Parochial Vicar?

[lak611]

it may be a situation where a priest who is a resident alien cannot be given a title that would indicate a permanent FT job classification becaouse of visa laws. He may reside in the rectory and assist with Sunday Masses, confessions etc., but not have anything to do with day to day running of the parish, as either pastoral or parochial vicar, because his “day job” is a chaplaincy or some other volunteer work, according to the terms of his visa.

Thanks! That makes sense.

 

[didymus]

I’m looking on parish websites and job titles for priests are all over the place her in the Albany diocese.
“Sacramental minister” is popular – one parish in Albany lists a sacramental minister and a “Sunday presider” (also a priest, I hasten to add).
Some priests use the title administrator thought there’s usually a layperson or lay religious parish or pastoral administrator. It’s confusing when there’s an administrator (priest) and assistant admin (priest??).

One church rather charmingly listed their clergy as “parish priest” and “senior priest” (a retired pastor?).

The only parochial vicars I ran across were in a parish run by Augustinians.

 

[DIT]

The pastoral associate should be called a “civilian”. Deacons in this role could be called “semi-civilians”.

While I realize that you might be saying this “tongue in cheek,” but a comment like “Deacons being ‘semi-civilians’” is just wrong and very misleading. Clergy bashing or belittling is just plain sinful! ! ! !

Deacons, priests, and bishops are all clergy and are all ordained. The Sacrament of Holy Orders is granted to all of these levels of the church heirarchy.

You would no longer “dis” a bishop or a priest with a comment like that - why would you do so to a deacon. Especially since the deacon is doing his ministry without remuneration, retirement, health insurance, etc. They are volunteering their time (in most cases) to help those of us attain the kingdom of God.http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon13.gif

 

[Leopard]

That’s interesting. I don’t think we have them here in Balto. Surely after all these years I would have heard the term once or twice.

Betsy

The Archdiocese of Baltimore is organized into vicariates and regions, which seem to serve the same function as deaneries

 

[bpbasilphx]

<<Deacons in this role could be called “semi-civilians”.>>

Wrong, Outinchicago.

Deacons have received the grace of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be deacons.

They are NOT Laity.

 

[mystified]

Many years ago in the Archdiocese of Los Ángeles, one priest was listed with “VF” after his name. When I asked about it, the answer was that it was mostly honorific now that there were enough auxiliary bishops to be responsible for subdivisions of the archdiocese.
On the other hand, our pastor in México is always a VF, lives at the vicaria (not rectoria or presbyteria) and serves the adjacent parish church plus about 20 remote chapels. He oversees no other priests. The bishop visits about every two years for Confirmations, but the local Padre is empowered to do Confirmation in special circumstances. It is my understanding that in that diocese, most rural pastors are VF (and “Lone Rangers” serving people scattered across huge landscapes), and seem to have more authority or faculties than do pastors in the USA.

 

[EllaK]

Our Parish has a Parochial Vicar. He is NOT a resident alien.

 

[THurifer2]

Deaneries and Vicariates are the same thing

THose of you who live in Large cities (to me a large city is more than 100,000) probably have not heard of them.

Those of us who live in States with populations less than 2 million for the ENTIRE state are very very familiar with the term deanaries.

The chancery in my diocese is 110 miles away from the farthest parish…Deanaries are gruopings of parishes…in rural states it is more than just an officiallity.

The deanary that I live in has a geographical boundary of over 100 square miles…

This is what we call the Agricultural midwest.

 

[Padrecito]

I’ve had parochial vicars before in other parishes, but I just recently received the first one ever for my current parish, which until now had been a one-priest parish with close to 2000 families. We’re ecstatic.

While the term parochial vicar will be used in our bulletin and all official correspondence, I tend to introduce him as my assistant pastor. Why? Because we’re the only Catholic Church within 40 miles in any direction, so the vast majority of the non-Catholics in our counties have no idea what the term means, whereas they do know what assistant pastor means.

• Padrecito

 

[Joannm]

Deaneries and Vicariates are the same thing

THose of you who live in Large cities (to me a large city is more than 100,000) probably have not heard of them.

Those of us who live in States with populations less than 2 million for the ENTIRE state are very very familiar with the term deanaries.

The chancery in my diocese is 110 miles away from the farthest parish…Deanaries are gruopings of parishes…in rural states it is more than just an officiallity.

The deanary that I live in has a geographical boundary of over 100 square miles…

This is what we call the Agricultural midwest.

In our diocese there is a difference between deaneries and vicariate. We have 3 vicariates each headed by an auxilary bishop. We have about 11 (maybe more) deaneries. Each deanery has about 8 parishes. The 8 parishes in our deanery are within a radius of about 8 miles. Some deaneries in our diocese consist of parishes that are within a closer radius.

 

[PASCENDI]

I think Parochial Vicar is a term we robbed from the Anglicans. The correct term is Curate.

We seem fond of Protestant terms these days. Another would be addressing a man as Deacon when he should be called Reverend Mister.

 

[PacoG]

Deacons in this role could be called “semi-civilians”.

Which would be theologically inaccurate. A deacon has been given an indellible mark by his ordination. He is no longer a layman. He is clergy.

 

[PacoG]

I think Parochial Vicar is a term we robbed from the Anglicans. The correct term is Curate.

We seem fond of Protestant terms these days. Another would be addressing a man as Deacon when he should be called Reverend Mister.

Citation for this other than your personal prejudices.

 

[babochka]

Another would be addressing a man as Deacon when he should be called Reverend Mister.

Interesting.

In the east, he is called Father Deacon, but it is often shortened to just Deacon, in the US, at least.

 

[Gorgias]

We seem fond of Protestant terms these days. Another would be addressing a man as Deacon when he should be called Reverend Mister.

Two thoughts: first, I’ve seen the formal address for transitional deacons given as “Rev. Mr.”, while the formal address for permanent deacons be “Deacon”. I don’t know what the basis is for that distinction, but that’s the distinction I’ve observed.

Second, is it possible that you’re confusing titles and direct forms of address? Our priests have the title “Reverend”; we don’t walk around calling them “Reverend Smith”, but rather “Father Smith”. The use of the term “Deacon” as both a title (“Dear Deacon Jones”) and a form of address (“Hi, Deacon Jones!”) seems to be what’s got your goat? I don’t see the issue here.

Finally, with respect to your contention that we use ‘curate’; this is a development in English-speaking countries, it would seem. The term that’s used in the universal Church – and which is found in canon law (!) – is parochial vicar. (See, for example, c. 545.)