What Does a Priest Do?

What does the priest do? This question is far deeper than it seems at first. Our Church teaches that as baptized members of the Body of Christ, we all share in our Head's prophetic, kingly, and of course priestly offices. If we all share in Christ's priestly office, why do we need ordained priests? Perhaps St. Paul has the answer. In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul writes, "For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we , though many, are one body in Christ" (Rom 12:4-5). He goes on to say that some are called to ministry (cf. 7). Therefore, some of the faithful in Christ are given a special calling to fulfill that priestly office in a special way.

What is that "special way"? The Council of Trent said that "...these ministers in the society of the faithful would be able by the sacred power of their order to offer sacrifice and to remit sins" (23rd Session).

Vatican II teaches, "...priests, as co-workers with their bishops, have as their primary duty the proclamation of the gospel of God to all" (Presbyterorum Ordinis).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "The ministerial priesthood has the task not only of representing Christ--Head of the Church--before the assembly of the faithful, but also of acting in the name of the whole Church when presenting to God the prayer of the Church, and above all when offering the Eucharistic sacrifice." (CCC 1552). Also, "This sacrament configures the recipient to Christ by a special grace of the Holy Spirit, so that he may serve as Christ's instrument for his Church. By ordination one is enabled to act as a representative of Christ, Head of the Church, in his triple office of priest, prophet, and king." (CCC 1581).

What does a priest do? He proclaims the gospel and gives sacramental grace. In theory this answer looks simple. I imagine that a young man considering the priesthood would also be interested in how this "theory" actually exists. I imagine that he wonders, "if I became a priest, how would I be proclaiming the gospel and effecting the sacraments?"

Here's the Diocese of La Crosse: There are 800,000 people who live in the 19 counties encompassed by the diocese, 200,000 of whom are Catholic. Under 200 priests serve in 175 parishes, several major hospitals, convents, universities, the five high schools, countless grade schools, and other special ministries. The secular priests (those not belonging to a religious order), are mostly involved in parish work.

What does parish work consist of? The diocese is the body of Christ in a certain region. Priests, as co-workers of the bishop (the apostle who leads the diocesan congregation), lead smaller communities of the faithful called parishes within the diocese. Parish work consists in preaching the gospel and effecting the sacraments for the faithful of the particular parish, and extending that Christian charity to others, whether Catholic or not.

The Sacraments: The Eucharist in the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass is the source and summit of our faith. It is, therefore, that which binds the parish together, and that which allows the parish to reach out to others. The main task of the parish priest is to celebrate Mass for his flock, both proclaiming the gospel and explaining it, and celebrating the Eucharist. Many parishioners think that a priest only works on the weekends, celebrating Mass when they come. While this couldn't be farther from the truth, they are right in identifying the most important thing the priest does.

The Eucharist is not the only sacrament the priest uses to give the grace to persevere to his flock. Much of the priest's time is also spent visiting homebound parishioners, bringing spiritual healing through the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. The parish priest also brings healing to his parishioners through the Sacrament of Penance, reconciling them with God through sacramental grace.

The Proclamation of the Gospel: Parishioners recognize this function of the priest most especially when he preaches the homily at Sunday Mass. While this is one important time at which, after reading from the Gospel, the priest exhorts his parishioners to carry it into their own lives, the whole life of the priest must be a proclamation of the gospels, as the priest attempts to live just as Christ. Priests visit sick parishioners, and perform the other corporal works of mercy as part of their day to day ministry, providing an example to the people whom they shepherd.

Younger priests of the diocese often teach in the five diocesan high schools, or at least in parish Catechism classes. This is but one example of how priests directly proclaim the gospel to the young of the Church.