Catholic priests in the first half of the 20th century faced a world in transition due to the political and social upheavals brought about by modernization. Forstner examines, using the example of the parish clergy in Upper Bavaria, how the clergy and those responsible in the church hierarchy responded to these changes. He investigates the processes of recruitment and training of new clergy, as well as the shifts in the social and mental disposition of the clergy. A particular focus is placed on the everyday culture of the priesthood, exploring its various manifestations: the Catholic rectory with its residents, the material situation of the clergy, their intellectual and scientific interests, as well as their leisure activities between the tavern and the sports field. Forstner demonstrates how the clergy adapted in this context.