Parish Priests

The parish priest, also called a pastor, is next in the Church hierarchy after the vicar general. Pastors are appointed by the bishop and represent the bishop to a local parish-a relatively small area inside the diocese. A pastor is assisted by a parochial vicar (formerly called a curate) and sometimes by an associate deacon, religuous sister or lay parishoner as a pastoral associate.

The parish council, which usually consists of laypeople (ordinary churchgoers), advise and counsel the priest but don't have any administrative power. This is different from many Protestant church councils, which have the power to select and fire their pastor.

Priests (especially those in Europe and North America) are expected to obtain a graduate, post-graduate, or doctoral degree and are then supposed to spend an additional 4-12 years in a seminary, a special school that teaches theology. Most priests hold at least a master's degree in either divinity or theology, while many have doctorates or other higher academic degrees.

Besides theological learning, seminarians also train to be priests by apostolates, which are short assignments in parishes, nursing homes, hospitals, prisons, or some other ministry. The purpose of apostolates is to unite pastoral training with philosophical and theological education.