Once a priest, always a priest. What are the differences between diocesan priests and religious priests? In many ways all Catholic priests are the same. Each priest has gone through years of education and preparation at a seminary before his ordination.
Most importantly, they administer the sacraments of the Church and help people get to heaven. The differences are most easily seen by contrasting the vows made by religious priests and the promises made by diocesan priests. A diocesan priest makes three promises at ordination:. The diocesan priest lives and works in a certain geographical area — the diocese.
Most often, a diocesan priest is assigned to a parish by the bishop, and he lives and works in that area. He does not make a promise of poverty, and usually owns a car and other possessions in order to do his work and live independently. His main work is preaching the Gospel, offering Mass, anointing the sick and dying, baptizing, celebrating marriages, burying the dead, and consoling those who need his help.
He is focused on the needs of those in his parish. In contrast, a religious priest will have made three solemn vows, before he is ordained, to live:. These three ways of living are called the Evangelical Counsels because they are recommended to Christians by our Lord as part of His Gospel.
The religious priest chooses a religious community based on its lifestyle and mission. Some communities live very austerely while others do not. Some have missions with the elderly, youth, or the poor. Some serve as teachers in schools or evangelists in other countries.
Most often they live in community with each other instead of among people in a parish. Absolutely not. For reasons that vary as much as people do, some men serve the Church as brothers or friars, taking either solemn or simple vows to God and their community, but never receiving ordination to the priesthood. Why does all this matter? God made a call especially for you and there are many ways to live out that call. So what does it look like to have a consecrated vocation within the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity?
It looks like a whole lot of challenges, growth, love, wonder, and fun. We have priests who serve mission parishes in North and Latin America. We also have religious brothers who serve the hungry, minister to prisoners, and comfort the sick and infirm. Most often, a diocesan priest is assigned to a parish by the bishop, and he lives and works in that area. He does not make a promise of poverty, and usually owns a car and other possessions in order to fulfill his duties and live independently.
His main work is preaching the Gospel, offering Mass, anointing the sick and dying, baptizing, celebrating marriages, burying the dead and consoling those who need his help. He is focused on the needs of those in his parish. In contrast, a religious priest makes three solemn vows even before he is ordained. He vows poverty. He owns nothing or very little, and shares things in common with others in his community—such as a place to live and a car. He vows obedience to his religious superior who may ask him to minister far away or have a particular role in the community.
Finally, the religious priest vows chastity, which, like the diocesan priest, means he will not get married. CCC The religious priest chooses a religious community based on its lifestyle or charism and mission. Some communities live very austerely while others do not. Some have missions with the elderly, youth or the poor.
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