Life in seminary

[johnseminarian]

im going to St charles borromeo seminary in raleigh, NC this fall, what can i expect of daily life in seminary, im straight out of high school, hopefully ill be ordained In 2020.

 

[Bl_Pope_Pius_IX]

im going to St charles borromeo seminary in raleigh, NC this fall, what can i expect of daily life in seminary, im straight out of high school, hopefully ill be ordained In 2020.

Forgive me for my ignorance but, will you have to get a Bachelors Degree? That’s how it is for the Archdiocese of Boston so I figured that’s how it was for the rest of the Nation. We send our men to Providence College, does St. Charles Borromeo Seminary have a College Seminary as well?

 

[englishredrose]

im going to St charles borromeo seminary in raleigh, NC this fall, what can i expect of daily life in seminary, im straight out of high school, hopefully ill be ordained In 2020.

Try looking it up on the website if they have one that is.
From my own research of Franiscans what normally happens with them is that one applies to the Guardian Novice and she puts us in touch with the Area Guardian Novice and they meet with us and discuss our Spiritual Journey . Of which get a few more meetings with others and fill out a spiritual autobiography piece. You are then invited back I think and become Aspirants. Then ‘sent home’ with spiritual direction that takes about 3 month before one is admitted as a Prostulent. That is for the Third Order of Franiscans. What happens in other Orders etc who knows. But if you really want to know what to expect, ask the contact person you have for there if you are actually already going. I am actually suprised you don’t know what to expect since am sure its all been broken down for you etc, the route or your route if you actually have a place there. But failing that. Be open to the Holy Spirit and just be guided by The Holy Spirit. One thing to be sure of is that you are with God

 

[triumphguy]

im going to St charles borromeo seminary in raleigh, NC this fall, what can i expect of daily life in seminary, im straight out of high school, hopefully ill be ordained In 2020.

A bit like a dorm in a College, except instead of a bar there’s a chapel!

 

[curlycool89]

im going to St charles borromeo seminary in raleigh, NC this fall, what can i expect of daily life in seminary, im straight out of high school, hopefully ill be ordained In 2020.

I was going to give you the schedule from St. Joseph’s Seminary in Edmonton (where I’ll be going this fall), but it looks like their website is on the fritz (if the website goes up it’ll be here).

Usually there is a daily communal celebration of Morning and Evening Prayer (from the Liturgy of the Hours), along with daily Mass. Meals are also usually eaten together. Other then that, there are classes during the day, and there could be other activities during the week depending on the seminary (Adoration, Rosary, community nights, physical/sport activities).

The best thing to do is to visit a seminary to see what they do (although in your case it will probably be closed for the summer).

 

[FCEGM]

im going to St charles borromeo seminary in raleigh, NC this fall, what can i expect of daily life in seminary, im straight out of high school, hopefully ill be ordained In 2020.

Isn’t St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Pennsylvania?

 

[pgnat1]

im going to St charles borromeo seminary in raleigh, NC this fall, what can i expect of daily life in seminary, im straight out of high school, hopefully ill be ordained In 2020.

One of my good friends is entering the Seminary fresh out of high school this year. He just received his Liturgy of the Hours prayer book yesterday. I am going to visit him sometime during this upcoming school year (I will be a sophomore). He has a room to himself at the Seminary. It is very closely knit there (at least at this one) - sort of like a religious community I would assume (They pray and eat and do many other activities together ). I wish you the best of luck and you are in my prayers!

 

[johnseminarian]

its in raleigh, NC, they do have a college seminary, i heard first year seminarians get cassocks too.

 

[Bl_Pope_Pius_IX]

its in raleigh, NC, they do have a college seminary, i heard first year seminarians get cassocks too.

I will have to look into this …If you see an overzealous Extraordinary Form loving monarchist in a couple years, you’ll know its me!

 

[FCEGM]

its in raleigh, NC, they do have a college seminary, i heard first year seminarians get cassocks too.

All of the Diocese of Raleigh’s seminarians are at St. Charles Borromeo in Philadelphia (except for two presently in Mexico). Does the seminary have an adjunct program in Raleigh for those first entering?

 

[Iaamiccwint]

I strongly…strongly recomened that you recieve a secular degree [not having to do with religion] before you enter the seminary. I got this advice from various priests. Going to the seminary straight out of high school is not a good idea in my opinion. You need to revieve at least a Bachelor’s Degree first, what interests you? How about a Degree in Bussiness or Political Science before you go into the seminary.

 

[triumphguy]

Good point!

Psychology would be good, or history, or even sociology - as long as the college isn’t anti-Catholic. Education would be good too.

 

[Iaamiccwint]

Good point!

Psychology would be good, or history, or even sociology - as long as the college isn’t anti-Catholic. Education would be good too.

Yes, yes…The priests who told me this were very educated and were actually university professors teaching subjects other than those having to with religion such as history, sociology, psychology, etc.

I know a man who was just ordained a priest about two weeks ago and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Therapy and worked for some time in a Cancer Unit in Jon Hopkins before entering the seminary. Actually, I think he was working as a Physical Therapist part time while in the Seminary. So there you go.

While working as a physical terapist in the cancer unit, he decided to become a priest whole working with this patients, and he’s still in his 20s…So, something to think about it.

So, I really love that you’re going to become a priest, but it wouldn’t hurt to get a secular degree first.

Also, I did the math, when you were a high school freshman, I was a high school senior, so were about the same age. So, congrats on graduation.

 

[MPSchneiderLC]

I strongly…strongly recomened that you recieve a secular degree [not having to do with religion] before you enter the seminary. I got this advice from various priests. Going to the seminary straight out of high school is not a good idea in my opinion. You need to revieve at least a Bachelor’s Degree first, what interests you? How about a Degree in Bussiness or Political Science before you go into the seminary.

I think it depends on each person, the call is a call and God can call when he chooses. One also has to consider ministry time lost.

I personally “dropped out” of engineering after 2 years because I was sure God was calling me and figured that if that is the case two years would be better spent in ministry later on than completing a degree.

Many dioceses also have a college seminary where the seminarians live in community but study a college degree of their choice (although they have to minor in philosophy if that isn’t their major). Then if you decide it isn’t for you, you have all or part of a degree.

If you go this way, please consider two things first:

1. cost - most religious communities will not accept those with heavy student debts and dioceses may be a little restrictive too.
2. Contact your diocesan vocation director so that you can get the pre-requisites for major seminary (only 30 credits - so equivalent to a minor). Otherwise you loose one year of ministry.

 

[MPSchneiderLC]

See my signature. I was posting on life in the seminary every week. (I am on a little hiatus right now but should be back by mid to late August).

 

[Iaamiccwint]

I think it depends on each person, the call is a call and God can call when he chooses. One also has to consider ministry time lost.

I personally “dropped out” of engineering after 2 years because I was sure God was calling me and figured that if that is the case two years would be better spent in ministry later on than completing a degree.

Many dioceses also have a college seminary where the seminarians live in community but study a college degree of their choice (although they have to minor in philosophy if that isn’t their major). Then if you decide it isn’t for you, you have all or part of a degree.

If you go this way, please consider two things first:

1. cost - most religious communities will not accept those with heavy student debts and dioceses may be a little restrictive too.
2. Contact your diocesan vocation director so that you can get the pre-requisites for major seminary (only 30 credits - so equivalent to a minor). Otherwise you loose one year of ministry.

I once wanted to become a priest, but I later realized I want to have my own job where I make money, keep my own money, etc. I don’t think theres anything wrong or selfish with that. Also, I’m deeply connected to my hometown and my family and friends and to be shuffeled around to different communities doesn’t fit into my lifestyle. I’m deeply involved with my community and I believe my services would be better suited to my city than some random neigboorhood that I’ve never been too. I decided I want to become a permanant deacon. I’m studying political science right now and plan on getting a nursing degree after. I also found out that you have to be a much more older person in order to be a permanant deadon…which I don’t quite understand. I do know that don’t want to or plan on getting married. So, yeah…Women aren’t for me…advice?

 

[qui_est_ce]

I strongly…strongly recomened that you recieve a secular degree [not having to do with religion] before you enter the seminary. I got this advice from various priests. Going to the seminary straight out of high school is not a good idea in my opinion. You need to revieve at least a Bachelor’s Degree first, what interests you? How about a Degree in Bussiness or Political Science before you go into the seminary.

Then why do so many seminaries have undergraduate schools?

 

[triumphguy]

Many don’t.

You DO need 2 years of philosophy before you can start theology, and many seminaries allow their students to catch up on site.

There’s obviously no one way of going through seminary - it depends on the diocese, the order/congregation and the candidate.

 

[ringil]

I actually didn’t know that going to seminary right out of H.S. was an option for diocesan priests.

I am actually glad it wasn’t for me as I would have done it as I thought that I wanted to be a priest but found out it wasn’t for me. I would have made a TERRIBLE priest!!

I know that some religious orders will take in kids- let’s face it “kids” right out of HS- but that is even rare.

 

[Iaamiccwint]

I actually didn’t know that going to seminary right out of H.S. was an option for diocesan priests.

I am actually glad it wasn’t for me as I would have done it as I thought that I wanted to be a priest but found out it wasn’t for me. I would have made a TERRIBLE priest!!

I know that some religious orders will take in kids- let’s face it “kids” right out of HS- but that is even rare.

In my home diosese they don’t take people straight out of high school. My archdioses says that you have to have a college degree first before entering the seminary. Well, at least what the priests who’ve told me.