Guide to Ongoing Formation for Priests (Ascension)

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Appendix D: Boundary Education

WORKPLACE BOUNDARIES 309 There are similar pitfalls in the ministerial workplace. The typical parish staff is small, and the employees tend to spend a great deal of time together. Over time, they might fall into an easy familiarity. That same familiarity brings with it the risk of misunderstanding and even misconduct. Most regions of the United States have available training on boundaries in the workplace to help priests and staff avoid temptations such as favoritism or inappropriate behavior or conversation. BOUNDARIES WITH ADULTS OUTSIDE MINISTRY AND THE WORKPLACE 310 Of course, it is possible for a priest to transgress boundaries with those outside ministry or the workplace. Ongoing formation programs need to include an honest assessment of the dangers of living chastely as celibate priests in a culture of easy and anonymous sexual contact—including behaviors that might be limited to digital settings. BOUNDARIES IN THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT 311 The demands of ministry in the current context of heightened concern for boundaries between adults, as well as ongoing concern for the protection of minors, require serious conversations about the physical layout of parish offices, confessionals, and clergy residences. This concern may be less a matter of boundary education and more a need for consultation with and awareness on the part of pastors. For example, many rectories lack a clear delineation between the priests’ living quarters, the parish offices, and staff-accessible areas such as lounges or kitchens. For the sake of priests’ privacy and a safe workplace, it is best to have clear boundaries within the rectory or office space. The confessional and any other place where priests meet

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