Moral Dilemmas in Parish Ministry

A new way of approaching and understanding moral conflict within ministry.

Tasked with being moral and spiritual arbiters, clergy endure significant challenges, including continual public scrutiny, constant availability, and persistent ethical complexities. And yet the moral pressures that weigh continually on the clergy do not spring from catastrophe nor disaster; parish priests, for instance, often face conflicts that are more low-key but continual. A faithful priest who makes the right decision in the face of conflicting obligations will often experience regret, guilt, and remorse for being unable to fulfill both obligations. Joseph Pagano describes these residual feelings of guilt and remorse as “moral remainders,” which are often an unacknowledged but critical component of parish ministry. 

Pagano explores a series of moral dilemmas confronting clergy, analyzing them through the dual lenses of a pastoral theologian and a philosopher-ethicist. Bridging the gap between theoretical discussions of moral dilemmas in modern philosophy, virtue ethics, and theology, and the practical experiences of pastors, Pagano uses case studies to illustrate the relevance of theory to everyday parish life. Ultimately, Pagano’s innovative approach to the moral dilemmas faced by clergy will be a significant contribution to the spiritual well-being of parish priests.