Menu
Teach
Priests instruct others about the faith.
Shepherd
Guide, Unite, and encourage parishioners.
Sanctify
Administer the sacraments and encourage holiness.
The Duties of a Priest
The Sacraments
The administration of the sacraments is the priest’s primary responsibility. Mass, confessions, baptisms, marriages, and anointing of the sick form the core of what the priest does.
Prayer
The priest must pray daily. In addition to the daily Mass, the priest prays the Liturgy of the Hours, which include the Office of Readings, Morning Prayer, Midday Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Night Prayer. Moreover, the priest is tasked with leading others in prayer in various contexts.
Leadership of Various Ministries
The priest is the leader of the ministries of the parish (e.g. parish council, liturgy committee, youth group, etc.). The priest must provide spiritual and practical guidance for these various groups.
Ministry to the Sick and Dying
The priest must make a priority to visit the sick, homebound and the dying. Visits to hospitals, nursing homes, and the celebration of funerals occupy a good part of the priest’s time.
Teaching and Preaching
The priest is a teacher. He must make daily time to prepare his homilies and talks. This requires an ability to study and to communicate what one has learned effectively. The ability to preach is a core and essential element to the priest’s identity.
Financial Administration
The priest has the responsibility for the well-being of the parish, both spiritually and financially. In conjunction with the guidance of the laity, the priest manages the parish’s financial affairs.
Service to the Poor
The priest must lead the people of the parish in serving the poor. This will differ from parish to parish, but often priests help to operate food pantries and clothing centers. Oftentimes, priests will help the poor and elderly get to doctor’s appointments and to accomplish other essential tasks.
Prison Ministry
In our diocese, many priests minister in county jails, state, and federal prisons. They provide much needed sacraments and guidance to those who find themselves incarcerated.
Ministry to Immigrant Populations
Many parishes in our diocese have significant immigrant populations, mostly from Latin America and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In these parishes, the priests must be proficient in the language and culture in order to serve the particular needs of the people. Many times the priest will function as a translator for these immigrants in various contexts.
Provide counseling and spiritual direction
The priest should provide counsel to those who approach him. He is to be a Good Shepherd after the model of Christ.
Diocesan Leadership
Many priests will have a diocesan assignment in addition to a parish assignment. This could be as a Dean, a Vicar, a Canon Lawyer, or a Vocation Director. These are all special responsibilities directed toward the good of the whole diocese.
Brotherly Support
Priests also have time to spend with their brother priests. They gather together to have fun, pray, and support one another.