priests and cars

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should priests drive expensive cars?

Have you seen priests do this
 
Diocesan priests do not take a vow of poverty. That said most of the priests in our area seem to drive pretty basic Toyotas and similar class cars: Yaris, Corolla, Civic. Keep in mind rural priests drive a lot and it would not be out of place in our climate to drive an all-wheel drive vehicle to be able to make sick calls, go to Mass etc in all winter weather. Usually those can be pretty pricey vehicles.

What’s your working definition of an “expensive” car?
 
Ours drive average cars also, I’ve never personally known any with expensive vehicles.
However, I presume that priests choose the most reliable cars that won’t require a lot of tinkering and repair. Auto mechanics is doubtless not a Seminary course! And I doubt that most priests have much spare cash for expensive repairs.
 
Archbishop Chaput…used to be bishop in my diocese, and took a vow of poverty, and drove a really beat up toyota that was about a million different colors. rolled it over one day on his way to confirmation. picked up his crozier, and hitched to mass. i will never forget that. I think by expensive cars…someone is meaning like a new caddy or BMW or Mercedes.
 
Our pastor drives an amazing sports-car! But that’s only because he forgoes a LOT of other material pleasures… he’s a car person so it was worth the sacrifice to him. Also, he bought it for less than it was worth because it was in bad shape but he fixed it up on his own time.
 
I know a diocesan priest who has a Porsche Cayenne. I believe some money was bequeathed to him. He might have gotten it used too.
 
Our priests drive cars bought by the diocese since they are religious priests and that’s what’s in the contract signed by the diocese. What’s purchased depends on the business manager – the VW Golf that was driven by one priest was replaced by a NISSAN X-terra for the next priest. The first had been driving for decades and felt comfortable going over dirt roads with the Golf, the other was a newly-licensed driver whom they felt needed the safety of the larger, more rugged vehicle.
 
MissBorgia said:
Archbishop Chaput…used to be bishop in my diocese, and took a vow of poverty, and drove a really beat up toyota that was about a million different colors. rolled it over one day on his way to confirmation. picked up his crozier, and hitched to mass. i will never forget that.
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Well, thank the good Lord he wasn’t seriously injured! I love the description of the Toyota. The multicolored and multipaneled vehicles, held together with a heaping helping of Bondo, were a prominent sight on the reservation where I was born. We called them “Wonder Wagons,” regardless of make or model, as in “Wonder what’s going to break next?” or “Wonder if it’ll get there?” Sounds like the Archbishop is staying true to his roots, as well as his vow!
 
I had a priest in my family and he was a big cars guy. He had one nice one and one average one. I don’t think it’s bad at all that priests are interested in cars. They have hobbies like other human beings.
 
Our former pastor drove an old chevy and he was saving up money to buy a new car. (He didn’t want to buy on credit and have to pay extra for the interest). He had nearly $10,000 saved up to buy a much needed new car. But suddenly was faced with a major building project. It was decided that we were going to build a new school. So the pastor donated his $10,000 savings to the building project. But all worked out well because when our local car dealer found out about his generosity towards the building fund, well his wife had a hand in convincing him to donate a new car to the pastor.
 
I knew of a priest who came from a rich family and he was given a BMW by his family. They probably pay for maintenance as well.
 
Our former pastor drove a nice Pickup Truck. In order to help get/move things in and out of the remote storage area we had. Very little storage area at the church.

Sometimes it practicality, over looks.
 
Evan said:
Our former pastor drove a nice Pickup Truck. In order to help get/move things in and out of the remote storage area we had. Very little storage area at the church.

Sometimes it practicality, over looks.
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Our present pastor drives a pickup Truck. It comes in handy for hauling his Elk, bear and cougar.
 
I’ve never seen a priest drive an expensive vehicle…that he owned (I’ve seen our FSSP priest driving an Acura and Subaru, but those were rentals). I couldn’t imagine priests being able to afford the mechanical up-keep and insurance on an expensive vehicle, or the premium gas some of them require.

I have no issues with priests driving new reliable vehicles (although, some new ones aren’t so reliable on cold winter days, as all the fancy computers required to make them run don’t like the cold, and won’t run). Now, my trusty 97 Corolla with 350,000+ kms on the odometer on the other hand, will easily start up after a long night of -40°C weather without being plugged in and is reliable as night following day. 😃
 
Anyone with an occupation that needs a lot of driving should have a safe, well-maintained car, and if there is a big enough organisation to purchase a lot of cars, they will have a deal with suppliers that gets more car for the dollar. Having said that, maybe each bishop should bet a bishopmobile like the Pope’s. It would improve visibility of the Church and its leaders!
 
Growing up, there was a car dealer who periodically donated cars to the convent.

He was a Cadillac dealer, so our nuns drove a caddie.

Unfortunately, noone donated the maintenance. When I was in 8th grade, it would work its way up to 40 at an idle, and they had to ride the brake 🙂
 
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