The Business Life

A priest’s life can get busy with regular business parish life.  I cannot say all that goes on during a specific week, but generally every week there are things that need addressed.  Most weeks I sign checks to pay the bills.  Just like a regular residence we must maintain heat, lighting, and water in all the parish facilities.  It takes time to go over business statements to make sure they seem accurate and then pay the appropriate company.  This may sound very simple but there are so many statements to read that it can take an hour or more to go through them all.  If we add any projects to the mix it can quickly become a full time job!  Ultimately it is the job of the pastor to make sure that the buildings have standard utilities, that the buildings are cleaned, that cosmetic damage is repaired, that the lawn is mowed and that the roof, walls, and floor of each building can house small group meetings with parishioners looking to further their spiritual growth.  I am fortunate enough to have an employee handle most of these things, but nevertheless, I am involved with this type of ministry two to eight hours a week depending on the need.  It can be busy, but the Church needs places for people to enhance their relationship with God.   It would have been handy to have a business degree, but I must let the Spirit and other competent people guide my actions here at the parish.  All this and more is part of the life of a parish priest.