Diocesan Priests

Catholic priests are either diocesan (secular) or religious (regular). Diocesan priests belong to the diocese that they work in, but religious order priests (such as Dominicans or Franciscans) belong to that specific order.

Diocesan priests are called secular priests to seperate them from the religious priests who are members of a specific order. Normally, a parish priest is a diocesan priest, meaning that he belongs to that area of the diocese. He promises to be obedient to the bishop and to remain celibate.

A diocesan priest will receive a modest monthly salary from his parish, along with room and board and health insurance. A diocesan will either live alone or with other priests, but either way the living quarters are called a rectory. Parish priests are usually responsible for their own personal property (books, stereos, cars, etc.) and paying their taxes. A normal priest makes just enough to cover his costs of living along with any debts (such as student loans), but the parish might also step up to cover any necessities. It is important to point out that priests never charge a fee for baptisms, marriages, or funerals. They will occassionally receive goodwill offerings from laypersons, but Catholics (along with most Christians) believe it sinful for someone to ask for payment to perform a sacred service.

Canon law (more on that in the future) guarantees a priest one day off per week, and a month off every year (30 days of vacation). While that may seem high, remember that most laity receive two days off every week. Those 30 days of vacation disappear very quickly without that extra day off.