Diocesan Priest living in community

[hamburglar]

I am attracted to the communal life of the friars and monks, but I want to serve God’s people under obedience to the Bishop. Is this possible, where a diocesan priest lives in a community, as opposed to a parish rectory?

 

[CollegeKid]

Well, what you’ve just described is, basically, exactly what the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter and the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest are: their canonical status is Society of Apostolic Life. They have their own parishes and they are (for all intents and purposes) diocesan priests, but they live in community at their parishes with other priests (and sometimes candidates, oblates, etc.) of their societies. They try to strengthen community life by sharing meals and having common prayer- lauds and vespers, etc. As you probably know, the 2 groups I’ve just mentioned offer the sacraments according to the Traditional Latin Rite (1962 Roman Missal).

 

[CollegeKid]

BTW, I may have oversimplified that a bit- they are not, strictly speaking, diocesan priests, they are priests of their respective societies, so for example an Institute priest’s district superior would have the say over the what and where of his future rather than the local Bishop. Their lives and priestly ministries, however, closely mirror those of diocesan priests- the main emphasis is on offering the sacraments (especially the Mass and Confession), but also a little smattering of everything-leading pro-life prayer services by the abortion clinic, hosting spiritual retreats and summer camps, organizing pilgrimages, presiding at Church weddings, bringing Communion to the sick, visiting those in prison, and so forth.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Thanks for all that info, CollegeKid. One of the biggest problems our diocesan priests can face is isolation and loneliness…I have been talking to my director/confessor ( a monsignor with a few ‘ears leaned his way’ in The Church) about this and other problems facing our priests, especially here in Australia. You have given me a few more ideas…which of course does not mean at all in any way anything will come of them or that they have any validity at all. But sometimes someone says something and although it has no weight, something that is said triggers something in the hearers mind that is valuable. So (as an aside!)never be afraid to speak up.
Hamburglar (I love that tag!!!) from a dinky dye “ham” I will keep you in prayer that The Lord will make His Will for your life very clear and with a joy to follow it…

Blessings with Peaceful Joy…Barb

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I am attracted to the communal life of the friars and monks, but I want to serve God’s people under obedience to the Bishop. Is this possible, where a diocesan priest lives in a community, as opposed to a parish rectory?

I will only speak of us Carmelites.

We have many parishes where we work and live in some sort of a community, some larger than others.

While we are members of the Carmelites and under our superiors we are also under the local bishop when we administer a parish for him.

 

[Caesar]

Many of the priests of the Institute of Christ the King live in community with other priests, oblates and young men in preformation at their parishes. For example, at the priories attached to St. Francis de Sales Oratory in St. Louis and the Shrine of Christ the King in Chicago, which also house people on retreat and visiting priests and seminarians.

The Institute of Christ the King has been organized in such a way. Attached to some of their apostolate parishes are small priories that house the parish priests, oblates, young men in preformation and visiting priests and seminarians, as well as being open for retreats. There are communal meals, and daily public Mass and the Offices of Lauds and Vespers, and private Sext and Compline. These priories are meant to be miniature versions of the seminary at Gricigliano, where the community life is based on the Rule of St. Benedict.