Catholic Priests Verses Religious Brothers

The following has been edited and used with permission from Arkansas Catholic. To learn more about priesthood, contact Father Jeff Hebert in the Vocations and Seminarians Office. For more information about religious life, contact Sister Cecilia Nguyen, OSB, minister to religious.

Catholic Priests

All Catholic priests are either diocesan priests or religious order priests.

Diocesan Priests

A priest ordained for a certain geographic territory is known as a diocesan priest. He only serves in that diocese (region), mainly as a parish priest, chaplain or teacher, unless his bishop sends him outside the diocese/state for another assignment or further education.

Arkansas Catholic Photo
Father Quinton Thomas consumes the Precious Blood during his ordination for the diocesan priesthood May 30, 2026.

During his diaconate ordination, a candidate for diocesan priesthood promises respect and obedience to his bishop, to be celibate and pray the Liturgy of the Hours several times a day on behalf of the people of God. He repeats the promise of respect and obedience at his priestly ordination. He doesn’t take a vow of poverty so he can own possessions like a car or house.

Religious Order Priests

After becoming a member of a religious order as a brother, some men are asked to continue their formation to become priests for their community, which has its own charism or mission. Having already taken vows, such as poverty and obedience, and possibly other vows unique to their order, they are then ordained as priests and can celebrate the sacraments. They can serve in parishes, schools or other apostolates anywhere, depending on the mission of their religious community.

After their name, you will see two or three letters as an abbreviation for their religious order. For example, Benedictines at Subiaco Abbey have OSB (Order of St. Benedict) after their names. Other common religious orders are Jesuits or SJ, Franciscans or OFM, Dominicans or OP, or Carmelites or OCD.

Missionary or Extern Priests

Diocesan or religious order priests can serve in other dioceses or countries and are known as missionary or extern priests. In the Diocese of Little Rock, priests from Nigeria and India serve here temporarily at the permission of their bishop or religious superior.

Subiaco Abbey Photo
Benedictine Brothers Sebastian Richey (from left) and Augustine DeFoore are pictured at Subiaco Abbey on May 23, 2026.

Catholic Brothers

Similar to religious order priests, religious brothers take vows for a certain community and are obedient to their superior.

Brothers serve their community by working in their abbey, in an apostolate or have outside assignments in a parish, school or other ministry. They are not ordained and cannot celebrate the sacraments, but seek God and witness the call to holiness through the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience.