Do I need a college degree to be a priest?

[DarrenJ23]

I feel that when you answer God’s call to discern the priesthood. It isn’t a favor you’re doing for the Church, but rather sacraficing a lot. When I was finally accepted I was excited and still am at the idea of the possibillity. but it is a sacrafice to give up your pets which I love very much. Give up your home give up your time with family and friends and mostly the idea of ever having a wife and kids. (I am totally for single celebate priests) I also think it is a sacrafice to be told all the things that are wrong with you. It is a sacrafice also to live in an 8by 12 room when you are used to living on 40 acres and 2000 square foot home. So when i read that post about doing the Church a favor, it isn’t doing the Church a favor, it is offering up a lot of freedoms and a lot of comfort. That is how I see it. Also I m so tired of hearing about degrees THEY DO NOT IMPRESS ME!!! you know what impresses me? A priest that is pastoral and there is a lot of room for improvement in that department. I am apalled at how people act in the seminary. It is like any other workplace setting. What else impresses me is someone who never went to college and dropped out of high school and are highly sucessful buisnessmen or masters of their profession. I also think that when you are in your 40s and never been in jail, owned a house since 20 and mastered two trades,mastered an instrument, Is a degree in it’s self. I am highly offended that the education people don’t count that towards a degree, THAT HAS GOT TO CHANGE!!!I I am so tired of the education system in this country. No degree in the world will ever make you a priest. No degree will make you pastoral. Without the pastoral side, there is no priest. Did Jesus Christ have a degree? how about the 12 disciples? NO they were lowly fishermen. We need to get back to the basics and have other options to be a priest. I think that 2 pastoral years before entering the seminary should be mandatory. I see so many priests and seminarians that have no charity or pastoral abilities.

I would say human beings are imperfect on their own, not very impressive, especially when in the influence of this world. But Jesus is perfect, the liberator of this world, and to me anyone who chooses to follow Him in any way, with an honest intent, is impressive in their works, because of Him. I would think you could make your own environment spiritually, you could pray and read texts in Wall-street and still have the same connection with the divine. I hear what you’re saying though, people need true believers leading their church, it would be kind of like someone going to a doctor and asking for a heart transplant and the doctor saying “Ok, lets do it” then turing to the nurse and saying “you don’t really believe this will work, do you?”

 

[john78]

such aggression in replies, least it comes off that way, how does one know that they are being turned down for a lack of education ? If one is rejected is there an explination or just a vague response as to why ?

I imagine that one is not strictly rejected due to a lack of education, i would hope there is a true discernment upon the applicant in varying factors, to include if even priests are needed in a diocese.

I doubt the rich and highly educated are the only men or women being accepted into orders or the priesthood.

and perhaps if one is rejected multiple times over, that could be a sign that a religious vocation is not ones calling ?