Priest (Mormonism)
Encyclopedia
Priest is a priesthood office in the Aaronic Priesthood of denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement
, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
. A Priests Quorum can have a maximum of 48 members, so Priests Quorums are rarely split, even in the largest wards.
The president of the Priests Quorum is the Bishop, who holds the keys of the priesthood for this quorum. The Bishop typically calls a first assistant and a second assistant and a secretary from among the members of the quorum. The Bishop's assistants in the Priests Quorum are not the first and second counselors that serve in the bishopric. Generally, the first assistant acts as a de facto president of the quorum, but seeks approval from the Bishop in everything he does.
According to scripture, the duty of a Priest is to "preach, teach, expound, exhort, and baptize, and administer the sacrament". Accordingly, Priests bless the sacrament and are permitted to perform the ordinance of baptism. They also are able to ordain Deacons, Teachers, and Priests and confer the Aaronic Priesthood upon others. However, a Priest must receive the approval of his Bishop prior to performing the ordinance of baptism or ordaining other Deacons, Teachers, or Priests. Usually, a Priest will be paired with an adult male (often their father) as a Home Teacher
. They perform all of these functions under the direction of the Bishop, who holds the "priesthood keys" of this office. Priests also have all the duties and authority of a Teacher and a Deacon.
The adult president of the local Young Men Organization advises the Priests Quorum. Sometimes an assistant advisor is also called.
As the Church in the United States
and Canada
sponsors troops of the Boy Scouts of America
and Scouts Canada
programs, many Priests participate in these Scouting
programs as well. The adult ward leaders of the Young Men Organization are frequently also leaders in the Scout troop, but the priesthood quorums and the Scouts are not otherwise connected.
When a Priest turns 18 years old, or graduates from high school, depending on the situation, he is integrated into the Elders Quorum. Those that are 18 years old and deemed worthy by the Bishop and Stake President will receive the Melchizedek Priesthood
and become an Elder.
Priests generally spend a great amount of time preparing for their future service as a missionary
. All worthy and able young men in the Church are asked to serve missions at the age of 19.
, a Priest is a non-gender specific adult, who is a congregation-focused "Minister of Presence" in the Aaronic Priesthood. They are to "express their ministry of presence and model Jesus as Friend by being a spiritual friend to families, congregations, and community." Each congregation should have a designated bishop or stewardship commissioner who is responsible for Aaronic ministry in that congregation. A Priest is to meet the needs of their congregation by following the annual Aaronic Ministry Plan in place for their specific congregation.
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Priests in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Young men who reach the age of 16 are integrated into the Priests. This is also open to worthy male converts 16 and over, within a few weeks of baptism. Those who are deemed worthy and interviewed by the bishop are ordained to the office of a Priest by another Priest or a holder of the Melchizedek PriesthoodMelchizedek priesthood
The Melchizedek priesthood is the greater of the two orders of priesthood recognized in Mormonism. The others are the Aaronic priesthood and the rarely recognized Patriarchal priesthood...
. A Priests Quorum can have a maximum of 48 members, so Priests Quorums are rarely split, even in the largest wards.
The president of the Priests Quorum is the Bishop, who holds the keys of the priesthood for this quorum. The Bishop typically calls a first assistant and a second assistant and a secretary from among the members of the quorum. The Bishop's assistants in the Priests Quorum are not the first and second counselors that serve in the bishopric. Generally, the first assistant acts as a de facto president of the quorum, but seeks approval from the Bishop in everything he does.
According to scripture, the duty of a Priest is to "preach, teach, expound, exhort, and baptize, and administer the sacrament". Accordingly, Priests bless the sacrament and are permitted to perform the ordinance of baptism. They also are able to ordain Deacons, Teachers, and Priests and confer the Aaronic Priesthood upon others. However, a Priest must receive the approval of his Bishop prior to performing the ordinance of baptism or ordaining other Deacons, Teachers, or Priests. Usually, a Priest will be paired with an adult male (often their father) as a Home Teacher
Home teaching
Home teaching is a responsibility of priesthood holders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Home teaching is a church program designed to allow families to be taught in their own homes, in addition to weekly church services...
. They perform all of these functions under the direction of the Bishop, who holds the "priesthood keys" of this office. Priests also have all the duties and authority of a Teacher and a Deacon.
The adult president of the local Young Men Organization advises the Priests Quorum. Sometimes an assistant advisor is also called.
As the Church in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
sponsors troops of the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
and Scouts Canada
Scouts Canada
Scouts Canada is a Canadian Scouting association that, in affiliation with the French-language Association des Scouts du Canada, is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement...
programs, many Priests participate in these Scouting
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
programs as well. The adult ward leaders of the Young Men Organization are frequently also leaders in the Scout troop, but the priesthood quorums and the Scouts are not otherwise connected.
When a Priest turns 18 years old, or graduates from high school, depending on the situation, he is integrated into the Elders Quorum. Those that are 18 years old and deemed worthy by the Bishop and Stake President will receive the Melchizedek Priesthood
Melchizedek priesthood
The Melchizedek priesthood is the greater of the two orders of priesthood recognized in Mormonism. The others are the Aaronic priesthood and the rarely recognized Patriarchal priesthood...
and become an Elder.
Priests generally spend a great amount of time preparing for their future service as a missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
. All worthy and able young men in the Church are asked to serve missions at the age of 19.
Priests in the Community of Christ
In the Community of ChristCommunity of Christ
The Community of Christ, known from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , is an American-based international Christian church established in April 1830 that claims as its mission "to proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace"...
, a Priest is a non-gender specific adult, who is a congregation-focused "Minister of Presence" in the Aaronic Priesthood. They are to "express their ministry of presence and model Jesus as Friend by being a spiritual friend to families, congregations, and community." Each congregation should have a designated bishop or stewardship commissioner who is responsible for Aaronic ministry in that congregation. A Priest is to meet the needs of their congregation by following the annual Aaronic Ministry Plan in place for their specific congregation.