How does one become a priest?

[Young_Thinker]

exactly!!!

No, if you are intellectual and want to make a lot of money, become a patent lawyer or plastic surgeon! There is almost no purpose in business.

 

[Cowfold]

If he harbors any ambitions for high office in the Church, I would suggest that he seek a doctorate of some sort(probably in Canon Law or Sacred Theology). As Br. David(Byz. Catholic) usually advices, he needs a spiritual director.

Where exactly are you going with this sort of statement!

 

[Young_Thinker]

Where exactly are you going with this sort of statement!

I am just mentioning a possibility to consider. If I, myself, become a priest, I want to seek a Ph.D.(and hopefully teach for a little while) or a J.U.D. Either way, I want to contribute philosophy and theology.

 

[Cowfold]

I am just mentioning a possibility to consider. If I, myself, become a priest, I want to seek a Ph.D.(and hopefully teach for a little while) or a J.U.D. Either way, I want to contribute philosophy and theology.

You do not need a Doctorate to contribute. Many, myself included, would say it is a positive disadvantage.

 

[Lepanto]

Either way, I want to contribute philosophy and theology.

That is a noble goal!

The problem is the issue of harboring “ambitions for high office in the church.”

Men who desire “high office in the church” rather than bringing others to Christ should be banned from seminaries. That any man should actually achieve a high office is fine, but nobody should ever go into the priesthood with that intention, because that is secular thinking.

 

[Rebecca_Fleming]

My son feels the call. Does a young man pursue seminary right after high school or after college? And how does he go about this?

I guess I’ll give a little more info here. He first felt called very young while in the second grade. I dedicated him at birth as he was born premature and very small. I felt that if God pulled him through that it was for a reason and that he would one day serve God. I never discussed this with him or my husband,or anyone, for that matter. By the second grade God had literally saved his life 2 more times and protected him from injury. He really is a walking miracle. One brief example, at 2 he grabbed a full cup of HOT grease, right out of the frying pan, off the counter and spilled it all over his arms and stomach. He did not get burned. I burned my hand getting the cup out of his hand but he had not a mark on him. In the second grade he was rushed to the hospital for an appendicitus attack. Blood work, x-rays etc all confirmed he needed to be prepped for surgery. By the time I got to the hospital, my husband, who had taken him there, said the doctor had come to him feeling very confused. Dr. had said “I don’t know why but I just not go through with this surgery right now. We’ve sedated him to keep him free of the pain and we are going to wait until morning (it was midnight at the time).” By morning he was completely normal. All the tests came back normal. Dr. had never in his 15 years seen anything like it. My son asked me why God kept saving him like this and I told him simply that there must be something important that God had planned for him. Soon after he came to me saying that he thought God might want him to be a priest. That was 5 years ago. He is in the 7th grade now and will soon be 14. Last summer, at a father and son retreat at a monastery in Pennsylvania both father and son had spiritual experiences. My son heard Jesus say to him that he would become a priest. He has no doubt that this is the path he needs to follow. He is a typical teen and no saint by any stretch of the imagination though he is overall a good kid. He never avoids church or confession and will correct anyone if he feels they are “misquoting” the churches teachings. He’s not into the girl thing as his peers are but is typical in his obstinance with Mom and Dad. I guess I’m trying to say that he’s just a normal kid overall. But more than one person has commented on seeing him up on the altar when he’s an altar server that there is a sense about him that they can’t seem to put a finger on. I’ve kept quiet about my belief that he’ll a priest because I want it to be his calling, not mine. Dad says how can he be a priest when he talks back the way he does. I feel that God will guide the growth of his soul as needed over time. Does any of this make sense? I don’t want to read into it all something that’s not there. By graduation if he still feels called I think that will have been enough time for discernment and I know he will be impatient to get moving into a seminary. Waiting til 21 would be a waste of time and he’s not driven academically speaking. He wants to serve God’s people. He’s very compassionate and not afraid to go against the flow when needed to do the right thing. Thanks so much to all of you for your (name removed by moderator)ut.

 

[JesuitLoyola]

Wow that’s an absolutely amazing story. I think what you’ve done to stay passive in terms of not telling him you’d think he’d make a good priest is a really noble pursuit as a vocation should be his to discern. I see what you mean about being impatient and having had enough time for discernment, but be aware that if your diocese wants him to get a degree first, he will have to do so. Perhaps that is not the case but there is an increasing focus in the church on highly educated clergy and he will definitely not miss out or delay God’s calling if the church tells him it wants him to get a degree. The people in the pews are not stupid, lots of them are doctors, lawyers, academics and intellectuals. Especially in the age of the internet when anyone can learn a vast amount about their faith; it is essential that the clergy be well educated. Besides, seminary is a graduate level study! Whether your son is academically driven or not is not pertinent because either way he will be studying for close to seven years at a high level of thought. I have no doubt that if he discerns his vocation is in the priesthood that God will make up for what he lacks in terms of academic motivation in fervor and a desire to serve and that he will make it if he puts his faith in God.

As for Dad, all priests are human! You must remember that when trying to see the young man who argues with back with you as the same man who could one day be a priest. St. Augustine did not always feel the way he did about Christ and the church and in fact is frequently quoted a having said ," Lord make me celibate, but not now." God provides the grace and the call to the priesthood. If your son is called and choses to follow God with a heart of service, God will work in his heart to change any personal failings he may have. That’s not to say it will be instantaneous or guaranteed, but if he trusts in the Lord and acknowledges the infantile nature of his offenses, I’m sure he will mature over time.

 

[Young_Thinker]

That is a noble goal!

The problem is the issue of harboring “ambitions for high office in the church.”

Men who desire “high office in the church” rather than bringing others to Christ should be banned from seminaries. That any man should actually achieve a high office is fine, but nobody should ever go into the priesthood with that intention, because that is secular thinking.

Thank you. Obviously, priests should not think like politicians, so I basically agree. I was just saying that ambition and piety(or the like) are not mutually exclusive.

 

[Young_Thinker]

You do not need a Doctorate to contribute. Many, myself included, would say it is a positive disadvantage.

Yes, but I am interested in many intellectual fields(I apparently think like a Jesuit but am now considering the Carmelites!). I am still wavering as to whether I should become a priest or a physician, so I am used to thinking about academic degrees.

 

[onetruechurch]

I would recommend listening to the Catholic Answers Live radio show this Wednesday at 4:00 Pacific. Check the schedule on the homepage for more information. The scheduled subject is “How to Discern a Vocation” with Bishop Robert Finn as the guest. If you don’t have Catholic radio in your area you can listen directly on the Catholic Answers website by pressing the radio button. :compcoff:

I’d like to give this a “bump”. Maybe some of you posters might ask the real expert on the radio today. Let us know if you call in.

 

[Soler]

That is a noble goal!

The problem is the issue of harboring “ambitions for high office in the church.”

Men who desire “high office in the church” rather than bringing others to Christ should be banned from seminaries. That any man should actually achieve a high office is fine, but nobody should ever go into the priesthood with that intention, because that is secular thinking.

And what if one desires high office within the Church ***in order to ***bring others to Christ? What if someone desires to be a bishop not for any selfish reason, but because he thinks he would be rather good at being a bishop?