Catholic Priesthood FAQ

A priest is a man called by God to serve Jesus and to shepherd His flock after receiving the Sacrament of Holy Orders. He makes a promise of lifelong celibacy and becomes a spiritual father to those who are entrusted to his care. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, ‘the priest serves the faithful by building up and guiding the Church in the name of Christ, who is head of the body’ (CCC 1547).

Jesus, the original priest, created the priesthood for the service of His Church. At the Last Supper, he commanded the apostles to "do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19), and to this day, this is what we participate in every time a priest celebrates the Holy Mass.

In the Holy Mass, which Jesus established at the Last Supper, the priest takes on the person of Jesus Christ and the bread and wine presented at the altar become the body and blood of Jesus, for the Church today. Without the priest, there would be no Holy Eucharist in the present Church. The priesthood is important because it serves the spiritual needs of the people of God, particularly through the sacraments.

Priests receive an allowance, an amount of money per month that pays for everyday things. He does not have to pay for food as the parish covers this and his accommodation is provided by the diocese.

In this way, a priest will never be rich but also never be poor. Because of this, priests are reminded that God always provides and they are also conscious of not spending beyond their means.

Diocesan priests should not live luxuriously but try to imitate Jesus and the disciples who gave us the perfect example of how to live simply.

Very practically, Catholic priests do not marry because they are married to the Church. A priest chooses freely to make a promise of celibacy, allowing him to give his total self to ministering to the people of God, spending his life bringing Jesus to others in the unique ways that only a priest can.

There are now some priests in the Catholic Church who are married, these are priests from the Church of England (Anglicans) who were already married and who were allowed to become Catholic priests. However, Anglican priests who became Catholic priests and are not married cannot then go on to marry.

Ultimately, chaste celibacy, living unmarried and abstaining from sex, should be a freeing choice. Critically, no one is forced to live this way of life, all priests choose celibacy freely. This choice allows priests to care deeply for the people they are called to serve.

Priests are called 'Father' as a sign of respect for the spiritual fathering role they have for the faithful. He has been given the responsibility of caring for the spiritual lives of the people before him. Simply, it is a respectful title for a spiritual leader.

Often people see the priesthood as a negative list, a list of things you can’t do. This life is lived much more fruitfully if, instead of seeing a negative list, someone can see how this choice enables so much else. In this way, chaste celibacy is a gift from God.

When someone marries, they are equally taking a vow which comes with a lot of things they now can’t do, such as have a romantic relationship with others who are not their spouse. However, this enables them to live the vocation of married life fully and fruitfully.

Living chaste celibacy is of course challenging, but with God’s grace, we can live this way of life.

Priests minister to the people of God as good shepherds and should guide them along the path that leads to the fullness of life.

A priest is privileged to accompany people in some of the most important moments of their lives, celebrating their joys and sorrows. At times, he provides comfort to the dying and sees healing miracles in the anointing of the sick.

At other times, he witnesses the joy of a couple getting married, baptises children and adults, and celebrates the most precious gift God has given to His Church: the Holy Eucharist.

Primarily, the priesthood is a calling from God which involves the discernment of God's will for your life.

A man considering this way of life would have to have a genuine interest in serving God and His people wholeheartedly.

Typically, he would be an unmarried, practising Roman Catholic who is involved in the life of his parish.