Where Ex-Priests Work

As if the emotional wrench of leaving the priesthood were not enough, most former Roman Catholic priests face the harrowing task of finding a new job. Often trained mostly in theology, ex-priests hardly have the ideal background for civilian careers. Even so, a survey conducted by The Gallagher Presidents' Report shows that most of the 231 former priests interviewed had found work within two months. Half of the priests, reported the weekly newsletter for executives, went to work in the business world. They became salesmen, management trainees, office managers, systems engineers, journalists, admen, economists and personnel directors. Most of the others moved into education or social service. Their salaries average $9,200 a year.

The former clergymen, a representative sample compiled coast to coast from names supplied by agencies who help ex-priests adjust to secular life, found that their chief problems in obtaining jobs were lack of skills (28%), overcoming lack of confidence (29%) and deciding what new career to follow (47%). Although the average priest was 38 years old, only 14% found age to be a drawback. Nearly all held bachelor's or advanced degrees--four out of five in theology--but few felt that their specialized education created any employment obstacles.

A handful considered prospective employers hostile toward ex-priests; others found them skeptical. But one-third regarded the business community as aware of former priests' potential as jobholders; another third called businessmen merely curious. Half got their jobs by personally contacting businessmen; only one in five used employment agencies or private placement bureaus. The Gallagher Report calls former priests an "untapped manpower resource" with "stability and brain power." Seven out of ten, it adds, are happy with their new careers.

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