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I grew up in a predominately Catholic town, and I have three friends who are priests. I admire their adherence to the vows they took at their ordination: a vow of obedience, a vow of celibacy, and a vow of poverty. Each took their vows quite seriously at their ordination and still do to this day.


Ronny, as I know him, grew up the oldest of six sons. Unknown to him until after his ordination, Ron's mother had promised at his baptism that her oldest son would become a priest. Ron loved helping out at the church as a youngster and never considered any other profession. His undergraduate degrees in Philosophy, Religion and Education were all geared for his seminary training and subsequent ordination into the priesthood. He never questioned his calling.

But Ron ran into an unexpected problem. Ron was tempted by a dear childhood friend of ours, a beautiful woman who was deeply involved with the Roman Catholic church. She taught Rite of Christian Initiation classes to adults, made beautiful paraments, and chaired the annual carnival festivities. She was also drop--dead gorgeous. It was very difficult for Ronny to work closely with Kelly, and finally he asked his bishop - a good friend - for a call to be transferred. He loved Kelly, but he loved his vocation more, and he did not want to jeopardize all that his family and friends sacrificed for his seminary education. He sought counseling to deal with his feelings, spoke truthfully with his beloved bishop, and was soon transferred to a parish in the Southwest. It was what saved his profession, he says now. He still loves Kelly as a friend, but her marriage to a kind man gave him some closure. He is grateful how events turned out.


Jerry is funny and smart. He is very handsome and, in a way, he can't help but realize it. He takes care to dress meticulously. His shirts are pressed to perfection, his trousers are only the best wools, and his shoes are imported from Italy. He admits he has a weakness for men's clothing stores and keeps up with the latest fashions, but he doesn't overdo it. He has four pairs of shoes, a handful of suits, and a few dozen shirts and slacks. But he looks so good in them! Jerry has had several problems with women in and out of his parish approaching him, trying to tempt him. Texas is a big state and the women can be quite assertive. But Jerry has an advantage: he is not attracted to them. He loves his vocation, he loves teaching at the private Catholic school next door, and he wouldn't do anything to endanger his "great life," as he puts it. He's never fallen for anything like it.


Andy works on the east coast. He is from a very wealthy family who was disappointed to hear of his career choice: he could have been a vice president in his father's business, but it wasn't even tempting to him. Andy truly enjoys his job as associate pastor in charge of education and youth. He is generous: he gives half of his salary back to the parish and is a self--proclaimed "sucker" for anything the youth are selling at church. He has bought more candy bars, gift wrap, and candles than he'll ever need. But he loves the young people so much and wants to support them. He also enjoys giving his things away.

Andy is in his fourth call and has a peculiar habit. When he leaves a call, he gives everything away except for his books and a minimum of clothing. He depends on the next call to take care of his needs, or he will do without. He is a minimalist and cares about having only the essentials in life. He doesn't like knickknacks, doesn't have shelves of mementos, and his walls are pretty much bare. He likes it that way. He explained to me that it's not that he is making a twisted statement in rejecting his family's lifestyle (as he has been accused of), but it is more his way of adhering to his vow of poverty. He wants to have that tension at the beginning of a call to see what the church will do and how they will take care of him. He feels it gives them an opportunity to set the tone of his tenure there. He also feels it reminds them that he is there to serve them.


Three friends, three vows. Ron, Jerry, and Andy love being priests. They thoroughly enjoy the blessings the priestly life gives them, although they are quick to add that they are never shocked at anything anyone says in confession. They swear they have "heard it all!" And they enjoy the freedom they have to get up and travel, study, and visit with friends. In the Roman Catholic church, the shortage of pastors is severe: there are about seven openings for every available priest, and many churches have to share a priest. But Ron, Jerry, and Andy are at least three who enjoy what they do and are committed to being the best they can be - without women, in obedience, and without excess.