The experiences of diocesan priests in their pastoral work and how this relates to counselling

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of diocesan priests on their pastoral work, and how this relates to the counselling profession. The research focused on how the work of the priests is different and also similar to the counselling profession. The literature review focuses on the priest in his pastoral ministry. This is linked with literature about the counsellor and the counselling profession. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was chosen as the most appropriate methodological approach for the purpose of the research. Individual semi-structured interviews were carried out with eight diocesan priests, whose experiences were analysed in depth. Seven themes emerged from the analysis: The Context for the relationship between the priest and the people; the experience of ‘being with’ in the pastoral ministry; why do people seek support from the priest; ambiguity around priesthood and counselling; ethical issues; the challenge of maintaining boundaries; and the priest’s support and self-care. To conclude, a number of recommendations for further research and implementation are also presented.