Clergy and Moonlighting

[LDNCatholic]

This is an odd question but please if anyone could shed some light on an answer I’d greatly appreciate it.

Can a priest run a business that he wasn’t specifically given permission/asked to? For instance if a business owner, who later decided to become a priest, while making sure that his business did not conflict with his ministry, continued to run this business, is that permitted?

Also a related question; are priests allowed to decide where they can and can’t go to minister. I ask this because I have been struggling with the idea of vocations for a while now, but I have parents who will rely on me financially (and possibly for physical assistance/care) in the future.

I am a business owner (sort of, its more a community/voluntary thing that makes a very small profit) and I would love to be able to continue this work should I find that I have been called.

Thanks in advance and God Bless

Peter

 

[Joyful_1]

I know a Jesuit priest who has chickens and sells the eggs. We call him Fr. “egg” White.

 

[LDNCatholic]

I know a Jesuit priest who has chickens and sells the eggs. We call him Fr. “egg” White.

haha, ok well we don’t really sell anything, its more a service we provide (Martial arts instructor). Although that does answer a question I’d never thought of (Can a priest have a pet?)

Thanks

 

[drafdog]

Of course priests can own and operate businesses. Priests are allowed to have everything that laymen have with the one exception of a wife. Priests own pets, run businesses, engage in professions, have children. Even popes have adopted children. There is a Jesuit priest/physician who is an OB/GYN. One of the professors, a priest, at the university I attended was a licensed architect. There are a lot of men in the ministry who do other things on the side. Fr. Antonio Vivaldi (the red priest, after his head of bright red hair) ran an orphanage for girls and wrote music.

Matthew

 

[LDNCatholic]

Of course priests can own and operate businesses. Priests are allowed to have everything that laymen have with the one exception of a wife. Priests own pets, run businesses, engage in professions, have children. Even popes have adopted children. There is a Jesuit priest/physician who is an OB/GYN. One of the professors, a priest, at the university I attended was a licensed architect. There are a lot of men in the ministry who do other things on the side. Fr. Antonio Vivaldi (the red priest, after his head of bright red hair) ran an orphanage for girls and wrote music.

Matthew

Thank you so much! It sounds almost too good to be true so I have to ask (althought I hate to) Is this definate? And may a priest decide to stay in a certain location (this would be for the sake of the business but most importantly so that I could look after my parents)

God Bless you both

Peter

 

[ddeluna]

Can a priest run a business that he wasn’t specifically given permission/asked to? For instance if a business owner, who later decided to become a priest, while making sure that his business did not conflict with his ministry, continued to run this business, is that permitted?

It’s understood that to be ordained is to completely give oneself over to Christ and His Church. Completely. Holding nothing back. 24/7/365. Depends on the Order. A diocesan priest would likely be asked to sell the business or not move forward in the seminary.

Also a related question; are priests allowed to decide where they can and can’t go to minister. I ask this because I have been struggling with the idea of vocations for a while now, but I have parents who will rely on me financially (and possibly for physical assistance/care) in the future.

Only the Bishop directs where a priest goes. Priests are completely obedient to the Bishop and unless there was something very extenuating (have respriratory issues so you can’t go to high elevations,etc.), He goes where told. Regarding care for parents, if he can’t demonstrate that there will be care for his parents without his presence he would be excused from the seminary. The Church will not see his parents suffer because he became a priest, and will not allow him to do both because of the complete and total committment the priesthood requires.

I am a business owner (sort of, its more a community/voluntary thing that makes a very small profit) and I would love to be able to continue this work should I find that I have been called.

I remember once saying to my pastor, “boy, I could never be in you career”… He immediately corrected me, saying his was a “vocation”. The difference is one is a job, the other a way of life. You forsake the world in service to God. My cousin’s bishop would not let him come home when his mom (my aunt) got very sick. He was pastor of his own Church and frankly, it would have been a very serious problem for the only priest to be absent from a parish for an unknown amount of time.

Discerning the call to the priesthood requires that many practical matters have to be in alignment as well. Thank God there are many who answer the call to ecclesial ministry (youth ministry, Pastoral council, Stewardship, Eucharistic Ministry, etc.). They help the priests hold the parish together.

 

[LDNCatholic]

Thanks ddeluna! This is interesting. If it would influence the decision I am not concerned with the money and would be completely willing for it to become voluntary work, I’m sure my employees would greatly appreciate getting a portion of my share of the money .

 

[Sr_Sally]

Priests have done many other things, but only with the premission of their Bishop. I’m not too sure that a bishop would see that a martials arts studio is something that would be compatiable with the priesthood (or seminary studies for that matter). Also a candidate is usually required to be free of commitments before being accepted–ie no minor children or elderly parents who only have him to care for them. Those priests who have adopted children are few and far between and they do it after ordination, not before.

If you are truly discerning the priesthood, contact your dioscese vocations director or talk to your parish priest.

 

[chicago]

Regarding care for parents, if he can’t demonstrate that there will be care for his parents without his presence he would be excused from the seminary. The Church will not see his parents suffer because he became a priest, and will not allow him to do both because of the complete and total committment the priesthood requires.

I don’t know that this would necessarily be the case. While it may be that a man who is directly and primarily responsible for the present ongoing care of family such that he can’t devote time to discernment and ministry could be asked to postpone any potential priestly vocation, there are certainly priests (especially if they are only children) who have become the primary caregiver for their parents. If they can handle this while ministering, then there is no problem. If doing so would interfere with their ministry, then they would need to either find assistance and/or ask for some reprieve in ministerial assignment duties temporarily while they attend to this necessary family concern. Of course, there may also be certain religious orders where the nature of the community precludes this possibility. But, generally speaking, simply having parents who may be elderly or infirm (or at least one day will likely be) who a man might need to care for doesn’t eliminate the possibility of him entering priesthood.

I remember once saying to my pastor, “boy, I could never be in you career”… He immediately corrected me, saying his was a “vocation”. The difference is one is a job, the other a way of life. You forsake the world in service to God. My cousin’s bishop would not let him come home when his mom (my aunt) got very sick. He was pastor of his own Church and frankly, it would have been a very serious problem for the only priest to be absent from a parish for an unknown amount of time.

Again, this would depend entirely on each bishop and particular circumstances. I know of priests who have sick/elderly parents who must stay attendant to their parishes. Sometimes they have other siblings who are able to offer greater service to parents, however. One would think/hop that a bishop takes all these factors into account before making any hasty decisions as to how his own needs compare to those of his priests.

 

[puzzleannie]

Also a related question; are priests allowed to decide where they can and can’t go to minister. I ask this because I have been struggling with the idea of vocations for a while now, but I have parents who will rely on me financially (and possibly for physical assistance/care) in the future.

you would probably not be allowed or encouraged to enter seminary until you had discharged family and other financial obligations. No you could not run a business on the side without permission from your bishop or religious superior.

 

[Leopard]

Of course priests can own and operate businesses. Priests are allowed to have everything that laymen have with the one exception of a wife…

There are certain other exceptions. I think priests are also precluded from holding most political offices. And priests, in certain situations, may have wives.

 

[freudmacher]

I am leaving for my canidate year in February. I own a great business with a business partner. This business has been around since 1984, of course I did not own it then, only for the past two years.

I will not be giving up the company during my first year as a canidate, but I will if I enter the seminary. I wasn’t really hoping for this, just as you seem not to be, but I now see why it is not possible to do this.

“An Introduction to the Devout Live” by St. Francis de Sales has shown me what I need to do.

Just a suggestion, but please read it. Amazon.com has them for a dollar, or what ever that equal in english money…half a pound?

 

[Phemie]

Well, my pastor moonlights as a substitute teacher.

 

[scylla]

It really depends on the nature of the involvement, and if it is conductive to saving souls.
Look at Father Fessio he founded Ignatius Press.

It really depends upon personal circumstances, but the first order of life should be concerned with God, everything else is secondary.

So yes you can have a pet, a hobby, a study, or other things but being a Priest would come first. Kind of like being a husband or a wife would come first before being a waiter, etc. Of course there are examples of people abusing their desires above vocation but properly ordered we all have talents to share.

Priests are forbidden from getting involved in public office as that is against canon law as it pretty incompatible with being a good priest. Either in morals or slander\insinuations which always is involved with public office.

God Bless
Scylla