Duties of diocesan priest?

[walshj99]

Could anybody tell me what the duties are for a diocesan priest? Not only the spiritual duties but also the “nuts and bolts” of running a parish? Does he interview employees? Handle finances? Call the plumber when the toilet backs up?

I ask because my youngest brother is a protestant minister. He recently commented that theology school did nothing to prepare him for the day-to-day administration of running a church. Honestly, it never occurred to me how much work it might actually entail.

thanks in advance,
Jen

ps–I think I tried to post this question elsewhere but it never appeared (or, quite possibly, I forgot where I posted it.) I’m pretty new to CAF so if I’m repeating myself, my apologies.

pps–we’re having a fundraiser at the parish. any suggestions for a basket we could put together for our new Monsignor which might help him in his duties?

 

[puzzleannie]

some do all of these mundane tasks, for a parish and sometimes for one or more missions, or even for more than one parish. Down here the typical parish has a pastor, secretary who doubles as bookkeeper, maintenance man, and a paid FT or PT CCD coordinator. Most of the catechetical leaders are not certified as DREs but are CREs (Catechist Runs Everything) and in many parishes this person also does the bookkeeping including payroll, some secretarial tasks especially sacramental records, and other jobs as well. A paid staff of 5 or more besides the priest is rare here. The last deacon class was ordained more than 15 years ago, so if the priest is lucky enough to have the help of a deacon, that man is probably retired and working on a stipend, not FT, but helps with weddings, funerals, baptisms and quinceneras.

There are now over 70 parishes in the diocese, and at least half, probably 2/3 of the pastors also have a diocesan assignment. The vicar general and chancellor both have FT care of their own parishes as well as what is a demanding job. Same with seminary rector, head of chaplains and similar positions.

If you ask many priests what they do all they they will say, with a sigh, Go to meetings. there is a huge additional administrative burden related to child safety and liability issues, the latter of which cause more lawsuits than child abuse btw. There is the ordinary management of staff, and of a hundred or more lay volunteers, at least half of whom serve the liturgy, over which most priests here exercise direct control.

Most protestant congregations are run by lay boards. They are analagous to a Catholic parish council, but often have actual ownership of the properties and responsibility for them, and govern jointly with the pastor, who may be their employee. The Catholic pastoral council is advisory only, and the pastor must have a finance council. The administration of finances is probably the biggest drain on a pastor’s time, outside the actual liturgy and sacraments.

 

[Joannm]

Could anybody tell me what the duties are for a diocesan priest? Not only the spiritual duties but also the “nuts and bolts” of running a parish? Does he interview employees? Handle finances? Call the plumber when the toilet backs up?

I ask because my youngest brother is a protestant minister. He recently commented that theology school did nothing to prepare him for the day-to-day administration of running a church. Honestly, it never occurred to me how much work it might actually entail.

thanks in advance,
Jen

ps–I think I tried to post this question elsewhere but it never appeared (or, quite possibly, I forgot where I posted it.) I’m pretty new to CAF so if I’m repeating myself, my apologies.

pps–we’re having a fundraiser at the parish. any suggestions for a basket we could put together for our new Monsignor which might help him in his duties?

You can ask any pastor and he will tell you the same thing your brother told you. The seminary does nothing to prepare you for the day to day administration of a parish. That is why new priests are assigned as associates in a parish for a number of years before they become a pastor, so they can learn.

My good friend just became a pastor, the first thing he had to do was replace the boilers, which included researching boilers, getting estimates, filing for permissions and permits, dealing with diocesan regulations, etc.

He does all the hiring and firing. While we have a maintenance man, he is not around on Sundays, so yes, last week when the toilet clogged in the church the priest had to fix it. We also have a controller for the parish but the pastor has to work closely with him to keep the parish in the black while running two schools, a religious ed program of over 1,000 kids, and dealing with other day to day business transactions. They also have to fund raise, deal with diocesan bureaucracy, serve on parish, diocesan and maybe community committees and councils.

In other words, they have to do a lot of work that has nothing to do with spirituality.