Parish Priests Assignments

  • Thread starter Thread starter Cider
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

Cider

Guest
Is there a standard or time limit for how long a priest serves in a specific parish? How are priests assigned ? What about Pastors?
 
Cider said:
Is there a standard or time limit for how long a priest serves in a specific parish? How are priests assigned ? What about Pastors?
Click to expand...
It all depends on the particular jurisdiction.
A pastor must possess stability and therefore is to be appointed for an indefinite period of time. The diocesan bishop can appoint him only for a specific period if the conference of bishops has permitted this by a decree. (Code of Canon Law, #522, emphasis mine)
Click to expand...
However, a Bishop may ask a Pastor to accept another assignment, and I think it would be unusual for a Pastor to refuse (there is that whole “obedience” vow to consider). But, under Canon Law, a Bishop may not usually (unless previously established) require a Pastor to leave his Parish without some substantial cause (ie, the priest is a child molester).

These limitations do not apply to Parochial Vicars, who are pawns of the Bishop to place upon whatever square he pleases.
 
Unless I am mistaken, in my diocese (the Archdiocese of Seattle) a priest is usually assigned as a pastor of a parish for a term of six years. At the end of the (first) term of six years, the priest is given the option of staying for a second term of six years, for a normal maximum of 12 years at a particular parish. Our previous pastor was allowed to stay 15 years, 3 years past the normal maximum, due to medical reasons.
 
It depends on the diocese, and within some dioceses, upon the parish. Some dioceses try to switch their pastors around every three or four years. The idea is that you don’t want a parish “hooked” on a particular priest, but upon the High Priest, Christ. Priests should be interchangeable.

Some parishes, at least in one diocese I know, are disignated as “mission” parishes. These are exempt by the bishop of that diocese from the normal priestly rotation.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top