Religious Priests
A Religious Priest is a man who:
- like a religious Sister or Brother is called to live out his baptismal call to discipleship within a particular religious community through the profession of religious vows and in the light of its special spirit or charism (Click here to see some communities of religious priests)
- is additionally an ordained minister in the Church
- is called to proclaim and preach the Good News and to teach the Catholic faith
- ministers the Sacraments of the Church revealing God’s love, mercy and fidelity to all
- leads, with the participation of others, the worship that gives praise to God and which forms all Christians in their discipleship
- desires, like religious Sisters and Brothers, to love God with his whole being using all of his gifts for the love and service of God’s people
- Is prayerful, always desiring to grow in and to deepen his relationship with God
- Lives with a heart open to God’s love, promises and will for him expressed through mutual discernment within his community
- Is a man of the Church committed to faithful service in God’s world in love, respect and justice
- Is committed to sharing openly and generously in the life and mission of his community
- may serve, if a member of an apostolic community, in one or more of a variety of ministries in addition to his priestly and Sacramental ministry such as education, work for social justice, ecology for the care of God’s Earth, professional ethics, science or law, or in social work, pastoral care, work with those who are poor or marginalized, parish, youth, elder care ministry, health care, retreat ministry and spiritual direction
- may be asked to commit as a missionary working with people of diverse cultures and faith traditions for the common good
- may be called to the primarily contemplative life of prayer for the world (Click here to see some examples of contemplative communities of men)
- Is open to the call of his religious community to serve wherever there is the greatest need to be met by the special charism of his community
Clouds of Witnesses — Click here to meet the men who founded some of the religious orders of priests, experience through them and their Charisms the joys and struggles, the love and commitment of religious priests. They continue to invite men to this fullness of life!