It’s a great question and certainly one that I expected to hear prior to my ordination. At the same time it’s a question that I didn’t have an answer to until I began living the life of a parish priest.

Let’s begin answering the question by stating that every day I have been in the parish something unexpected has arisen, and each day requires a level of ease in changing the schedule because of these unplanned events, meetings, and issues that come up. Also, while the priesthood is a vocation that is to be lived out 24/7 in every part of one’s identity and actions, the ‘office work’ (meetings, homily preparation, paperwork, etc.) does have a starting point and a stopping point each day. One older priest suggested that I look at weekdays as three time periods; morning, afternoon, and evening. Then, commit myself to spending two of those times in office work that, although dull at times, is important to making sure the church operates well and meets the needs of the people of God.

So, with that mindset let me run through a typical weekday. I begin early in the morning just like anyone else, trying to force myself to leave the comfort of my bed while my mind reels at the absurdity of intentionally waking before the sun has risen. After I have made this difficult transition I get ready for the day and head to the church to pray the offices of Invitatory and Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. At this point I start hearing confessions before Mass, celebrate the Holy Sacrifice, and then greet the people as they leave to their jobs.

The rest of the morning I spend in the office catching up on e-mails, calling other churches to request sacramental records, sit in on staff meetings, and visit the sick and homebound. After a quick lunch I go back to the office for a bit and finish any paperwork that wasn’t completed before noon and visit the school. One of my favorite parts of my assignment is the end of the schooldays when I get to greet the parents and see the love the children of the parish have towards their priests. I then take a couple hours to pray and run any personal errands I might have for the day. To conclude the day, I almost always have meetings in the evening, since that’s when individual counseling sessions, marriage preparation, and parish groups (Knights of Columbus, Altar Society, Finance Council, Pastoral Counsel, etc.) can meet. After I have wrapped everything up I head to the rectory around 9:00, grab my iPad, and read a book on the back porch of the rectory for an hour or so.

Saturdays begin like weekdays but after Mass the rest of my morning is taken up making last minute preparations for my Sunday homily and practicing my delivery in an empty church. After a quick lunch I make sure the wedding party has everything they need, all the right doors are unlocked, and verify the lights are on for the photographer. If I’m not celebrating the wedding I often will take a couple of hours and rest in my office while reading different blogs that I enjoy. Then it’s time to hear confessions again followed by the anticipatory Mass. Saturday nights either I get together with priest friends and have a slow-paced supper or join a family from the parish for supper if I’ve been invited.

Sundays are the days that most Catholics are familiar with the priest’s routine, but what is often unknown is what happens after the last Mass of the day. My routine is to take a Sunday afternoon siesta followed by a nice book on the back porch before the high school youth group meets that evening and then attend the young adult meeting at a local restaurant.

Finally, Mondays are my day off! The morning schedule is the same as any other weekday until after I have greeted those at the morning Mass, at which point I spend the rest of my day doing the same kinds of things that anyone else does on a day off; renew car tags, doctors appointments, a round of golf, visiting family, and spending time with friends.

The above schedule is the ‘routine’ schedule I have fallen into, but each of those days can have different elements at different times depending on events outside of one’s control; a dying parishioner, parish groups that only meet on your day off, covering for a brother priest on vacation or retreat, etc. Also, that schedule works for me as I minister in a diocesan parish, those ministering in schools, hospitals, chancellery officials, etc. will have very different weekly schedules. So, what does a priest do the other six days a week…I guess my answer is that with the other six days a week a priest serves the needs of the people of God.

–A newly ordained Catholic priest