Is it compulsory for catholic priests to graduate with a degree

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SAVINGRACE

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My friend advised me that it is compulsory for all Priests to graduate with a degree before they can become a Priest.

I don’t think this is the case and can find no proof for it. Anyone out there know?
 
Can.* 1032 §1. Those aspiring to the presbyterate can be promoted to the diaconate only after they have completed the fifth year of the curriculum of philosophical and theological studies.

Can.* 1050 For a person to be promoted to sacred orders, the following documents are required:

1/ a testimonial that studies have been properly completed according to the norm of ⇒ can. 1032;
 
1ke said:
Can.* 1032 §1. Those aspiring to the presbyterate can be promoted to the diaconate only after they have completed the fifth year of the curriculum of philosophical and theological studies.

Can.* 1050 For a person to be promoted to sacred orders, the following documents are required:

1/ a testimonial that studies have been properly completed according to the norm of ⇒ can. 1032;
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Thank you. So that’s a no and yes depending on what ‘stream’ of the faith they are entering?
 
=SAVINGRACE;10558500]My friend advised me that it is compulsory for all Priests to graduate with a degree before they can become a Priest.
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I don’t think this is the case and can find no proof for it. Anyone out there know?
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YES, curently it is mandated
 
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SAVINGRACE:
So that’s a no and yes depending on what ‘stream’ of the faith they are entering?
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I believe it’s an unconditional ‘yes.’ No one becomes a priest (presbyterate) without first becoming a deacon (diaconate).
 
I don’t know about the rules in Australia, but in the US, a man cannot enter “major seminary” without at least a Bachelor’s degree. After seminary, most of the priests I know ended up with a Masters in Divinity.

Here is a link to the Program of Priestly Formation that is used in the US. I would imagine that most places around the world have something similar.
 
I’m confused, some are saying yes, some are saying it depends what country the Priest lives in and others are saying yes and no… :confused:
 
Essentially, yes, especially with the internet/ability to move people thousands of miles for a good education during their formation.

Now, technically, a Bishop could ordain someone without that, they just need a male person, but today, men are first expected to have earned a degree. This may vary for some of the religious orders (although none I’m familiar with).
 
SAVINGRACE said:
I’m confused, some are saying yes, some are saying it depends what country the Priest lives in and others are saying yes and no… :confused:
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I can only speak to what happens in the US, but I would guess that the rules are pretty much standard. According to the Code of Canon Law
Can. 242 Each nation is to have a program of priestly formation which is to be established by the conference of bishops, attentive to the norms issued by the supreme authority of the Church, and which is to be approved by the Holy See. This program is to be adapted to new circumstances, also with the approval of the Holy See, and is to define the main principles of the instruction to be given in the seminary and general norms adapted to the pastoral needs of each region or province.
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So, even though it’s from the US, the link I provided earlier will give you some idea of what the priestly formation process is like.
 
SAVINGRACE said:
My friend advised me that it is compulsory for all Priests to graduate with a degree before they can become a Priest.

I don’t think this is the case and can find no proof for it. Anyone out there know?
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Not all seminaries around the world grant degrees so there is no absolute yes or no answer to your question. It is true that a candidate for the priesthood requires several years of graduate level study.
 
In the US, as already posted, most men heading toward ordination for a diocese graduate with a Masters in Divinity. It is the rough equivalent of the international STL - Licentiate in Sacred Theology
 
Suslar said:
In the US, as already posted, most men heading toward ordination for a diocese graduate with a Masters in Divinity. It is the rough equivalent of the international STL - Licentiate in Sacred Theology
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I second that. At our diocesan seminary the newly ordained priests will have a Masters. I believe that is the norm in the U.S. I am aware of men who graduated from a college (not a seminary) with a Bachelors and then entered the seminary, finishing with a Masters and also being ordained. In some countries there may not be the resources to educate a priest to the level of a Masters, but I would think that completing the requirements of becoming a priest anywhere would mean receiving at least a Bachelors degree or the equivalent.

A side note: I was just reading a book that talked about some of the changes made at the 4th Lateran Council and after. The level of competence for priests was raised considerably starting in the 1200’s, as apparently until that time some men were being ordained and given parishes who were very unqualified, untrained and even illiterate. Things have vastly improved.
 
SAVINGRACE said:
I’m confused, some are saying yes, some are saying it depends what country the Priest lives in and others are saying yes and no… :confused:
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Let us make it simple…😉

A priest is generally (universally) required to have degree…preferably AB Philosophy, after Philo, a Theology degree which usually takes 4 yrs to complete, prior to ordination.
 
Suslar said:
In the US, as already posted, most men heading toward ordination for a diocese graduate with a Masters in Divinity. It is the rough equivalent of the international STL - Licentiate in Sacred Theology
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Actually, it’s the equivalent of an STB. I know this because our Theology College is going through the steps to accredit our MDiv program so that seminarians will also receive a STB upon graduation.

An STL requires additional study beyond the MDiv level, usually (but not always) for North American priests they are sent to Rome for that.
 
curlycool89 said:
Actually, it’s the equivalent of an STB. I know this because our Theology College is going through the steps to accredit our MDiv program so that seminarians will also receive a STB upon graduation.

An STL requires additional study beyond the MDiv level, usually (but not always) for North American priests they are sent to Rome for that.
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Catholic University in DC offers both the STL and STD.
 
msokeefe said:
Does this mean that we have Priest’s with large student loans?
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No, I don’t think seminarians have to borrow money to study for the priesthood. It is not like attending a college that charges a tuition. Think of it like a military academy (West Point) where your education is paid for because you are making a service commitment; in this case, to God and the Church.

A happy and blessed Easter to all.
 
msokeefe said:
Does this mean that we have Priest’s with large student loans?
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What it generally means is we have many potential priests and men and women religious whose vocations are delayed if not completely side-tracked by their large student loans.

(See “Debt, the Vocation Killer”, National Catholic Register, March 11-17, 2007: fundforvocations.org/misc/Debt_Vocation_Killer.pdf)

A good way to support vocations is to support either the Mater Ecclesiae Fund for Vocations (fundforvocations.org) or the Labouré Society (labouresociety.org)
 
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