Candlelight Mass bringing in Youth in France

[Deacon Arky]

Assistants have to exist because a priest needs some on-the-job training before he can do well as pastor of a parish. That internship used to be 10 years or so, and still is in a few places. But very often, a priest is sent out on his own after just a few years, which can be too soon.

I am in the Diocese of Little Rock as well....our current pastor was an associate for ONE year before he became our pastor two years ago. He has two parishes. He just turned 30 and as far as I can tell, is doing a wonderful job ( he is a strong supporter of the Diaconate, so that definitely endears him to me)....but I know that one year as an associate it not nearly enough training....he has learned several things "on the fly".

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

I'm still learning things on the fly after almost sixteen years!

[Kage_ar]

Assistants have to exist because a priest needs some on-the-job training before he can do well as pastor of a parish. That internship used to be 10 years or so, and still is in a few places. But very often, a priest is sent out on his own after just a few years, which can be too soon.

I am in the Diocese of Little Rock as well....our current pastor was an associate for ONE year before he became our pastor two years ago. He has two parishes. He just turned 30 and as far as I can tell, is doing a wonderful job ( he is a strong supporter of the Diaconate, so that definitely endears him to me)....but I know that one year as an associate it not nearly enough training....he has learned several things "on the fly".

Yep, one year is the standard these days in the DOLR for Associates.

[anawim]

Assistants have to exist because a priest needs some on-the-job training before he can do well as pastor of a parish. That internship used to be 10 years or so, and still is in a few places. But very often, a priest is sent out on his own after just a few years, which can be too soon.

I am in the Diocese of Little Rock as well....our current pastor was an associate for ONE year before he became our pastor two years ago. He has two parishes. He just turned 30 and as far as I can tell, is doing a wonderful job ( he is a strong supporter of the Diaconate, so that definitely endears him to me)....but I know that one year as an associate it not nearly enough training....he has learned several things "on the fly".

Yep, one year is the standard these days in the DOLR for Associates.

Unless it's a "later" vocation, it's still 9 years here in NY: 3 years in the city (3 counties), 3 years in the burbs (2 counties), and 3 in the "country" (5 'upstate' counties). I use that term country, loosely. They are becoming increasingly suburban.

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

I think the Arlington (VA) diocese also has an extended timespan. Around here, it tends to be about five years, I'd guess, though that will go up as we reduce the number of pastorates.

[peregrinator]

Yep, one year is the standard these days in the DOLR for Associates.

That's wild. Bonkers even.