Let’s clarify something here. Does the OP want to be a priest? Does he want to be a religious? Does he want to be both?
They are not the same calling. Please, for God’s sake, I ask the lay people on these threads not to mix them up. The call to the priesthood is very different from the call to religious life. All of you are talking about “religious priests” as if there were such a thing in the Catholic Church. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A RELIGIOUS PRIEST!
There are priests who are also religious or religious who are also priests, which ever way you want to say it. Their proper title is Regular Priests, becasue they live according to a religious rule (regula in Latin). But they are two different calls and one does not depend on the other. You can be either one or the other or both.
If you choose to enter a religious order or religious congregation, you must first complete your religious formation before you can be ordained. You can only be ordained if your religious superior calls you forth for Holy Orders. The fact that you say you want to be a priest, does not guarrantee that it is going to happen in a religious community.
There are religious communities that are clerical. It is assumed that all or most of their religious will become priests. However, they must show that they have a vocation to the life of that religiosu community, first. If they do, they will be allowed to make vows. Aftward they will be invited to be ordained deacon and priest. However, the community can decided against the ordination, even after a man has made vows. In that case, the man is bound to remain all the days of his life as a member of that community, observing the rule and constitutions and living the life of that community.
If the religious community allows a man to be ordained, the priest is still bound by the life of his community and can only engage in those ministries and works that the community allows. There is no guarrantee that a priest who is a religious will end up serving the laity in a parish. Many priests in religious communities never see a parish. They serve in the missions, in formation, administration or as teachers, college professors, retreat masters, itinerant preachers, confessors to convents and other institutions, prison ministry, hospital work, soup kitchens, social work, counselors, janitors, cooks, mass media communication, college ministry and so forth. Religious communities have many ministries. One has to select a religious community that has ministries in the field where one believes Christ is calling him.
If you join the Jesuits, chances are that you will teach or preach. The chances of serving in a parish are small. If you join the Franciscans, chances are that you will serve in a soup kitchen, walk the streets, do retreat work, or be a scholar. Your chances of being a parish priest are about 30%. If you join the Fathers of Mercy, you will more than likely end up in mission work. If you join the Marianists you will teach and so forth.
The point I’m making is that if you join a religious community, you will not have a choice in your minsitry. You minister where the community ministers. You have to discern what community Christ calls you to. That is going to be determined by what way of life Christ is calling you to.
One thing about all religious communities is that they all require at least a Master’s Degree. Very few will admit a candidate to their novitiate before he completes his BA or BS. Most require either a major or minor in philosophy. Br. David has already explained that his community requiers a BA in philosophy. The Franciscans do not. We require a minor in philosophy and a major in a subject of your choosing. For example, my BS is in math with a minor in philosophy. My masters is a four-year Master of Arts in Theology and my Doctorate is a five-year Sacred Theology Doctorate in Mystical Theology. But as you can see, both communities require a minimum of a Master’s Degree in the end. Rarely does a religious community admit you to the novitiate without a BA. In the Franciscans, you can’t enter the postulancy without a BA. The postulancy is a two-year program before you enter the novitiate. We make no difference between friars who are going to be ordained or not. All friars must have an MA in Theology or the professional degree, an M.Div. Both are four-year master’s degrees.
Hope this helps.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
I am just interested in doing my studies whilst already a part of religious life. you know? And for the sake of this thread, lets assume God wrote me a letter that said, ‘be a priest’. Lol, And I know I need to do a lot of discerning, and a lot of that jazz, and I don’t take it lightly, honestly, I’m scared…
. Thats why I say what I want a lot. I don’t think I explained that very well, but I know how I feel, lol, and thanks again for yalls help