Diocesan clergy: seminary, Rome, degree

[AcolyteLector]

Hello all,

I am on the verge of contacting a spiritual director, to begin formally discerning what I feel is my vocation as a diocesan clergyman. However, I have a question, something that I am very embarrassed to ask, even anonymously, because I feel that it makes it appear that my will to serve the Church of Christ is half-hearted. My question is, if I enter seminary, and complete my work up to the transitional diaconate, and then it is revealed that I do not have a vocation, will I graduate with a degree? Is this usual or unusual?

How will it be decided, if it is accepted that I have a vocation, whether I should be able to study at a Pontifical College? If I am not sent there from the start of my time in seminary, will I be able to go later?

Will I be able to enter the diocese next to the one in which I live, or am I forced to enter my native diocese?

Thank you for understanding.

 

[jpjd]

These are all valid questions. In fact, that is something everyone who enters the seminary should ask: If it turns out that I do not have a vocation to the priesthood and I leave the seminary, what am I leaving with? A degree? A half-finished education? And what can I “do” with this degree or half-finished education?

These are all questions that should be asked of your Vocations Director. Do not be afraid or embarrased to ask these good questions. You need to have an understanding of what the options are in a seminary education and how and by whom these decisions are made.

 

[Totterman]

Jesus,our Lords peace be with You.
Dear friend,and sorry for my bad english,I have a call to priesthood,wich a marriage and a divorce did not happend,and now I am to old,(50)I don’t know if this helps You,but I can tell You that this call that I have goes way back to the early years of my adoulthood and it want go away. Every day I wake up,thinking like a priest,live in celibacy,wich wos the best thing with my divorce,and having the call telling me to act in certain ways,so please.go to the seminar,if You later find out that priesthood is not Your "thing"there is always things You can do,teach in a catholic school,there is a lot You can do,but atleast You then know. So I say,go to the seminar. That is not lost time,if nothing else,You will come out a far better catholic then many.

 

[JM3]

Hello all,

I am on the verge of contacting a spiritual director, to begin formally discerning what I feel is my vocation as a diocesan clergyman. However, I have a question, something that I am very embarrassed to ask, even anonymously, because I feel that it makes it appear that my will to serve the Church of Christ is half-hearted. My question is, if I enter seminary, and complete my work up to the transitional diaconate, and then it is revealed that I do not have a vocation, will I graduate with a degree? Is this usual or unusual?

How will it be decided, if it is accepted that I have a vocation, whether I should be able to study at a Pontifical College? If I am not sent there from the start of my time in seminary, will I be able to go later?

Will I be able to enter the diocese next to the one in which I live, or am I forced to enter my native diocese?

Thank you for understanding.

You must live in the diocese. If there is one that you perfer, you will have to move there. Contact the vocations director for that diocese. They would be able to answer you questions.

 

[hxcCatholic413]

You must live in the diocese. If there is one that you perfer, you will have to move there. Contact the vocations director for that diocese. They would be able to answer you questions.

You can apply to any diocese that you like no matter where you live. There might be some diocese’s that might ask you to live there for a year before applying, but I can PM you a few dioceses off the top of my head that don’t require this. God Bless!

 

[JM3]

You can apply to any diocese that you like no matter where you live. There might be some diocese’s that might ask you to live there for a year before applying, but I can PM you a few dioceses off the top of my head that don’t require this. God Bless!

I made a statement based on personal experience.

“Contact the vocations director for that diocese. They would be able to answer you questions.”

This was the point of my post.

 

[hxcCatholic413]

I made a statement based on personal experience.

“Contact the vocations director for that diocese. They would be able to answer you questions.”

This was the point of my post.

I too made a statement made on personal experience