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fish90
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Can any body tell me how tough these examinations are? What are their focus? What will auto-disqualify you from a vocation?
fish90
fish90
How tough are the psychological examinations for entering the seminary?
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Friar_David_O.Carm
Guest
They are not tough as long as you are honest.
The tests have a way of testing for honesty and the tester will be able to tell if you are trying to hide something. That is something that could cause you issues.
There are any number of tests you may be given it all depends on the requirements of the diocese/religious community as to what they are.
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AndrewRaZ
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They’re generally not too hard, but they can be intense. I had to take two. The first one was really uncomfortable, to be honest, and I wasn’t happy with it (never saw the results), and the diocese was not happy either. They asked me to have another evaluation a few months later, which seemed to fit the expectations I had about a psych exam better. That one was not too hard. Challenging in the sense that it does (and should) cause you to think about yourself in a more reflective way.
Be honest. Really. We all have issues, and we all have a past. I can jokingly say that if they let me in, you probably don’t have anything to worry about.
Be honest. Really. We all have issues, and we all have a past. I can jokingly say that if they let me in, you probably don’t have anything to worry about.
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fish90
Guest
Thanks for the support. I hope you can have the vocation God calls you to.They’re generally not too hard, but they can be intense. I had to take two. The first one was really uncomfortable, to be honest, and I wasn’t happy with it (never saw the results), and the diocese was not happy either. They asked me to have another evaluation a few months later, which seemed to fit the expectations I had about a psych exam better. That one was not too hard. Challenging in the sense that it does (and should) cause you to think about yourself in a more reflective way.
Be honest. Really. We all have issues, and we all have a past. I can jokingly say that if they let me in, you probably don’t have anything to worry about.
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Biedrik
Guest
My psych exam was less tough and more tedious. Several hours of face to face conversation, rounded off nicely with 700 multiple choice questions. You can expect to have to answer a lot of stuff, some of it repeatedly. They do probe into some rather private stuff, and it is best to be completely honest about these sorts of things. Don’t think about what will disqualify you. Simply think about what the honest answer is.
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Shoshana
Guest
Whne I entered the convent, the tests were very intense…but if one is completely honest, there is no problem. An IQ test was also given. Follwoing this, i had also to write a journal for a month so a priest/psychologist read it (I did not know this at the time though)…and I passed with flying colours. And believe it or not, the IQ was most revealing…
Just go by the grace of God and do not worry…all is in God’s hands…
Just go by the grace of God and do not worry…all is in God’s hands…
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Brendan
Guest
I had one for the Diaconate program. I believe it is the same one the seminarians go through. And that was pretty much my experience.
The difference was the I was given the 700 item questionaire ahead of time and sent it in before my interview.
The interview lasted several hours, the psycologist gave several tests, including the Rorschach (inkblot) test.
On the plus side, whenever my wife accuses me of having lost my marbles, I can pull out the certificate that shows I still have 'em
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thequeen
Guest
how funny you can pull out your certificate that shows that you still have your marbles i like peoplwith a sense of humor and i am sure that your wife loves you dearly and that you love her to pieces also and i think it is great when married couples can have a good laugh between them by the way how long have you been married?You both sound like you have a really good attitude about life in generalI had one for the Diaconate program. I believe it is the same one the seminarians go through. And that was pretty much my experience.
The difference was the I was given the 700 item questionaire ahead of time and sent it in before my interview.
The interview lasted several hours, the psycologist gave several tests, including the Rorschach (inkblot) test.
On the plus side, whenever my wife accuses me of having lost my marbles, I can pull out the certificate that shows I still have 'em
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Thepeug
Guest
I completed one a few weeks ago that lasted about eight hours: 600-question MMPI, a an hour-long conversation about one’s personal history, IQ tests, Rorschach, etc. Some of the questions can definitely be unnerving, but I expected as much. Still awaiting the results.
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AndrewRaZ
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Haha I remember getting those 9,000 question surveys too. I didn’t count them beforehand, but I’m glad I didn’t. I might have lost the will to finish it if I had. And I’m glad I didn’t have an IQ test too. That would have been… humiliating.
I had the ink blot tests too, and some “create a story for this picture” tests. Just give an honest response. I was a little afraid I was going to turn out to give some crazy answers, but I didn’t. I apparently mis-read one image, and she commented on it, but it’s just something I talked about later, and we just chalked it up to mis-understanding. That’s why the multiple choice ones are repetitive, so they can try to rule out some mistakes and find patterns. Don’t worry about it.
I don’t consider myself terribly bright. But I asked God for the grace to succeed in my studies, and he has graciously helped me. God gives great gifts.
I had the ink blot tests too, and some “create a story for this picture” tests. Just give an honest response. I was a little afraid I was going to turn out to give some crazy answers, but I didn’t. I apparently mis-read one image, and she commented on it, but it’s just something I talked about later, and we just chalked it up to mis-understanding. That’s why the multiple choice ones are repetitive, so they can try to rule out some mistakes and find patterns. Don’t worry about it.
I firmly believe God doesn’t call us to vocations if we can’t achieve them. Look at St. John Vianney, who almost flunked out of seminary, and was assigned to a backwoods parish because they thought he would do the least harm there. Or Venerable Solanus Casey in Detroit, or André Bessette from Toronto (?). I personally know a priest who basically flunked out of two seminaries, and was then able to finish the third, and is now ordained. He’s a wonderful priest, nothing extraordinary, but wonderful nonetheless.
I don’t consider myself terribly bright. But I asked God for the grace to succeed in my studies, and he has graciously helped me. God gives great gifts.
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Brendan
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15 years now. And we just had our 6th child. That is why I’m not in the Diaconate program right now, the wife needed me in the pews helping with the kids more than the bishop needed me at the altar helping the priest, it is substantally more rare for the priest to need to be carried to the cry room because he’s having a tantrum. I’m not sayin’ is doesn’t happen, just less frequently than a 1 year old
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curlycool89
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Montréal. For many years he was just the Porter at Notre-Dame College in Montréal for the Congregation of Holy Cross. Salt+Light TV did a documentary on him called (very appropriately) “God’s Doorkeeper”.
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Young_Thinker
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That is hilarious! Do you think that you will re-enter the formative program when your youngest child is a little older (and you and your wife do not welcome any more into the world!)?15 years now. And we just had our 6th child. That is why I’m not in the Diaconate program right now, the wife needed me in the pews helping with the kids more than the bishop needed me at the altar helping the priest, it is substantally more rare for the priest to need to be carried to the cry room because he’s having a tantrum. I’m not sayin’ it doesn’t happen, just less frequently than a 1 year old
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Madaglan
Guest
Just wondering: if one already has mentioned “private stuff” in confession or with a spiritual director/father, does it make it any easier?
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Jennifer_G
Guest
Where would they have all of these evaluations? At the convent? I ask because I don’t drive, and I’d have to get others to drive me. (parents are getting old – there’s an almost 30 year age difference between me and my parents – and don’t want to drive me very far, especially since my dad had a heart attack a few years ago - a convent in the middle of nowhere wouldn’t be doable…).
Sometimes, in the back of my mind, I think my disabilities (hearing/vision, etc.) and allergy issues (non-food related), might be enough to disqualify me.
I’m naturally skinny (always just under the underweight threshold), I wonder if I’d survive the half-year long Carmelite fasting.
Sometimes, in the back of my mind, I think my disabilities (hearing/vision, etc.) and allergy issues (non-food related), might be enough to disqualify me.
I’m naturally skinny (always just under the underweight threshold), I wonder if I’d survive the half-year long Carmelite fasting.
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Shoshana
Guest
Where would they have all of these evaluations? At the convent? I ask because I don’t drive, and I’d have to get others to drive me. (parents are getting old – there’s an almost 30 year age difference between me and my parents – and don’t want to drive me very far, especially since my dad had a heart attack a few years ago - a convent in the middle of nowhere wouldn’t be doable…).
Sometimes, in the back of my mind, I think my disabilities (hearing/vision, etc.) and allergy issues (non-food related), might be enough to disqualify me.
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AndrewRaZ
Guest
Psychological evaluations are almost always done by secular psychologists that the diocese or community is familiar with, usually psychologists who are Catholic. These psychologists are usually, at least when available, going to be those who have doctorate degrees in psychology, rather than just licensed counselors. If transportation is an issue, ask them, and they will work with you. They will not say “well, he or she can’t get here, so I guess he or she doesn’t have a vocation.”
I don’t know what the various physical requirements are, but I would dare bet hearing/vision problems aren’t an immediately disqualifying factor. I wear glasses and have hearing aids, have a bum knee, a history of heart problems in the family, as well as depression running in the family (and a stint of it myself), and they still took me. Disqualifying physical ailments are probably going to be those that require lots of special care for which the community is not equipped or will not be able to perform, or those that for clerics will not allow him to act in the person of Christ (such as not having two hands to consecrate His Body.)
Of course again, the best bet is to talk to the vocation directors. And if one should be disqualified and still feels called to a religious vocation, talk to another community or diocese and see if they may have better means to accept you.
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Shoshana
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Althoug I continued on but was not accepted in the end because of my stuttering and a high IQ (then).
The team comprised of a priest-physholgist also. There were done in a convent near the university of Ottawa…
Now, they might do these tests during the candidacy of the journey as this procees of candidancy exists now…which would be a pre-poustulancy. My guess though…
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Madaglan
Guest
Am I reading right, that your high IQ was counted against you?
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Shoshana
Guest
Am I reading right, that your high IQ was counted against you?
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The people that gave the many tests, and the priest-psycholgist had nothing but good to say about me. But that did not help. All the nuns loved me (all 250 of them) except the assistant to the mother general who loathed me.
As was told to leave and see a psychiatrist
which I did and take a course, which I did in X-ray. My psychiatrist of 9 months was so angry at the nuns and when I finished my course, went back to ottawa and asked for re-admittance. I was flatly refused. So they lied…Ask me if I did not break down and rebel???
My fate was sealed. Could’ve went to another convent, french though. But today I would have joined an english. I stuttered less in english…
Sorry about this babbling…
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