The Very Reverend of a cathedral, whether a dean or a provost, is usually styled as "The Very Reverend" regardless of whether the priest is also the rector of the cathedral parish, or whether the cathedral is a parish church. In the Episcopal Church USA, the dean of a seminary or divinity school is also styled in this form, as is the priest who is either appointed by the local bishop or elected by fellow priests as the leader of a deanery, which is a geographic subdivision of a diocese. In some Episcopal dioceses convocation is used in lieu of deanery. The deans
The Reverend J.F. Smith"); "The Reverend Father Smith" or "The Reverend Mr Smith" are correct though now old-fashioned uses. Use of the prefix with the surname alone ("The Reverend Smith") is considered a solecism in traditional usage: it would be as irregular as calling the person in question "The Well-Respected Smith". In some countries, especially Britain, Anglican clergy are acceptably addressed by the title of their office, such as "Vicar", "Rector", or "Archdeacon". In the 20th and 21st centuries it has been increasingly common for "reverend" to be used as a noun and for clergy to be referred to as being either