Franciscans becoming priests

[Domnall]

Since this has to deal with the sacrament of holy orders, I thought I’d post it here.

So, in brief, how does a Franciscan friar become a priest. I mean, they’re called first to be brothers and are the priests among them are not seen as “superior.” However, what if you had a calling both to the Franciscan order as well as the priesthood; how would that work?

 

[brianwalden]

Since this has to deal with the sacrament of holy orders, I thought I’d post it here.

So, in brief, how does a Franciscan friar become a priest. I mean, they’re called first to be brothers and are the priests among them are not seen as “superior.” However, what if you had a calling both to the Franciscan order as well as the priesthood; how would that work?

They become priests by receiving holy orders just like a secular (diocesan) priest. Religious priests (like their lay brothers) are obedient to their superior rather than the local bishop (which is not to say that they’re disobedient to the bishop).

 

[Claire_from_DE]

I’m not sure they are all called to enter as brothers, don’t some enter with the intention of becoming priests?

Interestingly, my pastor was a Franciscan brother for 34 years. Then he discerned a calling to the diocesan priesthood and was released by the order and accepted by our bishop as a seminarian. At 60, he was certainly the oldest in his ordination class.

 

[GwenL]

Since this has to deal with the sacrament of holy orders, I thought I’d post it here.

So, in brief, how does a Franciscan friar become a priest. I mean, they’re called first to be brothers and are the priests among them are not seen as “superior.” However, what if you had a calling both to the Franciscan order as well as the priesthood; how would that work?

I don’t know if that is true for all Franciscans. I’d like to hear what someone like JReducation says.

We have Conventual Franciscan friars at our Cathedral parish. A young man in the parish has discerned a call to religious life and the priesthood. He will enter the postulancy for the Conventual Franciscans next month. My understanding is that he is entering not called first as a brother, but called as a priest. He tells me that he’s talked with the vocations director and Provincial in some detail about options for where to go to college (he is 18), seminary, and possible further studies at the Seraphicum. Of course, my understanding may be incorrect…but I don’t think so.

 

[archangel04]

From reading previous post from Br JR the Franciscans don’t gurantee you the priesthood. Obedience is key to the order and the superior decides on where you go, what you do, and wether or not priesthood is right for that person, or if God is calling them to another calling. A priest is not a promotion level, all brothers are equal and obedient to the Rule of St. Francis and the Pope.

 

[C27433]

So, in brief, how does a Franciscan friar become a priest. I mean, they’re called first to be brothers and are the priests among them are not seen as “superior.” However, what if you had a calling both to the Franciscan order as well as the priesthood; how would that work?

The calling is first and foremost to the state of life, i.e. as a priest, not necessarily a calling to the order itself. The Order has a formation process for those who believe they are called to the priesthood and also wish to serve the Franciscan Community.

The matter of “superiority” is a very interesting topic, and the history of the Franciscan Order is quite intriguing:

Francis himself never desired the priesthood, and only later after the founding of the order was ordained a deacon in order to commit himself more perfectly to the preaching of the Gospel. However, as the community grew, it was necessary that the Order begin to include priests to minister to the brothers. The first priests belonged to the First Order (Order of Friar Minors; OFM), and later after the lay movement called the Third Order exploded in numbers, their communities too required the services of priests dedicated to ministering to the Order (as opposed to serving the diocese). These priests became known as Third Order Regulars (TOR); “Regular” being a term meaning “the norm” as in “the normal state of life in a religious community” since although it was not unheard of, it was not the norm for the laity to be dedicated to a particular religious order.

Francis understood that the priesthood brought with it the danger that one might feel, by virtue of his ordination, he was “above” another, whether it be in faith, virtue, or as a class distinction. Therefore, Francis set forth the following proposition, that in the Order of Friar Minors, the head of the Order would be referred to as “Minister General” instead of a title such as “Prior” which suggested rank. The title “Minister General” aptly implied a position of servitude rather than authority.

Therefore, the Franciscan Order was able to both recognize the need for priests within its numbers while at the same time reinforcing the virtues of humility, simplicity, and obedience.

I hope that helps!