I Want To Enter The Priesthood

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Hello,

I have, for quite some time, though about the priesthood. I have felt a calling from God as of late, and have a strong feeling that it is God’s wish for me. I currently attend secondary school, and live in New Zealand. I come from a Catholic family from England who resisted Anglican Conversion during the Anglican Reformation. Therefore, Catholicism runs in my family. For me, becoming a priest is not something that I am thinking about, it is something that I have decided God wants me to do, and I feel that I will enjoy serving God in this manner. My parish has two churches, and until recently, only one church had a priest. The extreme priest shortage makes me think even more so that I should serve the church. As I am still a school-age teenager, however, it will be a few more years before I can talk to my parish priest about entering the seminary. Does anybody have any ideas?

Yours Sincerely
 
It’s wonderful to see more young men open to God’s call, it’s very brave of you.

The application process is very long, depending on your age you may want to speak to your priest sooner rather than later. I am discerning a vocation as well and it has taken me 5 years so far, from when I contacted the vocations director. That doesn’t mean it will take as long for you, others it is much quicker.

As well as the obvious advice to keep praying, particularly the liturgy of hours which will become a major part of your life, I would suggest volunteering to help in any way you can at your parish, maybe do some volunteer work with a charity of some kind as well. Also, make sure you keep up with your school work and have a social life, both will help you later on to be a great priest. There are lots of resources online as well, a quick search should find you some valuable sites. A book I particularly recommend is to save a thousand souls, by Fr. Brett Brannen, it’s got a lot of useful information, including meditation guides and further reading. It was recommended to me by my vocations director.

But the most important thing is to pray.

I’ll keep you in my prayers.
 
Hello,

Thank you very much for your advice. I am going to church tomorrow to train as an altar server. This shall hopefully enable me to help out more in my parish community.

Yours Sincerely.
 
Are there any minor seminaries in New Zealand? Could be a good experience in getting you ready for the advanced studies, meet other young men similarly situated, a chance to study theology/philosophy, get involved in devotional life.
 
You can speak to your pastor about your interest even though you are too young for seminary. He can recommend prayers and readings.
 
Hello,

I think there are a couple of minor seminaries. We only have one proper seminary in the whole country, however. I think only five or six priests are ordained every year in New Zealand. It will be two or three years still until I am old enough to even talk to my parish priest about it. I am hoping to start my journey the year after I finish school.

Yours Sincerely
 
anon76821255 said:
Thank you very much for your advice. I am going to church tomorrow to train as an altar server. This shall hopefully enable me to help out more in my parish community.
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Kudos for doing this. The advice to become as involved as time and energy allows is good. Get as close as you can to the ministry of priests so as to help you along in your discernment. Prayers and best wishes for your future.
 
I second this. When I began vocation discernment, this was a great read and it told me a lot about what seminary life and priesthood are like. I highly recommend it if you can get a copy over in New Zealand.

It’s never too early to talk to your pastor, if you feel comfortable. He can give you advice and direction that we can’t, since he knows you much better than us. Since you aren’t old enough to enter the seminary yet, use this time to patiently pray and continue to listen to God’s call. Perhaps you can use this time to get more involved in ministries at your parish, such as altar serving, if you don’t already. Eventually, as the age approaches which you are old enough to apply, if you continue to feel the call, talk to your diocese’s vocation director.

Good luck on your journey, OP! I wish you the best.

Sincerely,

A seminarian
 
anon76821255 said:
It will be two or three years still until I am old enough to even talk to my parish priest about it.
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I’m not sure why you think this…? You may not be able to take any concrete steps towards entering seminary for a few years, but you can certainly speak to your parish priest about it. 🙂

I know a couple of young men who entered seminary at the age of 18. (The elder of the two has since been ordained to the priesthood, the other just began his fifth year of formation.) In order to do that, they would have had to get the ball rolling before that age, no? 😉
 
I trully hope you have a vocation!
You should first analyse what type of vocation you have, and then see where you’ll fit in.
For example, if you find out that the Benedictine rule and life suits you, go and talk to one of them so they can start the process.
Baby steps.
 
UpUpAndAway said:
I’m not sure why you think this…? You may not be able to take any concrete steps towards entering seminary for a few years, but you can certainly speak to your parish priest about it. 🙂

I know a couple of young men who entered seminary at the age of 18. (The elder of the two has since been ordained to the priesthood, the other just began his fifth year of formation.) In order to do that, they would have had to get the ball rolling before that age, no? 😉
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I second this. In our diocese, if someone goes to the vocations director (or the seminary) wanting to become a priest, the first person that vocations director is going to call is that someone’s pastor. It is very good for a young man who wants to become a priest to get to know his pastor and to look for guidance in his formation.

According to canon law a priest can’t be ordained until he’s 25 years old–
Can. 1031 §1. The presbyterate is not to be conferred except on those who have completed the twenty-fifth year of age and possess sufficient maturity; an interval of at least six months is to be observed between the diaconate and the presbyterate. Those destined to the presbyterate are to be admitted to the order of deacon only after completing the twenty-third year of age.

§2. A candidate for the permanent diaconate who is not married is not to be admitted to the diaconate until after completing at least the twenty-fifth year of age; one who is married, not until after completing at least the thirty-fifth year of age and with the consent of his wife.

§3. The conference of bishops is free to establish norms which require an older age for the presbyterate and the permanent diaconate.

§4. A dispensation of more than a year from the age required according to the norm of §§1 and 2 is reserved to the Apostolic See.

–but that doesn’t mean that a priest’s formation doesn’t start until he enters the seminary. A priest’s formation starts in the cradle.

OP, contact your pastor. If he’s discouraging, well, many priests who went to become saints didn’t feel they were encouraged in the beginning. Sometimes, Providence applies brakes. I’m guessing he will be helpful, though. 👍
 
PetraG said:
According to canon law a priest can’t be ordained until he’s 25 years old–
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That is the current canon law, which is subject to change. In the past, men who were younger than 25 have been elected to the Papacy even.
 
Any single, baptised, Catholic man 18 years or older could be elected to be pope. He would be ordained as a bishop (skipping deacon and priest ordinations) without any studies in Philosophy or Theology. Is it likely going to happen? No.
 
First, you are not too young to begin to speak with your pastor and with the Vocations Office at your Diocese.

Get as much learning as you can in business management, human resources and personnel management, basics of finance. This study can always help regardless of your future, and priests today become directors of small to medium size businesses. Sadly, the seminary does not offer this sort of training.
 
HeDa said:
Is it likely going to happen? No.
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The main problem is that the conclave is meeting in the Sistine Chapel and if a man who wasn’t in the conclave were elected, they would have to send someone out to let him know and he might well turn them down.

Electing someone who is in the room can be asked directly without the embarrassment or inconvenience of having to send out delegates and risking public rejection.
 
Augustinian said:
That is the current canon law, which is subject to change. In the past, men who were younger than 25 have been elected to the Papacy even.
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Just between you and me, what do you think the chances are that canon law changes between now and when the OP turns 25?
HeDa said:
Any single, baptised, Catholic man 18 years or older could be elected to be pope. He would be ordained as a bishop (skipping deacon and priest ordinations) without any studies in Philosophy or Theology. Is it likely going to happen? No.
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Exactly
 
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TheLittleLady said:
First, you are not too young to begin to speak with your pastor and with the Vocations Office at your Diocese.

Get as much learning as you can in business management, human resources and personnel management, basics of finance. This study can always help regardless of your future, and priests today become directors of small to medium size businesses. Sadly, the seminary does not offer this sort of training.
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I’d say that learning what St. Teresa of Avila has to teach is the way to go right now, and that is the best sort of training for the future every one of us ought to be hoping we’ll have.

But yes, someone who thinks he might be a pastor some day should not neglect practical studies. I’m only saying that business schools do not teach the appreciation of “human resources” that a pastor needs to have ingrained into the depths of his heart in order to be a good shepherd.
 
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