Time Off

"Do you have a day off?" asked our potential new curate when I met with her on Wednesday. Yes, I do. "That's a relief", she said, "The Rector of Blank doesn't believe in clergy having days off. That doesn't mean he doesn't take time off, but it does mean you never know when he's around and when he isn't. And it does affect everyone else ..."

Hm. One of the benefits of having a training incumbent who'd had a nervous breakdown some years before is that he was always adamant that I should take proper breaks, including a day off each week, and I try to keep this rule. Of course work does invade the space sometimes, which can't be helped - especially when some detail or other of a funeral needs sorting out and there is no other time to do it.  The truth is that, for most of the time, as a priest it isn't necessary that you're around all the time, much as you might like to think you're indispensable. The invasions of free time which you might expect - the sudden call to a deathbed - are in my experience exceedingly rare, though they do happen and that's the kind of interruption you have no objection to.

Frankly I think the disdain of proper time off is posturing. Often I've heard clergy say they don't take time off, haven't had a break in a month, etc., and my predecessor took perverse pride in working through her day off at the same time as complaining at having too much to do. I'm sure it arises from the deep suspicion that what you're doing is pointless and your position is only justified by constant toil: if the shark stops swimming, it sinks. Quite apart from the issue of relaxation, should you rely on a spouse to do all the cooking, cleaning and laundry?

If you're going to argue that you should be constantly available - not just in theory, not just for emergencies, but have no ring-fenced time when you don't work - then you shouldn't ever leave the parish, shouldn't drink in case you have to drive somewhere, and shouldn't marry either. Then you'll be available. But, to be honest, reverend, you just aren't that important. You're not Jesus, Jesus is.