chaplain
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chaplain
A Catholic priest who assists a parish priest in a church parish. It is often a priest's first position after ordination.
Der neue Kaplan wird sich am Sonntag der Gemeinde vorstellen.
The new chaplain will introduce himself to the parish on Sunday.
'Kaplan' (chaplain) is a noun of the N-declension. This means it takes the ending '-en' in all cases except the nominative singular.
Die Gemeinde begrüßte den neuen Kaplan.
The parish welcomed the new chaplain.
Although it sounds similar, a 'Kaplan' (chaplain) is not the same as an English 'chaplain'. A Kaplan is specifically an assistant priest in a Catholic parish, while a chaplain often works in secular institutions such as the military or hospitals and does not have to be Catholic.
Der Kaplan hält die Messe, wenn der Pfarrer krank ist.
The chaplain holds Mass when the parish priest is ill.
This word is used exclusively in the context of the Catholic Church. A chaplain is subordinate to the parish priest in the hierarchy and supports him in his duties.
Als junger Priester arbeitete er zunächst drei Jahre als Kaplan.
As a young priest, he first worked as a chaplain for three years.
vicar
Kaplan and Vikar both support an experienced pastor in parish work, but they do not refer to the same stage of training. A Kaplan is already a Catholic priest and works as an assistant, whereas a Vikar is still completing practical training to become a pastor or priest. Kaplan is the appropriate term for the support work of an ordained priest; during training, the term is Vikar.
Der Kaplan unterstützt den Pfarrer bei den Gottesdiensten und in der Gemeinde.
The chaplain supports the pastor during services and in the parish.
Der Vikar unterstützt den erfahrenen Pfarrer während seiner praktischen Ausbildung.
The vicar supports the experienced pastor during his practical training.
