Why Priests and Religious Live in Communities?

You may think the answer to this question is obvious – but it’s not!

Why don’t priests and nuns live like everyone else— in apartments with roommates, reporting for parish work like a regular 9-to-5 job? Why do they gather in monasteries, convents, and rectories – living under one roof? 

In this journey, let me walk you through what makes this way of living not just important but absolutely essential to serve you (the laity).

This is an invitation to “come and see” (John 1:39) why living with our brothers is essential to our call. And no, this doesn’t cover theological and canonical aspects, but a profound insight, to the deep power behind communal life.

Whether marriage or holy orders, it’s all about family

When a man and a woman enter the vocation of marriage, they leave their parents to become one flesh, forming a new family. That’s how God designed it.
But what about priests? What about those who give their lives to God, not in marriage but in total service to Christ?
Well, they too must join family. But this family is not the one they were born into, nor is it a conjugal family like a husband and wife. But nonetheless it’s still a unifying dynamic bond — it is a direct link to the family of Christ

The Inner Circle of Christ

We follow Jesus… but how did He operate? Notice, He spoke to everyone—from Pharisees and scribes to the bystanders and crowds. But the deeper you got into His circle, the fewer people there were.
72 disciples followed Him. But it was the 12 apostles who stayed with Him and sometimes the women (His mother and the holy women).

Here’s the crux: those who were truly with Him (the foundation stones of the Church), didn’t learn from Him for just a few hours a day and then disperse home. They lived with Him—24/7.
That’s what it takes to be shaped into a true disciple. A 9-to-5 schedule wouldn’t make the mark. You don’t become a spiritual warrior by clocking in and out – no, you have to be adopted into His family!

The Training Ground

In many religious traditions, disciples left their homes to live with their teachers, learning not just through lectures but by experiencing the teacher’s daily life.
Jesus too schooled His apostles not just with the WORD but He showed it in action with His life. They ate, walked, leaned, rested, prayed, even played with Him and when they silently argued amongst themselves He was there. Besides all, they even fed on the food He cooked, like grilled fish.

The times they were dining at the houses of tax collectors, Pharisees, walking on water, the storm at the lake, the Last Supper… it all happened at night! Literally evening classes too, demonstrating live examples of His power and grace. 

Those deep conversations with Nicodemus, were also teaching them how to troubled hearts sometimes at inconvenient time and administer to them. Could the Transfiguration (about His glory and preparing them for trials), have happened if they were just “meeting up” during scheduled hours?

Jesus had to prepare them for something immense—to carry His Church to the ends of the earth. And for that, He needed them closer than family—always!

Future Planning

Jesus’ time with His apostles wasn’t just about intimacy but on future mission talk. In these formative moments He spoke to them about the work ahead. And that is no different for us; today priests and religious live in community, not just for oneness, but to discuss their shared mission, to prepare for what lies ahead. They talk, plan and pray together with a zeal to go ahead. Their bond is not just emotional and spiritual but strategic— getting ready to impart the love of Christ to you, His flock.

Community is Power

When we are in communities, we share our lives, doing what the apostles did. We are trained, guided, and supported by those who have walked this path before us.
Our superiors take the place of Jesus, teaching us daily. We lean on Christ—not just by prayer, but in experiencing brotherhood, sharing meals, resting, praying, challenging each other at times, and preparing ahead.
This world is loud, distracting, and relentless and if priests lived secularly, even working in jobs, it makes it more challenging to be stronger in mission.
But in a community, we can more easily stay strong, grow together, getting sharpened, like iron against iron.

Family Was Everything to Jesus

Jesus’ entire mission was rooted in family—because He Himself is from the ultimate, divine family: the Holy Trinity. The first place Jesus was schooled in was the bosom of His Almighty Father.

From the very beginning, God worked through family, the first Adam and Eve. Then years later, Jesus’ earthly family— Mary and Joseph, His cousin John the Baptist—weren’t they all part of the grand mission? And beyond His direct lineage, Saint Veronica (believed to be related to Mary), were connection to His suffering and redemption!

So, when Jesus called His apostles, He wasn’t just looking for followers, He was looking for family.
You just can’t be deeply tied to God as a priest/apostle if you’re not family. That was Jesus’ prerequisite.

So, is community life boring? Think again!

Entering a priestly community is like stepping into a different realm. It’s not just a singular focus—it’s living in a realm between heaven and earth. Priests, like heavenly messengers, are bridges between God and man. As angels are mandated to guard people, priests are called to lead souls towards salvation. It’s a tiny heaven on earth; there the mission is continuous, while our faith is only deepened.
No wonder so many saints have sprung from these communities. They lived as Jesus “In the world, but not of the world” (Ref John 17:14-16). And God kept this promise to them to defend them.

But don’t Diocesan Priests live by themselves?

Yes, while priests begin their vocations as seminarians living together, for some, the way they live may differ. Diocesan priests generally serve in parishes, attending to the pastoral care. Some do not live in a community but serve alone, while others live together in a smaller community in the priest house.

It’s the Religious priests like the Vincentians, Franciscans, Jesuits, Dominicans, etc. — who are called to be in communities because of focused missions/outreach. Nowadays, many religious priests also serve with diocesan priests in parishes.

Wrapping Up

Has this spiritual tour of our lives enriched your insight of Christ’s deep love for His church?
And if you’ve ever wondered if this life is dull, think again. It’s an adventure—one that calls for everything you’ve got, but in return, gives you more than you ever imagined.
In fact, many on the outside have later been known to wish they had this life because they realized the many benefits to it—not just spiritual but temporal ones. There are even physical benefits, such as structured living, emotional support, shared responsibilities, and a strong sense of purpose, all of which contribute to a healthy and stable life.

Gloria Christi