A diocesan priest belongs to a diocese, normally a geographic area of the Church. The ordinary for a diocesan priest is his bishop. A diocesan priest’s main ministry is parish work. He makes two promises: obedience to his bishop and celibacy, perpetual continence for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He does not promise poverty, is paid, retains his own finances, is able to have personal possessions such as a car or a home, and is sometimes called a secular priest.
