 Their office or position is the priesthood, a term which also may apply to such persons collectively.They have duty such as hears confessions every week, gives marriage counseling, provides prenuptial counseling, gives spiritual direction, anoints and visits shut-ins and the sick in hospitals and nursing homes, teaches catechism 

According to the trifunctional hypothesis of prehistoric Proto-Indo-European society, priests have existed since the earliest of times and in the simplest societies, most likely as a result of agricultural surplus and consequent social stratification.The necessity to read sacred texts and keep temple or church records helped foster literacy in many early societies.