What is the difference between a diocesan priest & a religious order priest?

At St. Joan of Arc, we are blessed to have both diocesan priests and priests who belong to a religious order.  What is the difference?

Diocesan priests are ordained for a particular diocese and serve ordinarily in parishes. This is their main work, although some are engaged in other ministries as well. They take the vows of obedience to the bishop and to remain celibate.  They are expected to live simply, but do not take a vow of poverty which allows them to own property. At their ordination as deacons, they incardinate (affiliate) with a particular diocese or archdiocese. At this time they make a promise to obey their bishop and, in the Western Church, to remain celibate.

Religious Order priests are not necessarily more spiritual than diocesan priests. The word refers in this case to the form of life these priests live. All men and women who make public vows in a religious order are called religious. It means that by their vows of poverty, celibate chastity, and obedience, their lives are oriented in a special way to the virtue of religion so that all they do becomes a continual act of the worship of God.

This is true of all religious, sisters and brothers as well as priests. Ordinarily they live and pray in community. Many of them wear a religious habit. Often they are engaged in a specialized form of ministry.

*Source: Catholic Answers

Additional Resources:

Video: The difference between diocesan priests and priests in a religious order:

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVZNLbazoc0

Here is a blog post on “Seminarian Parents” from a father whose son is discerning a vocation with the Paulist Fathers.

Blog Post Link:  Seminarian Parents - “What is an Order Priest?”

---