What is the difference between "diocesan" and "religious?"
Roman Catholic parishes are always part of a local diocese, but the parish priest can be either diocesan or religious. The diocesan priest makes a promise of chastity and obedience; he is under the authority of the local bishop. The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph serves over 140,000 Catholics living in the 14 counties in Northwest Missouri.
Different from a diocesan priest, a religious order priest belongs to a specific congregation or community (i.e., Jesuits, Benedictines, Franciscans, etc.) that is bound together by a common mission. The religious order priest takes a vow of poverty and does not own items individually. His service to the Church may extend beyond the diocese: he can expect to be sent anywhere in the world where his community is working. Most often, religious order priests specialize in a certain type of ministry, such as youth evangelization, education, social services, health care, or foreign missions.
Being part of a diocese or an order is like being part of a family. The men are like brothers to each other and usually turn out to be best friends.
