Preparations?

[CarlJohn360]

Hi! I’m 17 years old, and I will enter my Senior year of High School this upcoming August. I continue to pray about it, but I am absolutely positive of my calling to the priesthood. Now that school is out for the summer, I have been wondering what, if any, preparations need to be made my senior year? For example; most people start filling out college applications, scholarship forms, etc. Another thing, is there any financial aid available to help cover the costs of Seminary? Peace be with you all.

Carl H.
Located in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana.

 

[Timmay]

Hey there,

God Bless you on discerning your call. You’ve got a long road ahead of you, but it’s worth it in the end.

The person you should start talking to is the vocation director for your diocese or order(s) you’re considering. They will be able to guide you on what is required of you, what steps you need to take, etc. They will have information for you on retreats or visits to your local seminary. They’re there for you.

It’s hard to get any more specific beyond that because every diocese and order are different. Some will take you right out of high school and pay for your education. Some will ask you to return once you’ve got a degree. Some dioceses have financial aid programs, others have loan programs.

Something else you should do is get yourself a spiritual advisor, if you do not already have one. This can be any priest that you trust to help you grow and mature in your prayer life, and to guide you into a closer relationship with Christ.

Good luck to you. I’ll remember you in my prayers, tonight. If you ever have more questions, there’s a bunch of people here for you always willing to talk and help.

 

[briami]

Hi!

I would agree that you should start talking to your diocese’s Vocations Director. They would be the perfect place to start the ball rolling. In my diocese students entering the seminary right out of high school are sent to a four year minor seminary to get a Bachelor of Arts degree and to receive the Philosophy classes required to continue on to the Theological Seminary. While attending the minor seminary, the student pays half of the tuition, room and board, and also pays for their own health insurance. However, I think they offer loans that can be repaid in full if the student is ordained a priest.

I graduated from a university with a Bachelor of Science and am entering a minor seminary to only take the Philosophy classes required for the Theological Seminary. Since I already have a degree, my diocese is paying for everything (including books and insurance). (By the way, students coming to seminary directly from High School stop paying for classes when they move to a Theological Seminary.)

The only bad thing about how I went about going to seminary is the fact that I will end up spending ten years studing to become a priest. Whereas, a High School student going to seminary would only study for eight years.

God Bless!