PARISH PRIEST. – A parish priest is a priest or a moral person to whom the title of a parish (v.) is conferred, together with the care of souls, to be exercised subordinately to the authority of the local Ordinary (can. 451, 1). Under this designation are also included quasi-parish priests (v.) who preside over quasi-parishes, and parochial vicars endowed with full parochial power, whether they be actual vicars (can. 471), economic vicars (can. 472), substitute vicars (can. 474), or coadjutor vicars (can. 475); in rights and obligations, these are equated with parish priests. Military chaplains must observe particular provisions of the Holy See (can. 451, 3).
I. ORIGIN
As regards etymology, some authors derive the term from the Greek *παροχος*, which was the prefect of stations; others from *παροχος* (to supply), in the sense that priests were entrusted with the duty of announcing the word of God to the people and administering the Sacraments; more correctly, others derive the name from *παροχος* (to dwell), whence *παροχος* (episcopal territory), from which *παροχος* (to dwell), i.e., the priest who dwells together with the people. Its institution dates back to the 4th century, specifically to the Council of Arles (a. 314, can. 21), where mention is made of rural clergy. In the 7th century, priests placed over rural parishes were called *arricchiti*; in the 9th century, *pastores*, *rectores*, and *plebani*. Rarely is the term "parish priest" found in sources; only after the Council of Trent did this appellation become common.The parochial office is of ecclesiastical institution. A supposed origin of divine right was sought to be sustained in France during the Jansenist controversies, and thus in Italy, particularly on the occasion of the Synod of Pistoia; but it finds no foundation in Scripture or in divine-ecclesiastical tradition. Moreover, the historical origins of the parish prove the contrary. Parochial rights therefore depend solely on the provisions of canon law.
II. NATURE
The parish priest coadjuvates the bishop in the sense of leading individual faithful to eternal salvation, to whom the bishop’s direct care could not ordinarily extend. His office is a true ecclesiastical office: he receives the parish permanently and as in ownership, becomes its true titular, and exercises the office in his own name and in a stable manner; his removal can occur only for a just and grave cause, as contemplated by law. The primary object of this office is the care of souls, which is exercised especially through the exposition of the truths of the faith, according to the capacity of the faithful, so that they may be fortified at every age against errors. A necessary consequence of teaching is the administration of the Sacraments, which bestow and preserve the grace of God in the faithful.The proper conduct of these functions requires unity of direction; hence the CIC establishes that in every parish there shall be a single parish priest (can. 460). It is invalidly conferred for two parishes to be assigned to a single parish priest, because the two offices are incompatible (can. 156), except in the case where they are united *aequo principiari*; nor can multiple parish priests cumulatively have the same subjects and the same ministry: norms that govern not only parishes to be erected, but also those already erected (Commission for the Interpretation, 14 July 1922; AAS, 14 [1922], p. 527). The case is excepted where the parish priest has one parish in title and another in administration. These prohibitions do not absolutely exclude the possibility that two parishes may have their seat in the same church, if there is a true necessity (AAS, 10 [1918], p. 285). Although such duties must be exercised under the direction of the Ordinary, the bishop cannot restrict or limit his faculties: the parochial office is determined by common law, to which Ordinaries are also subject. They, of course, as pastors, can exercise all parochial functions and may delegate others; yet it is fitting that this right be exercised rarely and in circumstances worthy of note and profitable for souls. This is not to detract from the bishop’s right to withdraw certain families from the jurisdiction of the parish priest if there is a just and reasonable cause (can. 464, 2), for although the parish priest has power over the entire territory of the parish, he does not have a right regarding the belonging of individual families to that territory.
The jurisdiction of the parish priest is exercised only in the internal forum, since his office is instituted principally for the good of individual faithful: his principal care is the salvation of souls. He may therefore lay down rules for the fostering of piety among the faithful and take precautionary measures to prevent abuses against natural and ecclesiastical law; but he cannot in any way attach penalties or obligations in conscience to these norms. Indeed, he also participates in executive power insofar as he is the administrator of the goods of the parish, but this right is exercised only as a participation in the power that resides in the bishop and may easily be reduced to a rather economic function. The relationship, therefore, between the parish and the parish priest is primarily dominative. The parish priest, that is, presides over the vigilance and administration of the parish, which he must guard as a good father of a family and direct with precepts, not with laws. This does not exclude that the parish priest has ordinary power: this, in fact, derives from the office (can. 464), to which it is attached by law, and he exercises it in his own name and not as a delegate of the bishop.
Such jurisdiction may be delegated fully or partially according to the determinations of the law. Without the consent of the bishop, the parish priest cannot authorize preaching in his parish (can. 1337), cannot grant the faculty to hear confessions (can. 873), nor dispense from ecclesiastical laws without special faculty (can. 83). He may grant certain dispensations in trinomial matters (can. 1043-44-45), from abstinence, from fasting, from hearing Mass, and from servile works (can. 1245). The parish priest may subdelegate the faculty to dispense, if he has obtained an indult to that effect (can. 199, 3).
III. APPOINTMENT
The bishop has the right to appoint and install parish priests; the participation of the people, in current law, is excluded. The vicar general must have a special mandate; the capitular vicar may confirm an elected parish priest and accept a presentation by the patron: after one year has elapsed from the vacancy of the see, he may also confer parishes of free appointment. If it concerns parishes entrusted to religious, the competent Superior chooses the religious and presents him to the local Ordinary, who shall make the inquiries required by law (can. 456).The bishop must provide for the appointment within six months, unless particular conditions require a postponement (can. 458). The appointee must already be a priest, a condition required for validity; for liceity, he must be of good morals, sound doctrine, animated by zeal, prudence, and especially patience and charity (can. 453). Among several worthy candidates, the bishop must choose, under grave obligation, the most worthy; he must formulate
His judgment concerns not only doctrine and piety, but also the other qualities required for governing the parish (can. 459, 1, 2). The judgment on these qualities belongs solely to the bishop, who, to proceed in a lawful manner, must consult the documents of the Curia that pertain to the candidate; seek secret information, if he deems it appropriate, both within and outside the diocese; verify the results of examinations in the first years of priesthood; and subject the candidate to an examination in his presence and that of the synodal examiners, from which, however, one known for his theological learning may be dispensed with the consent of the examiners (can. 459, 3). The election may also be made by competition, whether special or general, at least in those places where the law of competition still prevails (v.).
By the election, the parish priest acquires only the *ius ad rem*; he may exercise the care of souls from the moment of taking possession (v.). Before or at the moment of taking possession, he must make the profession of faith (can. 1,406, 1, 7).
IV. RIGHTS
The parish priest has the right to perform all that pertains to the care of souls and is necessary for the administration of the parish. Some acts and functions are reserved to the parish priest by common law, except in cases of special exemptions which must always be proven. These functions, called parochial, cannot be performed by anyone within the parish without the permission of the parish priest. They are expressly established as follows: 1) the administration of Baptism in solemn form; 2) the public carrying of the Most Holy Eucharist to the sick within the parochial territory; 3) the carrying of the Most Holy Eucharist to the sick as viaticum, whether in public or private form, and the administration of Extreme Unction; 4) the denunciation of the publications of ordinations (can. 998, 1) and of marriages (can. 1022); the assisting at marriages, which he may delegate only in individual cases (can. 1094), and the imparting of the nuptial blessing to the spouses (can. 1108); 5) the celebration of funerals, namely, accompanying the corpse from the house to the church, celebrating the funeral rite, and accompanying the corpse to the cemetery (can. 1216); 6) the blessing of houses on Holy Saturday or on another day according to local customs; 7) the blessing of the baptismal font on Holy Saturday and on the vigil of Pentecost (AAS, 15 [1922], p. 225). The parish priest is entitled to direct processions outside the church and likewise to impart blessings with pomp and solemnity. If the parish is incorporated into a chapter, the parish priest is dispensed from such functions if they are performed by the canons (can. 462). Other functions celebrated in parishes mainly pertain to the parish priest, though it is not forbidden that they be performed in other churches; among these are the novenas, triduums, daily evening services, first communions, solemn Mass, Lenten preaching, etc.The parishioners are obliged to request parochial functions from the parish priest, who has the right to receive the offerings they present on such occasions, even if the ceremony was not performed by him personally. Offerings are especially given on the occasion of Baptism, Matrimony, and funeral rites. The parish priest is obliged to render his service gratuitously if the persons involved are poor. This right to remuneration was affirmed by Our Lord and reiterated by St. Paul; a complete abolition of such remuneration would not produce good results, since the people must understand that they have a sacred duty to support the priest who bestows so many spiritual benefits upon them. In this matter, the parish priest must adhere to can. 1507.
V. OBLIGATIONS
The parish priest, by virtue of the office he holds, is bound to exercise the care of souls over all his faithful, an obligation that pertains to him by justice. He must perform this function by every means conducive to the spiritual good of souls, following both the norms laid down by particular statutes or customs and the prescriptions of the bishop. The specific obligations are: 1) Residence: the parish priest, to attend fruitfully to his duties, must reside in the parochial house, which is generally built near the church; the Ordinary may permit him to live elsewhere, even outside the parochial territory, provided that the sacred ministry suffers no detriment.He may be absent from the parish for a maximum period of two months in a year, whether the absences are continuous or intermittent; spiritual exercises are not counted as vacation days. The Ordinary has the faculty to extend or reduce, for a grave reason, the terms established by law. The parish priest may not be absent for more than a week except for a just cause and with the written permission of the Ordinary. Before departing, he must leave a substitute vicar approved by the bishop; if the parish priest is a religious, he must also obtain the consent of his Superior. If there is a sudden cause for absence, the parish priest may leave the parish, provided he notifies his bishop by letter and communicates the name of the vicar. In every case of absence, the parish priest must always provide for the needs of the faithful (can. 465); transgressors are punished by deprivation of the fruits (can. 2381) or even of the benefice itself (can. 2168). 2) The application of the Holy Mass. This obligation is founded on hypothetical divine law and binds parish priests in the same way as bishops: namely, the parish priest must fulfill this obligation on Sundays and on other holy days of obligation, even those that have been suppressed. This obligation is personal, real, and local: the parish priest must fulfill it personally; if, for some reason such as illness, he cannot celebrate, he must either delegate another priest or, after recovery, celebrate as many Masses as were omitted; the rite must ordinarily be performed in the parochial church. If the parish priest is lawfully absent, he may apply the Mass in the place where he is or delegate a substitute. The Ordinary may permit the application to be made on a day different from that established by law; for a just reason, the parish priest may, *ad modum actus*, postpone the application to another day (can. 466). It is an excellent norm to celebrate the parochial Mass, even on weekdays at a fixed time, to facilitate the participation of the faithful. 3) Moreover, the parish priest must celebrate the sacred rites, administer the sacraments when reasonably requested, know his parishioners and prudently correct them, assist the poor, visit the sick assiduously, assist the dying, preach the word of God, give catechetical instruction to children and adults, ensure that in public and private schools nothing occurs contrary to faith and morals, prevent abuses as far as possible and remove scandals, promote pious associations of faith, piety, and charity, faithfully administer the goods of the Church (can. 467, 468, 469). The parish priest must take care of the parochial books (v.); he must also keep an inventory of the movable and immovable property belonging to the parish (can. 1522-23), preserve the documents that prove the parish’s right to its goods (can. 1523, 6), and those concerning foundations and perpetual or temporary obligations with their respective alms and times of fulfillment.