or diocesan
F.S.C. - Brothers of the Christian Schools (Lasallian Brothers or Christian Brothers)

H.N. - ?
Hon. - the Honorable, used for a mayor or a judge

I.B.V.M. - Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary
I.H.M. - Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Jr. - junior

K.M.NTARA. - ?

L.B.J. - Little Brothers of Jesus of Charles de Foucauld

M.C. - Missionaries of Charity
M.C.D. - Carmelites (French)
M.C.F. - ?
M.D. - doctor of medicine
Miss - used when no first name or other title is given
M.M. - Maryknoll Missionaries
Mr. - mister, used when no first name or other title is given
Mrs. - used when no first name or other title is given
M.S.C. [1] - Missionarii Sancti Caroli (Missionaries of St. Charles)
M.S.C. [2] - Missionarii Sacratissimi Cordis (Missionaries of the Most Sacred Heart / Missionary Servants of Christ)
M.S.C. [3] - Marianites of the Holy Cross
Msgr. - monsignor, although it can be a general term for any of a certain range of Catholic clerics, it is more often used as an honorary title bestowed by the Pope to certain priests

N.D. - Notre Dame Sisters
n.d. - No date
N.S.C.J. - ?

Obl.S.B. - Benedictine Oblate
O.B.E. - ?
O. Carm. - Order of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Carmelites of Ancient Observance
O. Cart. - Ordo Cartusiensis (Carthusians)
O.C.D. - Ordo Carmelitarum Discalceatorum (Discalced, i.e. barefoot, and Carmelites)
O.C.R. - Ordo Reformatorum Cisterciensium /
Order of Cistercians, Reformed (Cistercians, some Trappists)
O.C.S.O. - Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists and Trappistines)
O.D.C. - Order of Discalced Carmelites (i.e. barefoot Carmelites)
O.F.M. - Order of Friars Minor / Ordo Fratrum Minorum (Observant Franciscans)
O.F.M. Conv. - Order of Friars Minor Conventual / Ordo Fratrum Minorum (Conventual Franciscans)
O.H.C. - ?
O.P. - Ordo Praedicatorum / Order of Preachers (Dominicans)
O.S.A. - Ordo [Eremitarum] Sancti Augustini / Order of St. Augustine (Augustinians)
O.S.B. - Ordo Sancti Benedicti / Order of St. Benedict (Benedictines)
O.S.C. [1] - Oblati Sancti Caroli / Oblates of St. Charles
O.S.C. [2] - Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross
O.S.C. [3] - Order of St. Clare
O.S.F. [1] - Congregation of Servants of Holy Infancy Jesus
O.S.F. [2] - Franciscan Brothers or Sisters
O.S.H. - Order of St. Helena
O.Ss.R. - Order of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptoristines)
O.S.U. - Order of St. Ursula
O.v.G.H. - ?

P.C.C. - Poor Clare Collettines
Prof. - professor
pseud. - pseudonym

RE: - regarding
Rev. - reverend, here used for some ministers in certain Protestant denominations (Catholic priest are usually referred to as "Fr." in this listing)
R.P.B. - Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood
R.S.C.J. - Religieuse du Sacré Coeur de Jesus / Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
R.S.H.M. - Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary
R.S.M. - Religious Sisters of Mercy

S.B.S. - Missionary Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
S.C. [1] - Salesianorum Congregatio (Congregation of St. Francis of Sales ― Salesian Fathers)
S.C. [2] - Sisters of Charity
S.C. [3] - Society of the Catholic Apostolates (Pallottines)
S.C.N. - Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
S.D.S. - Societas Divini Salvatoris / Society of the Divine Savior (Salvatorians)
S.F.M. - Scarboro Foreign Mission Society
S.H.C.J. - Society of the Holy Child Jesus
S.I. [1] -Society of the Immaculata
S.I. [2] - Societas Iesu / Society of Jesus (the Jesuits)
S.J. - Societas Jesu / Society of Jesus (the Jesuits)
S.L. - Sisters of Loretto
S.M. - Societas Mariae / Society of Mary (Marianists or Marists)
S.N.D. - Sisters of Notre Dame
S.O. Cist. - Cistercians of the Common Observance
Sp.B. - ?
Sr. - sister, as the title of a female member of a religious order
S.S. - Society of St. Sulpice (Sulpicians)
S.S.F. - Society of St. Francis
S.S.M. - Franciscan Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother
S.S.N.D. - School Sisters of Notre Dame
S.S.J. [1] - St. Joseph's Society of the Sacred Heart (Josephites)
S.S.J. [2] - Sisters of St. Joseph
S.S.J. [3] - Society of St. John
S.S.J.E. - Society of St. John the Evangelist (Anglican / Episcopal)
S.T.O. - ?
S.T.S. - ?
S.V.D. - Societas Verbi Divini (Society of the Divine Word ― Divine Word Missionaries)

TLS - For this and other abbreviations from the "Type" column of the Container List, please visit the Standards page.
TM - Thomas Merton
T.O.P. - Tertiary of the Order of Preachers (Third Order of St. Dominic / Dominicans)

V.H.M. - Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary (Visitation Sisters)

Sources:

Knight, Kevin.  Catholic Encyclopedia: Ecclesiastical Abbreviations.  2003.  New Advent.  <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01022a.htm> [online edition of:  The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume I.  1907.  Robert Appleton Company.]

Stanley, Bob.  Have You Ever Wondered What the Letters After the Names of Religious Indicate?  28 July 2003 <http://home.inreach.com/bstanley/order.htm>