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<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <title>CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Pastor</title><script src="https://dtyry4ejybx0.cloudfront.net/js/cmp/cleanmediacmp.js?ver=0104" async="true"></script><script defer data-domain="newadvent.org" src="https://plausible.io/js/script.js"></script><link rel="canonical" href="https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11537b.htm"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="description" content="A priest who has the cure of souls, that is, who is bound in virtue of his office to promote the spiritual welfare of the faithful by preaching, administering the sacraments, and exercising certain powers of external government"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS" href="http://feeds.newadvent.org/bestoftheweb?format=xml"><link rel="icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><link rel="shortcut icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><meta name="robots" content="noodp"><link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="../utility/screen6.css" media="screen"></head> <body class="cathen" id="11537b.htm">  <br/> <div id="capitalcity"><table summary="Logo" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="100%"><tr valign="bottom"><td align="left"><a href="../"><img height=36 width=153 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></td><td align="right"> <form id="searchbox_000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0" action="../utility/search.htm">  <input type="hidden" name="safe" value="active"> <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0"/> <input type="hidden" name="cof" value="FORID:9"/>  <label for="searchQuery" id="searchQueryLabel">Search:</label> <input id="searchQuery" name="q" type="text" size="25" aria-labelledby="searchQueryLabel"/>  <label for="submitButton" id="submitButtonLabel" class="visually-hidden">Submit Search</label> <input id="submitButton" type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" aria-labelledby="submitButtonLabel"/> </form> <table summary="Spacer" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td height="2"></td></tr></table> <table summary="Tabs" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../"> Home </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_white_on_color" href="../cathen/index.html"> Encyclopedia </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../summa/index.html"> Summa </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../fathers/index.html"> Fathers </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../bible/gen001.htm"> Bible </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../library/index.html"> Library </a></td> </tr></table> </td> </tr></table><table summary="Alphabetical index" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"> <a href="../cathen/a.htm"> A </a><a href="../cathen/b.htm"> B </a><a href="../cathen/c.htm"> C </a><a href="../cathen/d.htm"> D </a><a href="../cathen/e.htm"> E </a><a href="../cathen/f.htm"> F </a><a href="../cathen/g.htm"> G </a><a href="../cathen/h.htm"> H </a><a href="../cathen/i.htm"> I </a><a href="../cathen/j.htm"> J </a><a href="../cathen/k.htm"> K </a><a href="../cathen/l.htm"> L </a><a href="../cathen/m.htm"> M </a><a href="../cathen/n.htm"> N </a><a href="../cathen/o.htm"> O </a><a href="../cathen/p.htm"> P </a><a href="../cathen/q.htm"> Q </a><a href="../cathen/r.htm"> R </a><a href="../cathen/s.htm"> S </a><a href="../cathen/t.htm"> T </a><a href="../cathen/u.htm"> U </a><a href="../cathen/v.htm"> V </a><a href="../cathen/w.htm"> W </a><a href="../cathen/x.htm"> X </a><a href="../cathen/y.htm"> Y </a><a href="../cathen/z.htm"> Z </a> </td></tr></table></div> <div id="mobilecity" style="text-align: center; "><a href="../"><img height=24 width=102 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></div>  <div id="mi5"><span class="breadcrumbs"><a href="../">Home</a> > <a href="../cathen">Catholic Encyclopedia</a> > <a href="../cathen/p.htm">P</a> > Pastor</span></div> <div id="springfield2"> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-top' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <h1>Pastor</h1> <p><em><a href="https://gumroad.com/l/na2"><strong>Please help support the mission of New Advent</strong> and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more  all for only $19.99...</a></em></p> <p>This term denotes a <a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priest</a> who has the <a href="../cathen/04572a.htm">cure of souls</a> (<em>cura animarum</em>), that is, who is bound in virtue of his office to promote the spiritual welfare of the <a href="../cathen/05769a.htm">faithful</a> by preaching, administering the <a href="../cathen/13295a.htm">sacraments</a>, and exercising certain powers of external government, e.g., the right of supervision, giving <a href="../cathen/12372b.htm">precepts</a>, imposing light corrections  powers rather paternal in their nature, and differing from those of a <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a>, which are legislative, judicial, and coactive. A pastor is properly called a <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a>-priest (<em>parochus</em>) when he exercises the <a href="../cathen/04572a.htm">cure of souls</a> in his own name with regard to a determined number of subjects who are <a href="../cathen/11189a.htm">obliged</a> to apply to him for the reception of certain <a href="../cathen/13295a.htm">sacraments</a> specified in the <a href="../cathen/09053a.htm">law</a>. In this article "parish-<a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priest</a>" is always taken in this strict sense. Pastors (whether <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a>-priests or not) are either irremovable (<em>inamovibiles</em>) or movable (<em>amovibiles ad nutum</em>). An irremovable pastor or <a href="../cathen/12676c.htm">rector</a> is one whose office gives him the right of perpetuity of tenure; that is, he cannot be removed or transferred except for a canonical reason, viz., a reason laid down in the <a href="../cathen/09053a.htm">law</a> and, in the case of a criminal charge, only after trial. (See <a href="../cathen/08173a.htm">IRREMOVABILITY</a>.) A movable pastor or <a href="../cathen/12676c.htm">rector</a> is one whose office does not give him this right; but the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a> must have some just and proportionate reason for dismissing or transferring him against his will, and, should the <a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priest</a> believe himself wronged in the matter, he may have recourse to the <a href="../cathen/07424b.htm">Holy See</a>, or to its representative where there is one having power in such cases. Moreover, according to some canonists, even movable pastors in case of a criminal charge cannot be absolutely removed from their office without a trial (cf. Pierantonelli, "Praxis Fori Ecclesiastici," tit. iv; Smith, "Elements of Ecclesiastical Law", n. 418.) This, certainly, is the case in the <a href="../cathen/15156a.htm">United States of America</a> (Decrees of <a href="../cathen/12456a.htm">Propaganda</a>, 28 March, and 20 May, 1887).</p> <div class="CMtag_300x250" style="display: flex; height: 300px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; "></div> <p>The <a href="../cathen/15030c.htm">Council of Trent</a> (Sess. XXIV, cap. xiii, de Ref.) shows it to be the mind of the <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">Church</a>; that <a href="../cathen/05001a.htm">dioceses</a> should, wherever it is possible, be divided into canonical <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parishes</a> (See <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">PARISH</a>), to be governed by irremovable <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a>-priests. In places, therefore, where the <a href="../cathen/15030c.htm">Tridentine</a> law cannot be fully carried out, <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishops</a> adopt measures which fulfil this requirement as nearly as circumstances allow. One such measure was the erection of quasi-parishes, districts with defined limits, ordered for the <a href="../cathen/15156a.htm">United States</a> in 1868 (Second <a href="../cathen/02235a.htm">Plenary Council of Baltimore</a>, n. 124). Another such was the institution of irremovable rectors (pastors with the right of perpetuity of tenure), ordered for <a href="../cathen/05445a.htm">England</a> in 1852 (First <a href="../cathen/12515a.htm">Provincial Council</a> of Westminster Decr. xiii), and for the <a href="../cathen/15156a.htm">United States</a> in 1886 (Third <a href="../cathen/02235a.htm">Plenary Council of Baltimore</a>, n. 33).</p> <p>The power to appoint pastors is ordinarily vested in the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a>. Among the candidates possessed of the <a href="../cathen/10733a.htm">necessary</a> qualifications the appointment should fall on the one who is best fitted for the office. Moreover, according to the <a href="../cathen/15030c.htm">Council of Trent</a> (Sess. XXIV, cap. xviii, de Ref) candidates for the office of <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a>-priest should (a few cases excepted) pass a competitive examination (<em>concursus</em>). This provision of the <a href="../cathen/15030c.htm">Council of Trent</a> is sometimes by particular enactments applied in the selection of candidates for the office of irremovable rectors, as happens in the <a href="../cathen/15156a.htm">United States</a> (Third <a href="../cathen/02235a.htm">Plenary Council of Baltimore</a>, tit. ii, cap. vi).</p> <p>With regard to the faculties and powers of pastors, those of <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a>-priests are sufficiently defined by the <a href="../cathen/09053a.htm">law</a>, and hence are ordinary, not delegated. Of these faculties some are called <a href="../cathen/13055c.htm">rights</a> strictly <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parochial</a>, because in a <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a> they belong exclusively to the <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a>-<a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priest</a>, so that their subjects cannot with regard to them have recourse to another <a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priest</a>, except with his or the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop's</a> consent. These <a href="../cathen/13055c.htm">rights</a> are the following: the right of administering <a href="../cathen/02258b.htm">baptism</a>, holy viaticum, and extreme unction in all cases where there is no urgent necessity; the right of administering paschal communion, of proclaiming the <a href="../cathen/02255a.htm">banns of marriage</a>, and of blessing marriages. To the <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a>-<a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priest</a> are also reserved the celebration of funerals (except in certain cases specified in the <a href="../cathen/09053a.htm">law</a>), and the imparting of certain <a href="../cathen/02599b.htm">blessings</a>, the chief one being blessing of the <a href="../cathen/02274a.htm">baptismal font</a>. To pastors, who are not <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a>-priests, the right of assisting at marriages is given by the <a href="../cathen/09053a.htm">law</a> as to <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a>-priests. The other <a href="../cathen/13055c.htm">rights</a> usually are granted to them by the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishops</a> and are defined in the particular <a href="../cathen/09053a.htm">laws</a>; such is very commonly the case in the <a href="../cathen/15156a.htm">United States</a> <a href="../cathen/05445a.htm">England</a>, and <a href="../cathen/13613a.htm">Scotland</a>, with regard to <a href="../cathen/02258b.htm">baptism</a>, holy viaticum, extreme unction, and funerals. Mention should be made here of the custom which exists in certain <a href="../cathen/05001a.htm">dioceses</a> of the <a href="../cathen/15156a.htm">United States</a>, whereby the faithful of one district are permitted to receive such <a href="../cathen/13295a.htm">sacraments</a> from the pastor of another district if they rent a pew in his church (Second <a href="../cathen/02235a.htm">Plenary Council of Baltimore</a>, nn. 117, 124, 227, and the <a href="../cathen/09053a.htm">statutes</a> of several <a href="../cathen/05001a.htm">diocesan</a> <a href="../cathen/14388a.htm">synods</a>). Rights not strictly <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parochial</a> are those which belong by law to <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a>-priests, but not exclusively. Such are the faculties of preaching celebrating <a href="../cathen/10006a.htm">Mass</a>, low or solemn, hearing <a href="../cathen/11618c.htm">confessions</a>, administering <a href="../cathen/07402a.htm">Holy Communion</a>. Pastors who are not <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a>-priests receive these faculties from their <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a>.</p> <div class="CMtag_300x250" style="display: flex; height: 300px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; "></div> <p>Pastors are naturally entitled to a salary. This is furnished by the revenues of the <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parochial</a> <a href="../cathen/02473c.htm">benefice</a>, should there be one; otherwise, it is taken from the revenues of the church or from the offerings. Such offerings as the faithful contribute of their own accord, without specifying the purpose of their donation, belong to the pastor. This assertion is based on the presumption that these gifts are meant to show the gratitude of the faithful towards the <a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priests</a> who spend their lives in caring for the <a href="../cathen/14153a.htm">souls</a> committed to their charge. This presumption, however, ceases wherever custom or law provides that at least a certain portion of these offerings should belong to the church. This is generally the case where churches, not possessing other sources of income, depend entirely on the offerings. An illustration of such <a href="../cathen/09053a.htm">laws</a> is to be found in the eighth <a href="../cathen/04670a.htm">decree</a> of the Second <a href="../cathen/12515a.htm">Provincial Council</a> of Westminster, approved by <a href="../cathen/09169a.htm">Leo XIII</a> in the Constitution "Romanos Pontifices" of 8 May, 1881. Accordingly, in countries where this is in force, the usual collections taken up in the churches belong to each mission, in addition to the pew-rents, and it is from these revenues that the salaries of pastors and assistants are ordinarily drawn.</p> <p>Pastors, besides having <a href="../cathen/13055c.htm">rights</a>, have also <a href="../cathen/11189a.htm">obligations</a>. They must preach and take care of the religious instruction of the <a href="../cathen/05769a.htm">faithful</a>, especially of the young, supply their spiritual needs by the administration of the <a href="../cathen/13295a.htm">sacraments</a>, reside in their <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a> or mission, administer diligently the <a href="../cathen/12462a.htm">property</a> entrusted to their care, watch over the moral conduct of their parishioners, and remove, as far as possible, all hindrances to their <a href="../cathen/13407a.htm">salvation</a>. Moreover, <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a>-priests must make a profession of <a href="../cathen/05752c.htm">faith</a> and take the <a href="../cathen/11176a.htm">oath</a> prescribed by <a href="../cathen/12137a.htm">Pius X</a> in his "Motu Proprio", 1 Sept., 1910; they must also offer the <a href="../cathen/10006a.htm">Holy Sacrifice</a> on behalf of their flock on <a href="../cathen/14335a.htm">Sundays</a> and certain holydays set down in the <a href="../cathen/09053a.htm">law</a>. When the number of the faithful entrusted to the care of the pastor is so large that he alone cannot fulfil all the <a href="../cathen/05215a.htm">duties</a> incumbent on his office, the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a> has the <a href="../cathen/13055c.htm">right</a> to order him to take as many <a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priests</a> to help him as may be <a href="../cathen/10733a.htm">necessary</a>. These are called assistants or auxiliary <a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priests</a>, and differ both from coadjutors who are given to pastors for other reasons determined by the <a href="../cathen/09053a.htm">law</a>, and from administrators who take charge of a <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a> during its vacancy, or the absence of its pastor.</p> <p>Positive law (Council of Trent, Sess. XXI, cap. iv, de Ref.), modified in some countries by custom, reserves to the <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a>-priest the <a href="../cathen/13055c.htm">right</a> to choose his assistants, a choice, however, which is subject to the approval of the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a>, and it is also from the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a> that assistants receive their faculties. The amount of their salary is likewise to be determined by the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a>, and, as to its source, the same rules hold as those already mentioned with regard to pastors. As to their removal, (a) when their <a href="../cathen/11093a.htm">nomination</a> belongs by law to the <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a>-<a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priest</a>, they can be removed either by him or by the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a>, (b) when their <a href="../cathen/11093a.htm">nomination</a> belongs to the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a>, he alone can remove them; in any case a reasonable cause is <a href="../cathen/10733a.htm">necessary</a>, at least for the lawfulness of the act, and the assistant who believes that he has been wronged may have recourse to higher authorities, as mentioned above with regard to movable pastors. Their office, however, does not cease with the death of the <a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priest</a> or <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a> who appointed them, unless this was clearly expressed in the letters of appointment. For the recent legislation regarding the removal of <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parish</a>-priests, see <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">PARISH</a>, section II, 2.</p> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-bottom' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <div class="cenotes"><h2>Sources</h2><p class="cenotes">BAART, Legal Formulary (4th ed., New York), nn. 86-113; BOUIX, De Parocho (3rd ed., Paris, 1889); FERRARIS, Bibliotheca Canonica etc. (Rome, 1885-99); NARDI, Dei Parrochi (Pesaro, 1829-60); SANTI, Pr£lectiones juris canonici (New York, 1905); SCHERER, Handbuch des Kirchenrechts (Graz, 1886), xcii-iii; SMITH, Elements of Ecclesiastical Law, I (9th ed., New York, 1893), nn. 639-70; WERNZ, Jus Decretalium (Rome, 1899), tit. xxxix; RAYMUNDI ANTONII EPISCOPI, Instructio Pastoralis (5th ed., Freiburg, 1902); AICHNER, Compendium juris eccl. (6th ed., Brixon, 1887), 426-41; CRONIN, The New Matrimonial Legislation (Rome, 1908).</p></div> <div class="pub"><h2>About this page</h2><p id="apa"><strong>APA citation.</strong> <span id="apaauthor">Papi, H.</span> <span id="apayear">(1911).</span> <span id="apaarticle">Pastor.</span> In <span id="apawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="apapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company.</span> <span id="apaurl">http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11537b.htm</span></p><p id="mla"><strong>MLA citation.</strong> <span id="mlaauthor">Papi, Hector.</span> <span id="mlaarticle">"Pastor."</span> <span id="mlawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="mlavolume">Vol. 11.</span> <span id="mlapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company,</span> <span id="mlayear">1911.</span> <span id="mlaurl"><http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11537b.htm>.</span></p><p id="transcription"><strong>Transcription.</strong> <span id="transcriber">This article was transcribed for New Advent by Bobie Jo M. Bilz.</span> <span id="dedication">Dedicated to Reverend J. Ronald Knott, Pastor of the Cathedral of the Assumption, Louisville, Kentucky, 1983-1997.</span></p><p id="approbation"><strong>Ecclesiastical approbation.</strong> <span id="nihil"><em>Nihil Obstat.</em> February 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor.</span> <span id="imprimatur"><em>Imprimatur.</em> +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.</span></p><p id="contactus"><strong>Contact information.</strong> The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster <em>at</em> newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.</p></div> </div> <div id="ogdenville"><table summary="Bottom bar" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"><center><strong>Copyright © 2023 by <a href="../utility/contactus.htm">New Advent LLC</a>. 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