Who are we?

The Association of the Priests of Prado is a institute of diocesan priests and consecrated lay peoplefounded by Father Antoine Chevrier from 1860 in Lyon.

Today, the Institute consists of a thousand diocesan priests and consecrated lay people in some forty countries. 

It is a "secular clerical institute of pontifical right, governed according to the law of the Church for secular institutes" (Constitutions n. 6). Its members are primarily diocesan priests who together form one of the branches of the Prado spiritual family. They exercise their ministry in their diocese and the bishop is always the one who gives the canonical mission. If we know that there are Pradosians in a diocese, we can envisage that a mission to the poor, as well as to the geographical and human peripheries, is possible in order to carry out evangelisation in their midst! The aim is also to raising up poor apostles for the poor. Priests seek with other confreres a life of fraternity and sharing of life in the light of the Gospel. 

The Institute also includes consecrated lay people who form another branch of the spiritual family. "They live the same vocation in the world, dedicating their whole lives to the Gospel and participating in the task of evangelising the Church" (Constitution 6).

When a regional Prado is an erected Prado, it has the possibility of associating lay people, married or single, who share the same vocation. Prado spirituality. In France, permanent deacons can become associates.

Our Saint-André house is therefore one of the most important important places for our Institute and the whole Prado spiritual family, as well as the Maison Saint-Claude, run by the community of the Sisters of Prado. Both houses are also open to the public.