The Vicar for Priests represents the bishop in his brother priests and in expressing concern for their emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.
The details of duties that underlay the general description are best described as follows:
Support Programs for our Priests
Represents the Church and its bishop to the priests and vice-versa the individual needs, concerns and burdens of our priests. This includes providing liaison between priests and laity in times of conflict and disagreement; providing lists of priests available for ministry at large; and providing for priest wellness mind, body and spirit.
Director of the Priest Personnel Board
The Vicar for Priests meets regularly with the bishop to discuss priests, to help mediate stressful relationships among priests, to prepare priests for retirement and to work with the international priests in their enculturation and in the legal matters which involve them. The Vicar for Priests also serves as the Director of the Priest Personnel Board.
Chair of Priestly Life and Formation Committee
This committee works on behalf of the bishop to provide resources for the care of priests in the Austin Diocese. Care of priests includes their spiritual and physical well-being as well as ongoing formation to build on their natural gifts and talents or to provide enrichment in areas where priests may desire to grow. The committee plans workshops, annual gatherings in Fall and Summer, and assists with arrangements for priests who wish to go on sabbatical or attend other seminars outside the diocese.