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August 6, 2021This past weekend, while Fr. Ron was on vacation, we were privileged to have two order (religious) priests celebrate Mass with us — at the 4 p.m. Mass Fr. Ralph Parthie, O.F.M., a Franciscan priest; and at 9 a.m. Mass Fr. DePorres Durham, a Dominican priest. How are these religious priests different from diocesan priests?
Both religious and diocesan priests are ordained by a bishop and receive the sacrament of Holy Orders. Both can celebrate Mass and administer sacraments. There are three main differences between religious and diocesan priests:
1) A religious priest lives in a community with other members of his order. The superior of the order tells the priest where he will live and where he will carry out his ministry.
A diocesan priest lives at a parish within a diocese (or archdiocese.) The Bishop assigns the priest to a parish where he lives independently or with other priests assigned to that parish. A diocesan priest can own property.
2) A religious priest can work in a wide variety of ministries. His work depends on the charism of his religious order, which refers to the spirituality and particular focus for which the order was founded. Ministries can include teaching, working with the poor, assisting the elderly, leading a contemplative life of prayer, and much more. Rather than running a parish, a religious priest receives orders from his superior to do a particular job within the community’s charism.
A diocesan priest on the other hand is called to serve the needs of his parish. He serves the pastoral needs of the parish, celebrates Mass, and administers sacraments to the parishioners. At the same time, he runs the parish by making administrative and financial decisions.
3) A diocesan priest makes three promises to the bishop at his ordination. He renews these promises every Holy Thursday at the Chrism Mass. These promises are: to recite the Liturgy of the Hours daily; to obey the bishop; and to live a life of celibacy.
A religious priest makes temporary solemn vows before his ordination as part of his formation. After a certain number of years, depending on the order, he makes final solemn vows. These vows are: poverty; chastity, and obedience.
Next week we'll look at the differences between some of the individual orders.
