What does a vicar for priests do? A Q&A with Fr. David Lies

Editor’s Note: This spring, when Bishop Carl A. Kemme announced 2025 priest assignments for the Catholic Diocese of Wichita, Fr. John Jirak was appointed vicar general and moderator of the curia. In that position, he replaced Fr. David Lies, who was appointed vicar for priests. Meanwhile, Fr. C. Jarrod Lies was appointed vicar for evangelization, stewardship, and discipleship. To help its readership better understand what they do, the Catholic Advance is sitting down for a series of conversations with each vicar. In this edition, we talk with Fr. David Lies.

What does the vicar for priests do?

My role is to assist Bishop Kemme in providing care and support for his priests. As a vicar, I am an extension of Bishop’s presence throughout the diocese. The word, “vicar” is rooted in the word “vicarious” – so each vicar participates, vicariously in the governing authority of the bishop. Fr. Jarrod Lies, Fr. Brian Nelson and I each have a slice of that episcopal authority in a particular area. The vicar general, Fr. Jirak’s position, has general oversight. 

Bishop Kemme and we vicars – his leadership team – defined “healthy priests” as one of our strategic anchors, or goals. We seek to answer the question, “How will what we do ensure the fruitful life and ministry of our priests?” So as leaders, we support them spiritually, emotionally, physically, and intellectually with ongoing formation and education opportunities. I have a role in providing the resources that will enable the priests to be fruitful in their lives and ministries.

Are there particular emphases in how the Diocese of Wichita does that?

In each diocese, a bishop can appoint a vicar for clergy. I would say it is a common position held by a priest in each diocese, again, with that goal of supporting the priests or being a troubleshooter if priests have difficulties. In my visits with vicars for clergy in other dioceses, I have learned that they fulfill this role a little differently according to the unique culture and environment of that diocese. 

I would like to think that in our diocese, we are really putting substantial resources and attention toward our priests. One example would be our recent inauguration of The Chrism Project in the Diocese of Wichita. The Chrism Project for priests was founded by Matt Rudolph and Dr. Jim Langley, both from Denver. Matt Rudolph was formerly the executive director of The Amazing Parish movement that offered formation for priests and leadership. He’s partnered with a psychologist, Dr. Langley, and together they guide priests in understanding their role as parish leaders, in developing their spiritual life and in growing in physical and emotional health. It is a nine-month program that organizes small groups, or cohorts, of priests to check-in monthly with each other. Each priest may also receive individual monthly guidance in any of those areas. 

We have completed our first cohort of about 20 of our priests, and in October we are looking to recruit a new cohort to go through the same nine-month module with the hope that our priests can build relationships with each other and that they can receive that unique care that they require. I would say that that’s one way that we may be set apart in caring for our priests.

In your normal workflow, how much time do you spend out and about going to the priests and interacting with them face to face?

My hope has been, and continues to be, that being full-time in this position – which we haven’t had in a number of years – that I will have that capacity of time to go out and visit. I’d like to go to their doorsteps and just check in, spend some time, get better acquainted, so I can know each priest to help them better. The goal behind trying to spend probably half of my time just circulating among our priests is to be an extension of the bishop’s care and regard for them. 

The other half of my time can be spent planning, coordinating, scheduling those events and opportunities to support the priests. I have been in this role almost two months and that hasn’t happened yet. I was surprised at how quickly things got busy. Some needs arose that I couldn’t have anticipated while I was still getting acclimated to the new role and building it out. I have created a job description list that I have reviewed with the bishop to start crafting this for a full-time position, but there already has been no lack of opportunities to stay involved.

How has your previous experience prepared you for this work?

My previous experience of 10 years as vicar general and moderator of the curia has been very beneficial. Those previous roles brought me into contact with a lot of priests already and in collaborating with the former vicar for priests, Fr. Pat York. There are areas where the vicar for priests and the vicar general overlap in their support of priests. Fr. Jirak and I have already had several instances in which we asked each other ‘Should you take this, or should I?’ We’re trying to keep each other informed of those engagements that involve priests, and which of us would be the best first responder to that situation. Already knowing a lot of what the role of vicar for priests entails has meant less of a learning curve for me. I have been more quickly able to get right to the work and not spend as much time learning the position.

Apart from your experience, are there aspects of your personality – traits, characteristics, the way you’re wired – that you expect to serve you well?

As far as my personality goes, I’m naturally a mediator on the Myers-Briggs spectrum of personality types. I strive to listen well and to give the time that my brother priests need to explain situations before asking questions to clarify or propose responses. Being a good listener seems to be beneficial in that regard and I have tried to carry that with me during my prior 17 years of pastoral ministry in parishes. Although it has been some time since then, I have the benefit of having also been in a parish setting, including a couple of parishes with a school.

You mentioned listening and mediating. I remember the bishop quipping – and it seemed only a half-joke – that sometimes the vicar for priests has to play ‘bad cop’ with the priests while the bishop gets to play ‘good cop’ with them. Is there anything to that?

Some priests do struggle spiritually, personally, pastorally. They’re human. The vicar for priests needs to intervene at times when the priest’s human personality and limitations might be affecting his success as a pastor or as a priest. That means the vicar has to engage priests about behaviors or manners that even they do not want to recognize.  I am sometimes approaching priests at very vulnerable moments, which can be challenging for both of us.

Is it an adventure for you to pivot like this? You’re doing something different, but not completely different. What’s your mindset about taking this on?

I have been very open to it and have found the change to be somewhat refreshing. After 10 years as vicar general and moderator of the curia, I surrendered some things, as one does with any change of an assignment.  I grieved losing some things such as relationships with people;  daily or weekly interaction with many of the curia directors. I look back and appreciate much of what I contributed to enhancing the way the curia employees support our pastors and parishes. 

But in this current role, it is an honor to support and directly serve my brother priests. I have noted that this position offers me more personal agency. As vicar general and moderator of the curia, I connected other persons or parties to the bishop. Carrying the water bucket, so to speak, between others and the bishop did not allow for the sort of agency that I experience in this role. That has been fulfilling.

I also have many more voicemails and e-mails to respond to! It’s been notable how quickly a day fills up, and I still have unfinished tasks on my to-do list.

Are there aspects of the position that you’re finding stretch and challenge you?

I think, again, it is the aspect of this position that deals with supporting priests who may be struggling and empathizing with brother priests that are experiencing challenges in their ministry or health. Supporting priests in those areas definitely has me turning more to prayer and relying more on the Lord in that regard. 

I sent a letter to all the priests this summer, before fully taking on this role. It went out the day after the feast of St. Barnabas. Although he is not considered to be an apostle, he was a close collaborator with St. Paul, the Apostle. In the scriptures, Barnabas is referred to as a “son of encouragement,” and that’s how I wanted to present myself. My hope is to be a Barnabas to our priests, a source of encouragement. 

Barnabas assisted Paul. He guided Paul shortly after his conversion. I think it took some formation for Paul to find his apostolic voice and understand his ministry. And Barnabas was key in that, so he launched Paul to excel in the gifts that God had given him. That’s my hope in this position: to be able to launch priests who maybe need that initial support in an assignment or in their priesthood, and then see how the Lord will multiply their gifts for the people they are serving.

I asked Fr. Jirak about his ‘Welcome to the NFL moment.’ Does a ‘Welcome to the NFL moment’ come to your mind?

My hope would have been to take a month to kind of settle in and start developing how I would approach this role, but unexpected needs arose and I had to hit the ground running.

Another question that applies to all the vicars: You’re now working in the same building as your brother. Do you have any thoughts on that?

Fr. Jarrod and I have worked over the years on our relationship as brothers and as brother priests. We took a trip together to Rome a week after Easter, and we were able to begin talking with each other about these upcoming positions. As brothers over the years, we have continued to grow in our relationship and interaction with each other. We not only work closely together, but we also live closely together at the priest retirement center, and have really enjoyed the proximity to be able to share time together, off the clock as well as on.

Living in proximity has to be like growing up.

Yeah, except we can all go to our own rooms at the end of the day and have our own space. 

Did you guys share a room back in the day? 

Yeah, I think early on, the three of us boys – my brother Shane is between Jarrod and I – shared a room in the little house we grew up in.

Anything else?

Only to again summarize my role as helping facilitate healthy priests. That has been in the bishop’s mind and heart: to support the health of our priests so that they may be fruitful in their ministry and effective in serving their people. My role is just to extend that to them and support the bishop in caring for them.

You’re working with them after they’ve already been ordained, but healthy priests make for happy priests. Happy priests, in turn, demonstrate an attractive way of life for other young men to consider as they discern becoming priests.  

Fr. Chad Arnold, the director of the St. Joseph House of Formation, and I just recently had a conversation in which he invited me to contribute to the new “vocational synthesis” for transitional deacons, who will soon be ordained priests. The vocational synthesis is a proximate period of preparation that can last six months to a year. During that time  the deacon is assigned to a parish to start experiencing pastoral life – the life and ministry of a priest – before his priestly ordination. This period is a hand-off from seminary formation to active priesthood. Fr. Arnold invited me to sit down and consider ways that, as vicar for priests, I might participate in some of the formation that our deacons will be receiving before they are ordained. This will allow me to get a head start on supporting newly ordained priests and to be a St. Barnabas for them. As their gifts and joy in the priesthood grows, they become our diocese’s greatest witnesses in attracting other young men to discern if the Lord is calling them to follow him, too.