Priest transfer question?

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Can a Diocese priest be transferred to a different Diocese either by his choice or at the decision of the bishop? How does this affect the priest’s vow at ordination to be faithful to the bishop and his successors? A bishop from a different Diocese would not be that bishop’s successor but a peer?
 
Does a Parish Pastor have any say into being transferred from his parish? The reason why I ask is because I see parish priests being transferred frequently but pastors remaining for years and even decades – no exaggeration … we had one priest leave after less than a year but the pastor just completed his second decade.
 
If a priest is transferred to a different diocese, he remains incardnated to his original dicocese.

That means he is under a vow to the bishop of his home diocese.

A great example is my pastor. He is from Slovakia and was transferred to our parish, since it has a substantial Slovak membership.

He is of course, subject to the liturgical directives of the local Ordinary, but he remains incardnated to his bishop in Slovakia. If his bishop decides to transfer him back, and Bishop Vigneron (of Detroit) tells him to stay; his obedience is to Archbishop Solko (of Slovakia)
 
Sir_Knight said:
Does a Parish Pastor have any say into being transferred from his parish? The reason why I ask is because I see parish priests being transferred frequently but pastors remaining for years and even decades – no exaggeration … we had one priest leave after less than a year but the pastor just completed his second decade.
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That depends on the diocese. Here in Detroit, an Associate Pastor generally has a term of 3 years. They will be most likely transferred after their 3 years are up.

A Pastor, on the other hand, has a term of 7 years, and is generally renewed after a first term ( but is generally transfered after the two 7 year terms are up).

Of course, other bishops do things differently.
 
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Does a Parish Pastor have any say into being transferred from his parish? The reason why I ask is because I see parish priests being transferred frequently but pastors remaining for years and even decades – no exaggeration … we had one priest leave after less than a year but the pastor just completed his second decade.
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In theory no, in reality because of the priest shortage yes.

Typical period is ten years.
 
With permission of both bishops a priest can be excardinated from his original diocese and incardinated into another diocese.

To be incardinated into our diocese he must serve in at least two parishes for a couple of years or more and secure approval of his performance from the pastors of those parishes. I think all the priests who have contact with him are asked for opinions before the bishop decides whether to accept him. We have had priests who were incardinated and priests who were refused.

We also have had priests who remained attached to their original diocese, but were sent to us for a period to broaden their experience.

We also had a couple who were excardinated to other dioceses because they needed priests and it enabled the priest to be closer to family members who had a serious need for him.
 
Dittos.

I’m in Brendan’s Diocese and last I heard we’re still on the declining slide of losing priests vs. the number of those newly ordained. Much of the decision making, in our diocese anyway, has to do with “if one leaves, does he get replaced, or do we consolidate parishes” considerations. It’s not as problematic out in the suburbs where I live, still, my parish is lucky enough to be very well off, and numbers of parishioners and dare I say $$ concerns will ensure that we have a priest as long as possible, while the inner city parishes have to worry about closings and consolidations every year.
 
My understanding is that the associate priests (Parochial Vicars) are learning and are moved with some regularity to allow them to have different expereinces and work in different types of parishes. In our dioscese they seem to be moved every 3 years or so. Pastors are more settled to allow the parish continuity with the development of programs, although they will be moved I as well. I would say that the stay at the same parish about 10 years.
 
Here our pastors are initially assigned for 6 years with a reasonable expectation of one more 6 year term and then a transfer. When a priest is close to retirement age, he may be allowed to stay more than the 12 years. I have heard of other reasons pastors were allowed to stay longer in one location (ill or aging parent usually). So I would say there is some negotiability.
 
While different bishops have developed different policies in their dioceses, the answer to the question is no. Nothing in canon law regulates this, except that all priests incardinated in any diocese serve their assignments at the pleasure of the bishop. Bishops can make assignments at will.
 
=Newbie2;5322773]Dittos.
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I’m in Brendan’s Diocese and last I heard we’re still on the declining slide of losing priests vs. the number of those newly ordained. Much of the decision making, in our diocese anyway, has to do with “if one leaves, does he get replaced, or do we consolidate parishes” considerations. It’s not as problematic out in the suburbs where I live, still, my parish is lucky enough to be very well off, and numbers of parishioners and dare I say $$ concerns will ensure that we have a priest as long as possible, while the inner city parishes have to worry about closings and consolidations every year.
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By golly you do get it!😃
 
I see that my two threads were combined even though they focused on different aspects of the same subject :rolleyes: Anyway …

With regards to Pastors … why would one parish be allowed to keep a pastor for 20+ years but a pastor from another parish be transferred after only three years? Both pastors appeared to be loved by their parish.
 
Newbie2 said:
Dittos.

It’s not as problematic out in the suburbs where I live, still, my parish is lucky enough to be very well off, and numbers of parishioners and dare I say $$ concerns will ensure that we have a priest as long as possible, while the inner city parishes have to worry about closings and consolidations every year.
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I was involved in some of the ‘paperwork’ that Cardinal Maida asked for before the last round of consolidations and closings.

One of the biggest factors was the “Sacramentality” of the parish, how many Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations and Weddings was the parish involved with. That is (and should be) the primary concern of priests, and thus the primary concern of the bishop. To place the priests where they can do what no one else can.

The financial viability of the parish was actually quite secondary. If a parish had a vibrant Sacrament life, but could not make budget, the Cardinal was VERY willing to work with them. Holy Reedemer and Ste. Annes are a great examples.

In the case of a number of inner city parishes, most are in severe decline in the Sacraments. Very few Baptisms, First Communions etc…and therefore often need to share a priest.
 
=Sir Knight;5322513]Can a Diocese priest be transferred to a different Diocese either by his choice or at the decision of the bishop? How does this affect the priest’s vow at ordination to be faithful to the bishop and his successors? A bishop from a different Diocese would not be that bishop’s successor but a peer?
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Can? Yes

Very rare, usually involves very special circumstances:( 😉
 
Well this was a timely question. We just discovered that our parochial vicor is being transferred. He has been with us 3 years and was newly ordained when he arrived. We will be receiving one of the newly ordained priests in replacement. The priest who is leaving has done wonders with our youth group in just a short time (when he arrived we had a youth minister who was not doing everything he could). Our pastor is extremely devout and the parish very well run. I get the sense that the bishop often trusts him with the first training of the new priests.
 
Sir_Knight said:
I see that my two threads were combined even though they focused on different aspects of the same subject :rolleyes: Anyway …

With regards to Pastors … why would one parish be allowed to keep a pastor for 20+ years but a pastor from another parish be transferred after only three years? Both pastors appeared to be loved by their parish.
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None of us knows the facts and it is pointless to speculate. We would be venturing blind guesses. I know places where pastors have been kept in the same spot for forty years, while others were moved. Every bishop is different and there is no way to tell.
 
Yeah but this is under the SAME bishop. One pastor has been around for 20+ years while another pastor has been transferred after only 3 years. I’m not arguing for either one but just want to understand if there is some norm or protocol that a bishop follows.
 
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