Article II. On the Duties of Parish Priests in Particular

(St. Alphonsus, Theologia Moralis, book III, nn. 357-360; Homo Apostolicus, tract 7, nn. 14-17.)

I. Notion of a parish priest. A parish priest is a priest or moral person to whom a parish has been conferred in title, with the cure of souls to be exercised under the authority of the local Ordinary (can. 451, § 1). A moral person can be, for example, a chapter, monastery, etc. To parish priests are equated, with all parochial rights and obligations, and they come under the name of parish priests in law: 1st, quasi-parish priests who govern quasi-parishes; 2nd, parochial vicars, if they are endowed with full parochial power (can. 451, § 2; cf. the tract on Matrimony). Moreover in the definition it is said:

1. Moral person; now a moral person to which a parish has been united by full right can retain only the habitual cure of souls, with the actual cure committed to a vicar (can. 452, § 2).

2. Parish; but a parish is a part of a diocese to which a particular rector is assigned as its proper pastor. Parts of an apostolic vicariate and apostolic prefecture, if a particular rector has been assigned to them, are called quasi-parishes (can. 216).

3. To whom a parish has been conferred in title with the cure of souls. From these things it is sufficiently drawn that power belongs to a parish priest by force of his office, and therefore that it is ordinary. Moreover it is proper, not vicarious, or it is exercised in his own name. Besides, the power of a parish priest is only of the internal forum, so that he cannot make laws or censures or institute a canonical trial; nevertheless he has some domestic or economic power over his subjects, and he carries out a public administration by which he fulfills several external functions by force of office.¹

4. To be exercised under the authority of the local Ordinary. Namely, although the power of a parish priest is exercised in his own name, nevertheless it is subordinated to the power of the local Ordinary; nor is that unfitting according to these words of St. Thomas: "It must be said that it would be unfitting if two were constituted equally over the same people; but if unequally, it is not unfitting. And according to this, immediately over the same people there are the parochial priest, the bishop, and the Pope" (Supplement, q. 8, article 5, ad 3).

Note. Those who are placed over the administration of a parish as its proper rectors must be stable in it; yet this does not prevent all from being removable from it according to the norms of law. But not all parish priests obtain the same stability; those who enjoy greater stability are customarily called irremovable, and those who enjoy lesser stability, removable (can. 454).

¹ Chelodi, De personis, n. 223 b.

II. The duties of a parish priest chiefly regard residence, Mass for the people, ministration of the sacraments, catechetical instruction, sacred sermons, custody of ecclesiastical discipline, spiritual care of the sick, and care of the poor.

1. Residence. a) A parish priest is held by the obligation of residing in the parochial house near his church; nevertheless the local Ordinary can, for a just cause, permit him to live elsewhere, provided the house in which he lives is not so distant from the parochial church that the performance of parochial duties suffers some detriment from it (can. 465, § 1). However, a parish priest is permitted to be absent for at most two months within the year, whether continuous or interrupted, unless a grave cause, in the judgment of the Ordinary himself, either requires a longer absence or permits only a shorter one (can. 465, § 2). And the days on which once a year he is occupied with pious exercises are not computed in the two months of vacation (can. 465, § 3). Nevertheless it must be noted that a parish priest who is going to depart is bound to these things:

a) When the absence is going to last beyond a week, the parish priest, besides a legitimate cause, must have the written permission of the Ordinary and, unless he habitually has assistants, leave in his place a substitute vicar to be approved by the same Ordinary; but if the parish priest is a religious, he also needs the consent of the Superior, and the substitute must be approved both by the Ordinary and by the Superior (can. 465, § 4).

b) If a parish priest is compelled to depart for a sudden and grave cause and to be absent beyond a week, he should as soon as possible inform the Ordinary by letter, indicating to him the cause of the departure and the supplying priest, and should stand by his commands (can. 465, § 5).

c) Even for the time of a shorter absence the parish priest must provide for the necessities of the faithful, especially if particular circumstances require this (can. 465, § 6). Finally, it is prohibited to be absent in time of contagious disease;¹ nevertheless it is lawful to leave the care of the sick to the vicar, if the latter is prepared for it, lest both be exposed to danger or lest the faithful, because of fear of contagion, avoid both (St. Alphonsus VI, 233). On the time of persecution see the tract on Faith, n. 500.

b) The obligation of residence is grave of its own kind; and illicit absences coalesce. Neglect is grave if it is extended to three continuous weeks; nevertheless a longer space of time is required if the absences are interrupted; even less can suffice if meanwhile sufficient provision has not been made for the necessity of the faithful.

c) A parish priest who is illegitimately absent is by that fact deprived of all the fruits of his benefice in proportion to the illegitimate absence, and he must hand them over to the Ordinary, who is to distribute them to the church or to some pious place or to the poor (can. 2381, 1st); besides, proceedings must be taken against the delinquent according to the norm of canons 2168-2175 (can. 2381, § 2). It is said all the fruits; hence those fruits also are comprehended which correspond to other burdens of the benefice.² Then the obligation of handing over the fruits to the Ordinary presses before the sentence of a judge.³

2. Mass for the people, which obligation is explained in the tract on the Most Holy Eucharist.

3. Ministration of the sacraments; concerning this there is enough in the tracts on the Sacraments in general and in particular.

4. Catechetical instruction. a) With regard to children, the parish priest must: 1st, at fixed times, by continuous instruction for several days, prepare children each year for receiving the sacraments of penance and confirmation rightly; 2nd, with altogether particular zeal, especially, if nothing prevents, in the time of Lent, instruct children in such a way that they may holily taste for the first time the Holy Things from the altar (can. 1330); 3rd, besides the instruction of children already explained, the parish priest should not omit to cultivate more abundantly and perfectly in the catechism those children who have recently received first communion (can. 1331).

b) With regard to adults, on Sundays and other feasts of precept, at that hour which in his judgment is more suitable for the attendance of the people, the parish priest must moreover explain the catechism to the adult faithful, in speech accommodated to their understanding (can. 1332).

Note 1. In the religious instruction of children the parish priest can, indeed, if he is legitimately impeded, must, make use of the work of clerics dwelling in the territory of the parish, or even, if necessary, of pious lay people, especially those who are enrolled in the pious society of Christian doctrine or another similar society erected in the parish (can. 1333, § 1). Priests and other clerics detained by no legitimate impediment are to be helpers to their own parish priest in this most holy work, even under penalties to be inflicted by the Ordinary (can. 1333, § 2). Here the discussion is about priests and clerics who are not exempt, since exempt clerics do not have a proper parish priest.

Note 2. If, in the judgment of the local Ordinary, the help of religious for the catechetical instruction of the people is necessary, religious Superiors, even exempt, when requested by the same Ordinary, are bound, either by themselves or through their religious subjects, though without detriment to regular discipline, to hand it on to the people, especially in their own churches (can. 1334). Finally it belongs to the local Ordinary to issue all things in his diocese which regard instructing the people in Christian doctrine; and even exempt religious, whenever they teach the non-exempt, are bound to observe the same things (can. 1336).

c) The obligation of catechetical instruction is grave of its own kind; hence a parish priest who is notably negligent in fulfilling it sins gravely. Nevertheless the obligation of doing this personally is not to be urged in the same way as when there is discussion of sacred sermons; for then, as we shall now say, it is expressly indicated by the Code (can. 1344).

5. Sacred sermons. By divine precept it has been commanded to all to whom the care of souls has been committed to feed their sheep by the preaching of the divine word.⁴ Moreover:

a) On Sundays and the other feasts of precept through the year, it is the proper office of each parish priest to announce the word of God to the people by the customary homily, especially within the Mass at which there is usually the greater attendance of the people (can. 1344, § 1). A parish priest cannot satisfy this obligation habitually through another, unless for a just cause approved by the Ordinary (can. 1344, § 2). The Ordinary can permit that on certain more solemn feasts, or even, for a just cause, on some Sundays, the sermon be omitted (can. 1344, § 3).

Note 1. It is to be desired that at Masses which, with the faithful present, are celebrated on feasts of precept in all churches or public oratories, a brief explanation of the Gospel or of some part of Christian doctrine be made; and if the local Ordinary has prescribed this, with suitable instructions given, not only priests from the secular clergy are bound by this law, but also religious, even exempt, in their own churches (can. 1345).

Note 2. Let the Ordinaries of places take care that in the time of Lent, and likewise, if it has seemed expedient, in the time of Advent, sacred sermons be given more frequently to the faithful in cathedral and parochial churches (can. 1346, § 1).

b) In sacred sermons those things are chiefly to be expounded which the faithful must believe and do for salvation. The heralds of the divine word should abstain from profane or abstruse arguments exceeding the common understanding of the hearers; and they should exercise the evangelical ministry not in persuasive words of human wisdom, not in the profane display and enticement of vain and ambitious eloquence, but in the showing of spirit and power, preaching not themselves but Christ crucified (can. 1347).⁵ Finally, it is illicit to treat certain matters, namely: a determinate time of certain future things, for example of Antichrist or of the last judgment; likewise vain revelations about these or other things; new inspirations or revelations or new miracles, unless they have been approved by competent authority.⁶

c) The obligation of preaching is grave of its own kind; but grave matter seems to be had if a parish priest for one continuous month or for three discontinuous months in the year preached neither by himself nor through others (St. Alphonsus III, 269). A longer space of time is also required for someone to sin gravely for the reason that he preached only through another.

6. Custody of ecclesiastical discipline. The parish priest must know his sheep and prudently correct those who err (can. 467, § 1). Besides, he should watch lest anything against faith and morals be handed on in his parish, especially in public and private schools (can. 469; cf. St. Thomas 2-2, q. 33, article 2, ad 4; St. Alphonsus III, 360, doubt 2). Moreover sacred missions contribute greatly to the custody or restoration of ecclesiastical discipline, concerning which can. 1349 says thus: Ordinaries should watch that parish priests take care that at least every tenth year a sacred mission, as it is called, be held for the flock committed to them. A parish priest, even a religious, must stand by the commands of the local Ordinary in instituting these missions.⁷

7. Spiritual care of the sick; these things are explained in the tracts on the Holy Eucharist, on Penance, and on Extreme Unction.

8. Care of the poor; concerning this can. 467, § 1 establishes: The parish priest must embrace the poor and miserable with fatherly charity.

¹ Sacred Congregation of the Council, 6 September 1576, in Fagnanus, on chapter Clericos, De clericis non residentibus, from n. 41 to n. 45; Benedict XIV, De Synodo dioecesana, book 13, chapter 19, n. 2.

² Sacred Congregation of the Council, 10 July 1920, ad III.

³ Sacred Congregation of the Council, 10 July 1920, ad VII.

⁴ Council of Trent, session 23, chapter 1, on reform.

⁵ Cf. Encyclical of Benedict XV Humani generis, 15 June 1917.

⁶ Cf. Lateran Council V, session 11, constitution 1; Council of Trent, session 25, decree on the invocation of Saints.

⁷ Pius VI in the Bull Auctorem fidei, 28 August 1794, condemned proposition 65 of the Synod of Pistoia: "The proposition stating that the irregular noise of the new institutions which are called Exercises or Missions perhaps never, or at least very rarely, reaches the point of working absolute conversion, and that those external acts of movement which appeared were nothing other than passing flashes of natural shock, is rash, evil-sounding, pernicious, and injurious to a practice piously and salutarily frequented by the Church and founded on the word of God."

Benedict XIV in the Constitution Gravissimum, 8 September 1754, speaks thus: "Taught by long experience, we have perceived that for correcting wicked morals, which either begin to creep in, or have already grown too strong, or finally, confirmed by long duration, have occupied dioceses more widely, nothing contributes more than to implore external help and powers, namely to appoint sacred Missions everywhere (§ 4).... Wherefore this remedy cannot be called new, uncertain, or devised by Us: a remedy most suitable for correcting the corruptions of the people, and perhaps the only one, which so many Bishops distinguished by the glory of piety have used with great utility in their dioceses, which We Ourselves have so often experienced, and which You also, who beyond doubt have at some time refreshed the people committed to you with sacred Missions, have experienced (§ 10)."

Pius IX in the Letter Singulari quidem, 17 March 1856, to the Austrian Bishops: "Since sacred Missions carried out by suitable workers conduce exceedingly to exciting the spirit of faith and religion among peoples, and to recalling them to the path of virtue and salvation, We vehemently desire that you take care that they be held from time to time in your dioceses. And We offer deserved and highest praises to all those who from your order have already introduced into their dioceses so salutary a work of sacred Missions, from which, by the breathing of divine grace, We rejoice that abundant fruits have been perceived."