Franciscan Priests?

[Number 81]

I know Diocesan priests get a paycheck, and I suppose a Franciscan priest would not. Do Franciscan priests wear the black cassock and white collars, or do they still wear the plain robe and the rope belt? Are there any other differences?

 

[Sandlapper277]

I would imagine that a Franciscan priest that pastored a parish, rather than lived in community, would receive a paycheck. Not much, mind you, but enough that he could sustain himself on his own.

The only such Franciscan I've ever known liked to wear regular polo shirts, no black or collar.

 

[ConanTheLibrarian]

"Stupidity is also a gift of God, but one mustn't misuse
it"~John Paul II

LOL!!!

 

[BillH]

A Franciscan would, depending on the particular order he belongs to (there are actually several orders organized around the Franciscan charism) normally wear either a black, brown or gray habit with the cord around it. That being said, I knew one who was a college professor who wore a Roman collar and suit when he taught. And there are some who've unfortunately given up entirely on the habit.

A Franciscan would normally not get paid, as voluntary poverty is definitely part of the Franciscan charism. If he did happen to earn money with one of his jobs, it would go directly into the community's resources.

 

[BrRichSFO]

I would imagine that a Franciscan priest that pastored a parish, rather than lived in community, would receive a paycheck. Not much, mind you, but enough that he could sustain himself on his own.

The only such Franciscan I've ever known liked to wear regular polo shirts, no black or collar.

Order priests usually do not recieve any "paycheck" from the diocese. The diocese pays their salary to their order. Their order in turn supplies what the priest needs. An Oblate I knew received $200 a month for personal use for clothes and other things, in addition to a place to stay & utilities, use of a car, food and medical care.

 

[vrunca]

The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (I think that is the correct name), they wear a grey alb with a hood, and a cincture. That is the order that Fr. Stan Fortuna belongs to...here's his site:

http://www.francescoproductions.com/

I have seen a lot of the priests that belong to this order at the walk for life in DC...the strange thing is that they all kind of look like him!! The dark hair and curly dark beard...it's really kind of weird that they all look so much alike! I do know that he makes a lot of money with his music and DVDs and tshirts and other stuff, but he keeps none of it, he has often said that. Even for all of his appearances, all the money goes back to the order.

 

[Sandlapper277]

Order priests usually do not recieve any "paycheck" from the diocese. The diocese pays their salary to their order. Their order in turn supplies what the priest needs. An Oblate I knew received $200 a month for personal use for clothes and other things, in addition to a place to stay & utilities, use of a car, food and medical care.

Good to know. I've never heard any concrete number on how much money any Priest received, other than "not much". I know the Priest I was thinking of is a rare case, as he was the only priest in a seven county area. He just went shopping for food, etc. How is it done when Priests live in a larger rectory? Someone does the shopping for them?

 

[Number 81]

I like the idea of the wearing the habit and cord with the three knots like traditional Franciscans, and the whole idea of total poverty. If I were to become a priest I would want to join them, I suppose. The one thing that scares me is that I heard they could be sent anywhere, and I really like my home diocese...
Also: Is there a difference between a Benedictine and Franciscan?

I have seen a lot of the priests that belong to this order at the walk for life in DC

Yes, there were a lot of friars in gray habits, but some of them are Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate.
What really interested me in becoming a non-diocesan priest was the March for Life in 2006, we were walking and I looked to my right to see these two friars. They were in Brown habits and were each carrying a back pack, and, if I recall correctly, a pair of boots, not sure why they would carry boots... But when I saw them I just had such an awesome feeling...

 

[BrRichSFO]

Good to know. I've never heard any concrete number on how much money any Priest received, other than "not much". I know the Priest I was thinking of is a rare case, as he was the only priest in a seven county area. He just went shopping for food, etc. How is it done when Priests live in a larger rectory? Someone does the shopping for them?

My experience has been a single priest living in a room on the side of the church building (basically a one bedroom apartment) had a older lady that cleaned for him and did the shopping. Another parish where two priests live together in a house, they can be found in the local grocery store shopping for themselves. The one priest who lived alone is the one that received $200 for personal use. He would many times give half or more of that away to people who needed gas money or money to pay a utility bill. I remember that he would wear his shoes until there were holes in the bottoms and you would have to make him go with you to buy new ones.

 

[BrRichSFO]

I like the idea of the wearing the habit and cord with the three knots like traditional Franciscans, and the whole idea of total poverty. If I were to become a priest I would want to join them, I suppose. The one thing that scares me is that I heard they could be sent anywhere, and I really like my home diocese...
Also: Is there a difference between a Benedictine and Franciscan?

I have seen a lot of the priests that belong to this order at the walk for life in DC

Yes, there were a lot of friars in gray habits, but some of them are Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate.
What really interested me in becoming a non-diocesan priest was the March for Life in 2006, we were walking and I looked to my right to see these two friars. They were in Brown habits and were each carrying a back pack, and, if I recall correctly, a pair of boots, not sure why they would carry boots... But when I saw them I just had such an awesome feeling...

I go once a year on retreat to Our Lady of Consolation shrine in Cary OH. During the Feast days leading up to the Assumption you can find brown friars, black friars, gray friars, white friars (color of their habit) There are OFM Friars Minor, Conventual, Capuchin, and many SFO's. They are all of the Franciscan family.

 

[ctay]

I know one Franciscan Priest, he lives in a pretty nice house, I don't know if he owns it or the diocese, I didn't ask. Its close to the Monastary that's not far from me. Its called The Shrine of The Most Blessed Sacrament. http://www.co.cullman.al.us/Press/attractions_shrine.htm He wrote one kids book, 2 of my brothers did the illustrations in it, he's working on another one and I know my brother is working on on illustrations for this one too. Don't know if my other brother is helping this time on this book. PS I love going out to this monastary, its so peaceful.

 

[a_ntv]

I like the idea of the wearing the habit and cord with the three knots like traditional Franciscans, and the whole idea of total poverty. If I were to become a priest I would want to join them, I suppose. The one thing that scares me is that I heard they could be sent anywhere, and I really like my home diocese...
Also: Is there a difference between a Benedictine and Franciscan?

Well, a Benedectine is a Monk: he is tied to his monastery (house), where he life in prayer (there are many different orders with different rules). Many monks are also clausural (cannot meet people from out the convent, or with heavy limitation), and a few ones also heremitic (they stay alone in prayer for the most of the time)

A Franciscan is Friar (like Domenicans and many others): his convent is only the base, and he preachs out from the convent, in parishes, schools...

If you like the idea of friar, and you are a litterate, check the Dominican order http://www.op-stjoseph.org/main.html

PS: the friars and the monks take the three vows: poverty, chastity and obbedience: obbedience means also to be sent away from home.

PPSS: not all friars and monks are priests: in fact their vocation dont require to be ordained. But in the recent times, due to the lak of priest, most of them are also ordained priests.

 

[Cecilia]

My dorm is only yards away from the monastary and most of the friars were black robes with the ropes. The ones who teach wear their habit while the ones who are priests usually teach in their black with collars.

 

[AnnieG]

a_ntv explained the difference quite well.
As for the clothes…in modern times most friars have other clothes to their disposition than the traditional robe. In the old days, it was a little different. Early Franciscans didn't want to have a certain color for their robe, so it was a mixture between grey and brown, a "no-color"-color. Today, there are also light brown, light grey and black robes. Some robes are made of a thinner cloth, so they can be worn over regular clothes (I have seen that quite often).
Also, the Franciscan Order is divided into, say sub-orders. Conventuals, for example, have always worn robes made of simple cloth, while Capuchins traditionally wear robes made of wool.
Today, it's all a bit different. I've seen a Franciscans in normal clothes, black shirt and clerical collar or suit and tie, including one Capuchin, I've seen a friar take of his robe before getting into his car and another one taking it of in the middle of a party. Of course, these friars were wearing ordinary clothes under their robes.