Rectory?

[NorthTexan88]

Are parishes still built with rectory’s next to them or has this fallen out or practice? All of the older parishes I’ve been to have all had them but none of the newer parishes I have seen have had them. Why is this?

 

[Digitonomy]

I think a lot of newer parishes start out small, and regardless have been established in an era when there is a shortage of priests. Just from a human resources standpoint, it makes sense in many cases for a new parish to share a priest that is already pastor at an existing parish. Cost of the building would be another factor - presumably the parish will be able to open that much sooner if it doesn’t have to raise additional funds for a rectory - that can always be done later.

 

[Evan]

A rectory and/or hall is the next project in our parish. Our church was built in 1999.

 

[Splagchnizomai]

You’ve heard about big-T Traditions and little-t traditions?

This is a mystery, a little-m mystery.

 

[mfrances]

When I lived in a small town, the church’s offices were within the same church building, and the 2 priests lived in a regular house nearby.

 

[alwayslooking]

A parish that was recently built (last couple of years) near my home has no rectory. The parish rents a house a few miles away for the pastor.

 

[Joannm]

It is probably easier for a newer parish to buy and existing house for the preist or priests instead of building a rectory, which is basically a house where they live. Many parishes prefer to keep the parish business offices outside of the rectory if possible so that the priests feel they at least have privacy. Our offices are separate but people still ring the rectory door even though it says that no one will answer and the parish office is right next door. If a priest is needed right away they are only a few steps away.

 

[SMHW]

Since our parish grounds consisted of an empty field for several years prior to the Church being built, we purchased the corner house right across the street. At first the parish offices were located in that house but when that proved problematic the parish rented out space in some small business condos nearby. When the church building and offices were finally built there was no rectory included. When we eventually built our hall there was still no rectory. So far there has just been no good reason to move our pastor across the street.

At my childhood parish the rectory was the house located next to the property. Eventually a new church and rectory were built and the old church was converted into a hall. The sisters moved into the old rectory.

Now, years later, the sisters have moved down the street into the order’s mother house which was built adjacent to the girl’s high school. The priests have reclaimed the convent for their rectory. And the former on-campus rectory has become the parish office building.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

The diocese mandated that we have the rectory some distance from the church and offices so that the priests could have some private time. I think it works well.

 

[Corki]

Our parish Church was built about 12 years ago. The rectory was actually built before the Church building itself. Another parish nearby is right in a residential area. The parish bought a house right accross the street from the Church building to serve as the rectory.

 

[Richard320]

The Cathedral in Los Angeles has a Rectory, and it’s not quite 10 years old. The resident priests live there, as does the Archbishop and his priest secretary, although the latter two work out of the chancery office several miles away.

So it’s not gone out of style totally.