Question About Priesthood

[The_Truthinator]

I sometimes consider the priesthood as a serious vocational option… othertimes, I’m less certain (I have more than enough time).

But I think that whatever I do, it needs to be meaningful, and I want to work with people–to help those hurting, especially. I recently was told to look into an organization called To Write Love On Her Arm and thought instantly, “THIS is something I want to be a part of…” I was wondering…

If one is a priest, does that mean he’s too “anchored down” in a diocese to be able to move about and help in many different places? Does it mean that if I’m in Denver one day and I get a call saying, “We need you over here in Chicago,” that I’m stuck in Denver?

Does that make any sense? If I was involved in a ministry that was very widespread and called me to be in many different places, would this make such a line of duty incompatible with the priesthood?

Are there Catholic ministries that call priests to help out in certain situations and areas as needed?

It’s late and this makes a little sense in my mind. If it doesn’t on the Web, sorry. I’ll repost later.

 

[chicago]

There are certainly priests who are involved in ministries which lead them all over the place. Though you are “incardinated” with a diocese or order that is your primary way/place of service, that doesn’t necessarily limit his ministry. It is always possible that if one is called to work in a certain way via wider ministry that there might be ways to find approval from one’s superiors in order to do so.

That said, even just on a parish level, I think that there is often a need to be ready, willing, and able to go however the needs of the parish lead.

 

[pjn6444]

Priests of a religious order mostly do not have regional boundaries like a diocese does. You have to remember if you join a diocese, then you have a 99% chance of being a parish priest. While this is very meaningful not everyone is called to it. Have you considered a religious order. The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal have a very strong apostolate to the poor if you’re interested in that. Some religious orders do parish work if you like that. It is a bit hard just to switch from a diocese to another one. You would have to get permission from your bishop, and permission from the bishop of the diocese you are going to. If you become a diocesan priest you are fairly tied to your diocese. You could possibly leave but it would not be easy.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Priests of a religious order mostly do not have regional boundaries like a diocese does. You have to remember if you join a diocese, then you have a 99% chance of being a parish priest. While this is very meaningful not everyone is called to it. Have you considered a religious order. The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal have a very strong apostolate to the poor if you’re interested in that. Some religious orders do parish work if you like that. It is a bit hard just to switch from a diocese to another one. You would have to get permission from your bishop, and permission from the bishop of the diocese you are going to. If you become a diocesan priest you are fairly tied to your diocese. You could possibly leave but it would not be easy.

While it is true that religious priests, that is priests who belong to a religious order/congregation, are not tied down to a diocese they are tied down to a province in many cases. Provinces tend to be much larger than dioceses but they still only cover a limited area.

 

[awalt]

I just finished reading the book “The Lives of the Saints” by James Martin, SJ. Fr. Martin is a Jesuit priest, and while it is a great book because each chapter tells how he personally discovered a new saint, and how they affected his life, you get a real feel for how much he got to travel around, and all the different things he did in ministry as a Jesuit. It might help you see an example of how it works in a religious order, and of course there are more examples in other books…

 

[The_Truthinator]

I’ll look into the book! Thanks!

I think right now my main field of interest is helping depressed teens, those who are really struggling. I want to be able to love on those who can’t even love themselves, if that makes sense.

Any orders that come to mind?

(Or patron saints, now that I think about it…?)