Do priests become "free-agents" after XY years?

[Duesenberg]

My bishop does a pretty good job locating priests for our diocese. Few seem to be home grown though. Many come from south of the border. That’s nothing new in my diocese. What is fairly new (last 5 years) is the number of priests that join my diocese after XY years (usually at least 10, but not more than 20) as a diocesan priest in another US (arch)diocese – outside of our ecclesial province.

Do priests (who happen to be US citizens) become “free agents” after serving XY years in their initial (arch)dioceses? Are they typically then free to then choose where they wish to live/serve?

We also seem to get more than our share of religious priests, priests who are returning to the Church, and men who finished seminary years before, but for various reasons were never ordained and become priests in our diocese.

I’m deeply grateful for our abundance here locally, but I would like to better understand how some of these priests come to us?

 

[Augustinian]

Usually, visas for priests are limited in term and they are expected to be sponsored by their organization for the term.

Now, if they apply for and receive permanent residency, there is nothing to stop them from leaving the diocese or even the priesthood.

 

[Lamentation]

Each diocese has its own procedures for the borrowing and possible incardination of international priests; as well, there are separate policies for the possible assumption of international/non-local seminarians.

More often than not, the priests are those who have either been sent by their bishop to answer a generalized plea (e.g. Poland, Nigeria, Ghana, etc. have been such cases) due to an incredible abundance of priests (i.e. “if you ever want to be a pastor within your lifetime, you may try to incardinate within the United States, Europe, etc.”), have a reason to transfer (e.g. family member end-of-life situations), or have been given some special assignment and it is deemed beneficial to incardinate). These priests are often given a trial assignment (e.g. Hospital Chaplaincy, assistant priests, etc.) for some minimum to judge their suitability. If these priests petition for incardination, they must first seek excardination from their diocese, which needs proof of a bishop willing to accept them.

Note here that it is possible for any priest of any diocese to do so, so long as a bishop is willing to accept them and they are in good standing. (For further guidance, see Canon Law, Canons 265-272)

In the case of seminarians, it’s much clearer. They are simply accepted by the bishop in virtue of the vocations director. Those whose first language is not English are [usually] required to take courses allowing them to meet the requirements of the graduate-level work involved in seminary. Again, due to the formulation of your question; after ordination they are free to incardinate/excardinate just as any other priest would be according to Canon Law. During formation, it is simply a transfer, but is also guided by Canon Law (Specifically, Canon 241 Section 3).

Of course, this presupposes that they have done their due diligence in regards to civil law.

 

[Duesenberg]

Now, if they apply for and receive permanent residency, there is nothing to stop them from leaving the diocese or even the priesthood.

The priests I’m asking about are all citizens…

So a priest can say “I’m tired of serving in Detroit, MI. Let’s see if they have an opening in the Diocese of Honolulu”?

 

[Duesenberg]

Thanks, it makes sense now. The diocese I live in is a physically beautiful part of the world – it’s a desirable place to live. It’s also not a giant (arch)diocese where one could get lost in the shuffle. Our bishop also treats priests well. So given the option (which I did not know existed), I could see how priests from other (arch)dioceses would migrate here. Thanks.

 

[StephieNorthCo]

The few I know that meet that condition were “on loan” to the new diocese. That is, they still “reported” to their home diocese, but we’re assigned essentially permanently to the diocese they were serving in.

The one I knew very personally spent maybe 8 - 10 years in his home diocese, and his remaining years in a different diocese. Deceased now.

 

[Gorgias]

I could see how priests from other (arch)dioceses would migrate here.

That’s only half the story, though. In answer to your question: no, priests do not become ‘free agents’ after any period of a time. In fact, they promise obedience to their ordinary and his successors.

Now, a priest in Detroit could clearly call the bishop in Hawaii and ask “would you be willing to incardinate me in Hawaii?”… but that’s only half the game: his own bishop in Detroit would have to be willing to give him up. That’s a harder one to arrange, especially given the number of priests in the U.S. …

 

[Hereiam]

Yes, he can “see”, but the decision is up to his Bishop as to whether he can go, and the prospective Bishop as whether he can come…bottom line, no, he is never a free agent, rather he is to be obedient answering the call of his bishop, whether it is to stay or leave…