A concerned Catholic: “Charles is one of my oldest friends. We were at school together. I know that he takes his faith seriously. I would like to think that I do too. I was surprised, however, when he told me recently over dinner that he consults our priest regularly about personal and professional matters. Is this something normal, or something you would advise?”
Chaplain: The great majority of Catholics do not discuss their personal and professional affairs regularly with a priest, but this is nonetheless a normal part of priestly ministry. Priests frequently receive requests from parishioners and others asking to discuss matters of concern. These tend not to be doctrinal or liturgical questions, but issues that arise in the course of ordinary family life or in professional careers. This is hardly surprising. Ours is an incarnational faith; we are called to live it out in daily life, in the home and in the workplace.
