How Does a Catholic Priest Spend a Workday?

Celebrating Masses.

The majority of Catholics attend Mass on Sundays, and on this workday a Catholic priest celebrates two and sometimes four Masses at different times of the day. The focal point of the Mass is the Eucharist, a re-creation of Jesus Christ's sacrificial death. It is noteworthy that at this time in the Divine Liturgy the priest actually represents Christ himself. Other Catholics prefer to attend Mass on Saturday evening, and the priest offers the same service as on Sundays. Preparation of the homily is done throughout the week and on Saturdays.

Administering the sacraments.

Priests may be called upon at any time to administer the sacraments of baptism and extreme unction. Other sacraments such as confirmation, confession and matrimony may be scheduled and worked into the regular workday of a Catholic priest. Some priests have performed the anointing of the sick in conjunction with visiting the sick and the homebound. It is not uncommon to see a priest visiting parishioners in the hospital and administering an anointment that essentially is a watered-down version of extreme unction.

Performing the Liturgy of Hours.

The one consistent aspect of a Catholic priest's daily workday is the recitation of the Liturgy of Hours. The actual length of this practice varies depending on the faith community of Catholicism the priest belongs to, but in general a morning prayer is held after 6 a.m., a midmorning prayer after 9:00 a.m., a midday prayer right around the noon hour, a midafternoon prayer between 2 and 3 p.m., an evening prayer around 6 p.m., and a night prayer right before the priest finishes his workday.

Interacting with parishioners.

Even as a lot of time is spent in contemplation and Bible reading, Catholic priests have significant interactions with their parishioners outside of Mass and any of the other sacraments they perform. They are routinely called upon to counsel parishioners on issues of marriage, parenting, substance abuse and Christian living; priests also offer premarital counseling, catechism classes for converts to the faith and officiation at funerals. Although they work closely with deacons and other helpers, they are intimately involved in the public outreach of their faith community. In some cases, parishioners will visit a priest outside of normal office hours or during scheduled confession times or counseling hours to obtain emergency help. As such, a priest's workday is a mix of being on call and loosely structured, adjusting to the needs of the parishioners.

Resources

• The Post-Gazette Site Offers an Excellent Article on the Workday of a Rookie Priest.
• An Exhaustive History of the Catholic Priesthood is Given at the New Advent Website.