[Virginia-American]

A Catholic friend told me that the Church is rotating priests - they can't be in a parish more than eight years. Can anyone confirm / deny this? It sounds incredibly stupid to me.

Term limits in the Curia, however, seem like a good idea.

[RobbyS]

Secular priests may stay in a parish for 30 years; religious priests tend to be moved around every three years or so, but they can serve more than one term if the parish demands it. The Methodists also rotate their clergy, by the way.

[ex-snook]

"A Catholic friend told me that the Church is rotating priests - they can't be in a parish more than eight years. Can anyone confirm / deny this? It sounds incredibly stupid to me. "

Yep, it's true in Philadelphia but it is not stupid. It is no different than corporations who rotate people through different types of responsibility. Actually it is a pretty good idea to prepare a pastor.

[redhead]

"A Catholic friend told me that the Church is rotating priests - they can't be in a parish more than eight years. Can anyone confirm / deny this? It sounds incredibly stupid to me."

Generally, this is up to the Bishop of the diocese. In one diocese where we lived, the priests were rotated every 5 years. But in this one, our priest has been with us for eleven years.

[Salvation]

A Catholic friend told me that the Church is rotating priests - they can't be in a parish more than eight years.

In the Portland Archdiocese the term is ten years.