I stumbled across a site that provided information about the proper way of addressing the pope and thought I would share that.
Direct address: Your Holiness, or Holy Father.
Written address: His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, or better, The Sovereign Pontiff, His Holiness John Paul II.
Formal closing: Kissing the Sacred Foot.
Formal introduction: His Holiness, the Pope.
I did a bit of research and found out the following titles the pope holds:
Roman Pontiff
Bishop of Rome
Papa
Summus Pontifex
Pontifex Maximus
Servus servorum Dei
Holy Father
Vicar of Jesus Christ
Successor of the Chief of the Apostles
Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church
Patriarch of the West Primate of Italy
Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province
Sovereign of the State of Vatican City
Vicar of the Son of God (*)
The Sovereign Pontiff
Just by way of comparison, the head of my church prefers to be addressed as follows:
Direct address: Jeff.
Written address: Pastor Jeff.
Formal closing: A nod or a wave or “cheerio!”
Formal introduction: Pastor Jeff.
His titles would include :
Teaching pastor
Dad (to his children)
Honey (to his wife)
Coach (to the kids on the baseball team he coaches)
