Initial appointment to meet a priest

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I’ve been going to Mass daily this week and have felt a great deal of peace. It’s also made me feel more confident that God is asking me to become Catholic. I would like to discuss this with the priest at the church but I don’t see him when I leave after Mass. I’m just curious to what is the correct etiquette for making an initial appointment to meet with a local priest?
 
Perfect, thank you. I presumed that was most likely the case but I just wanted to check.
 
@(name removed by moderator) I can’t express how grateful I am for your prayers! ☺️

What is the priest’s expectations of meeting him first of all. Will he desire to know all about me or just why I want to be Catholic?
 
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I’ve had a pretty rough few years and me and the children have had to relocate to a new area. I’m pretty outgoing and like to make new friends but at the same time I like to keep my private life private. I take it a priest is bound to confidentiality with people both in and out of confession with people who open up to him and wouldnt share with other parisioners people’s private lives?
 
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T432 said:
I’m just curious to what is the correct etiquette for making an initial appointment to meet with a local priest?
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Depending on the size of your parish, you may also consider consider meeting with a deacon. Priests can be incredibly busy and many weeks out on appointments.

My parish is huge, so my priest offers frequent Q&A lectures for those curious about the Catholic faith.
 
@T432 this is fantastic news - so happy for you! 😃

I’ll keep you in my prayers too :pray:t2:📿
 
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Thank you for answering that question. I am about to start RCIA on Sunday through zoom but I really just wanted the priest to know of my plans. Rather than having any specific questions regarding the faith.

Can I ask what role a deacon has. Am I right in thinking it’s a layman who helps out at the church?
 
@Azz thank you so much for your support at the beginning of the week. If it wasn’t for posters like you on my last post I would of never of had the courage to walk through the door!
 
Great, thanks! 🙂 @(name removed by moderator)
 
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@T432 Aww :’) you are more than welcome - when I read your post I could literally feel how you would have felt - being a newbie (and the only Catholic in my family) it just resonated with me 🙂 and so glad you took your leap of faith!

What a start to an amazing journey for you - so much joy to be had here - welcome home!

I am also massively looking forward to this Zoom call on Sunday as well! 😃
 
@Azz I’m looking forward to it too. However, I have a little bit of a dicey history with zoom calls in general so it will be interesting to see how it goes 😂
 
T432 said:
Can I ask what role a deacon has. Am I right in thinking it’s a layman who helps out at the church?
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Not quite. Deacons are clergy, not laymen. Technically, they work for the bishop, who assigns them to help out at individual parishes.
 
@RolandThompsonGunner, thank you! I now understand the role a lot better thanks to your answer and @(name removed by moderator) link 🙂
 
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Not sure that’s even necessary. I don’t think the priest will be repeating anything even outside of confession that the OP should even have to remember to say that.
 
T432 said:
Can I ask what role a deacon has. Am I right in thinking it’s a layman who helps out at the church?
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A deacon, the Diaconate is an ordained Holy Order. The
deacon has quite a few roles within the Church as a member of the Ordained Clergy. The Bishop ordains a Deacon with Laying on of Hands.
The Deacon works for the Bishop within the Diocese and aids him and the Priests.
A Deacon can:
baptise
marry
funerals (but not a full funeral Mass)
proclaim the Gospel
give homilies
The Universal Prayer of the Church (prayers of the faithful) is the domain of the Deacon. So if a Deacon is present, it is his role to read these intercessions. That is because one of the Deacon’s traditional role through Church history is to be in touch with the poor and needy in the Diocese, and those needing intercessory prayers of the Church community to help them in their times of trial.
A Deacon can have his own Parish to minister the Pastoral Care.

Shortly after the Vatican II council, Pope Paul VI restored the Office of the Permanent Diaconate. For a long time in the church it had been a temporary stepping stone to Priestly Ordination.

https://w2.vatican.va/content/paul-..._motu-proprio_19670618_sacrum-diaconatus.html

That is an Apostolic Letter from the Pope of the time. Its an offical Vatican document. 🙂

I should also say the Diaconate is a vocation, a calling from God, just as the Priesthood is.
 
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Just call the office and explain to the secretary what’s going on. See if you can make an appointment with the priest.
 
I’m happy to hear you’ve been going to Mass and will be starting RCIA. When you meet with our Priest, be relaxed. It’s most likely to be a informal meeting, he may take some notes such as name, DOB, address, etc. I was asked why I wanted to be Catholic, why had I selected the particular parish, and such. No judgment, shame, or anything of the such. It was 100% positive. Relax and enjoy!
 
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