A Catholic Diocesan priest is one who:
1. is a human whose feet is planted in the ground yet whose heart is raised in heaven.
2. an ordinary person with an extraordinary gift of being able to bring man to God and God to man.
3. a person made in God's image yet knows that he is continually being formed to reflect the face of Christ.
--(Lem Camacho seminarian in Pre-theology)
A Diocesan Priest
A Roman Catholic priest is a man called by God to serve Christ and the Church through the reception of the sacrament of Holy Orders. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, 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). A priest makes a lifelong promise of celibacy and obedience to a bishop or religious superior.
What Does it Mean to be a Priest in This Day and Age?
The ordained priesthood or the vowed religious priesthood is a wonderful life of dedication and service to the people of God. You are not paid a lot of money. You live a pretty simple life. The joys you experience, however, are beyond measure. As a priest you are with people during some of the most significant moments of their lives. You are there to baptize their children and give them first Holy Communion. You are a minister of God's mercy and forgiveness in the sacrament of Reconciliation. You are privileged to walk with young couples as they prepare for and celebrate the sacrament of Matrimony. You witness God's healing presence in the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. You have the opportunity to be with families who have lost a love one, and you celebrate the funeral Liturgy with and for them. These are wonderful sacramental moments when you can be present during the joyful, as well as sorrowful, moments in peoples' lives.
How Do You "Qualify" To Be A Priest?
Well, first and foremost you have to feel as though you are being called by God and to have a sincere and genuine interest in serving Christ and the Church. The applicant to the Diocese of Paterson must be an unmarried practicing Roman Catholic male. Candidates older than 50 may be considered at the discretion of the Director of Vocations. Other dioceses or religious orders may have different qualifications.
What's a Typical Day in the Life of a Priest?
Truth be told, there is not a typical day in the life of a diocesan priest. Perhaps the only consistent aspect of any day in the priesthood is celebrating the Holy Eucharist and experiencing Jesus in those with whom the priest comes in contact. The needs of a parish family are so diverse that it's hard to predict how your day will go. That's part of the great joy in serving God as a diocesan priest. (Also, eventually, we hope to have a day in the life of a priest video to complement our day in the life of a seminarian)
