A man can become a diocesan priest or a religious priest. A diocesan priest is ordained to serve a particular diocese, pledging obedience to the bishop of that diocese. At his ordination, he pledges obedience to his bishop and his successors, and chastity, as he is called to live celibate as a sign of the Kingdom to come and his giving of total self to God through the people he serves.
The religious priest on the other hand, belongs to a specific order or congregation of priests and vows obedience to the superior of that order or congregation. He also makes vows of chastity and poverty as life is lived in community with those who belong to that specific religious community. Their religious order or congregation will dedicate themselves to specific charisms or works. The religious priest can be called to work wherever they are needed and is sent by his superior. For those religious priest (monk) who are called to live in a monastery, they also make a vow of stability, professing that they will live in this one place (monastic community) for the rest of their life.
