About Diocesan and Religious Priests

[PLAT]

My understanding is that the diocesan priest works for a diocese and a religious priest works for a particular mission/order, right?

If someone has decided to respond to the call to priesthood, how should he choose the order or diocesan education?

Also, if religious priests are not diocesan, how come they can also become diocesan bishops and even work in the Vatican?

Can priest decide to change the order or change from order to diocesan, etc.?

 

[JamestheOlder]

My understanding is that the diocesan priest works for a diocese and a religious priest works for a particular mission/order, right?

If someone has decided to respond to the call to priesthood, how should he choose the order or diocesan education?

Also, if religious priests are not diocesan, how come they can also become diocesan bishops and even work in the Vatican?

Can priest decide to change the order or change from order to diocesan, etc.?

A diocesan priest reports to a Bishop of a diocese; a missionary priest usually reports to a Superior in his Order.

Whatever floats your boat, so to speak. Either route is an ADMIRABLE decision. Bear in mind, most “Order” priests take a vow of poverty; diocesan priests (normally) do not take such a vow.

The Pope will select a worthy priest from either an Order or a diocesan priest to become a Bishop; it sometimes depends on recommendations, sometimes on specifics of the diocese to be served…for example, he would not select a Polish-speaking priest to be Bishop of a Spanish-speaking diocese…maybe. An Order priest can retain his identity as a member of an Order even as a Bishop (Bishop of Boston is still a Fransiscan).

Yes, you can change from one Order to another, but only with permission from both Orders. In one case, we have a former Glenmary priest here who changed to “diocesan” status. It is normally not done, mostly because of differing training or orientation among the various Orders.

Hope this helps! Thank you for asking these questions.

 

[Young_Thinker]

Yes, you can change from one Order to another, but only with permission from both Orders. In one case, we have a former Glenmary priest here who changed to “diocesan” status. It is normally not done, mostly because of differing training or orientation among the various Orders.

I am under the impression that it is easier for a secular priest to enter a religious community than for an ordained monk or friar to be incardinated into a diocese (i.e. secularized).