This article provides an overview of careers as a Roman Catholic Priest and the requirements to become a Catholic Priest. This article will outline a Priest's job duties, salary levels, and employment prospects, as well as discuss the career's necessary skills, training, educational requirements, and certification requirements.
Priest Job Duties
Only unmarried men can become Catholic priests. There are two types of Catholic Priests:
- Diocesan priests - Diocesan priests commit their lives to serving the people of a diocese, which is a church administrative region, and typically work in parishes, schools, or other Catholic institutions as assigned by the bishop of their diocese. Diocesan priests take a vow of celibacy and obedience.
- Religious priests - Religious priests belong to a religious order such as the Dominicans, Franciscans, and Jesuits. Religious priests get their direction from their superiors within their religious order. Religious orders typically specialize in teaching or performing missionary work. In addition to taking a vow of celibacy and obedience, religious priests take a vow of poverty.
While an individual's specific job duties may differ depending on what type of priest they are and/or what religious order they belong to, the duties of a Catholic priest can include:
- Meditating and reading scripture and other religious texts
- Leading a parish in worship by saying Mass
- Delivering the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church
- Officiating at weddings
- Officiating at funerals
- Providing individual or group counseling
- Performing administrative duties for the parish
- Performing administrative duties for the diocese
- Performing community relations
- Visiting hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, and homes
- Counseling parishioners
- Acting as an advocate for Catholic beliefs and stances on issues
- Holding teaching jobs at seminaries, colleges and universities, and high schools
Priest Job Skills
Priests act as an intermediary between their congregation and the divine. As such, they must possess many unique skills, including:
- A strong sense of "calling" to the ministry of God
- A strong sense of morality
- The personal strength to lead a celibate and potentially monastic life
- Caring and empathy for their fellow man
- Excellent listening skills
- Excellent communication skills
- An ability to relate biblical and theological concepts to the lives of their parishioners
- Personal strength to help parishioners through difficult times, such as the loss of a loved one
Priest Income
According to the National Federation of Priests' Council (NFPC), in 2002 diocesan priests made between $15,291 and $18,478 per year. In addition to their salary, diocesan priests receive benefits that may include a car allowance, room and board in a parish rectory, health insurance, and a retirement plan. Diocesan priests who teach typically make an income from teaching that is less than what a lay person would earn in the same position.
Religious priests take a vow of poverty. Any income that they earn is given to their order.
Training and Education Required to Become a Priest
The training to become a priest typically requires eight years of study beyond high school. This usually includes getting a college degree, followed by four years of study at a seminary. Preparation for the priesthood may start in high school. Their are seven high-school seminary programs, four free-standing high-school seminaries, and three programs within Catholic high schools. All provide a college preparatory program of study. At the college level, there are 39 programs offered by Catholic colleges and universities or freestanding college seminaries. There are also 49 theological seminaries granting either Master of Divinity or Masters of Arts Degrees.
Young men are never denied entry into a seminary because of lack of funds.
Click here to review a list of Theology Schools and the programs that they offer.
Priest Employment
According to the The Official Catholic Directory, there were about 43,000 priests in 2004 serving over 19,000 parishes and 63 million Catholics in the United States. About two thirds of of the priests were diocesan priests. About 25% of diocesan priests are retired. While priests can be found in nearly every city and town, the majority can be found in metropolitan areas. According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, priests also support 585 Catholic hospitals, 7,142 Catholic elementary schools, 1,374 Catholic high schools, and 230 Catholic colleges and universities.
Newly ordained diocesan priests typically serve as an assistant to the pastor of a parish. Newly ordained religious priests are assigned duties consistent with their training.
Priest Job Outlook
There is a significant shortage of Roman Catholic priests in the United States. In recent years the number of ordained priests has been insufficient to meet the needs of parishes and other Catholic institutions. According to CARA (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate), 17% of parishes in the United States have no resident priest pastor. Seminary enrollments continue to remain below the levels needed to overcome this shortfall. Because of this, there is a very favorable job outlook for Catholic priests over most of the foreseeable future.
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