Career: Priests
Although you might see priests only on Sunday mornings in church, they actually lead very busy lives. They might be up at dawn to lead morning mass. At lunchtime, they might be leading discussions at schools about the challenges of faith. And rather than relaxing in front of an evening TV show, they may be visiting the homes of church members.
Priests believe deeply in God and feel that serving other people is the best way to serve God.
Priests are Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Anglican religious leaders who have been ordained (officially appointed) by their churches.
“Working with people makes my job endlessly interesting, since people themselves are endlessly interesting.”
Brett, Roman Catholic Priest
Are You Ready To...?
- Lead religious services
- Help others understand sacred texts
- Counsel church members on spiritual and practical problems
- Teach in religious schools
- Conduct services at marriages, births, and deaths
- Serve on church committees
It Helps to Be...
Versatile: a priest's tasks may vary from hour to hour and day to day. You'll be happiest in this vocation if you care deeply about others and are patient and open-minded. Being idealistic will help you avoid burnout.
Make High School Count
- Ask a priest for advice and information about entering the priesthood.
- Volunteer at a church or another community organization.
- Sign up for classes in psychology and family and consumer sciences to develop your counseling skills. Take speech classes to help you get used to public speaking.
- Take Latin, so you can read sacred texts. Or learn another language, such as Spanish, so you can communicate with non-English-speaking church members.
- Make the most of English and history to build solid writing skills and learn about the role of religion around the world and throughout the ages.
- And, of course, take a religion class if it's offered.
Did You Know?
- While only unmarried men can be Catholic priests, married men can serve as Eastern Orthodox or Anglican priests. And women can become Anglican priests.
Outlook
Government economists expect jobs for ordained religious leaders to grow faster than the average for all careers through 2016.
Compensation
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the average income of ordained religious leaders was $43,720 in 2007.
Priests are often paid by the communities they serve, and rich communities can pay a lot more than poor communities. Some priests receive little or no pay; their expenses are handled by the church. Clearly, people don't choose this path in order to make a lot of money.
