Priests in Religious orders

[BrooklynBoy200]

If you join a religious order, do they decide if you become a priest, or do you decide? I know God decides, but is it up to them if you become one or not?

 

[Trevelyan]

If you join a religious order, do they decide if you become a priest, or do you decide? I know God decides, but is it up to them if you become one or not?

Ultimately, yes, it is up to them whether you become a priest or not. But as you say it is up to God, and by your vow of obedience you take the decisions of your superiors as representing the will of God. But of course they would discern together with you about whether you feel called to the priesthood, and the needs of the community. So, the superiors and the man would both be working together to discern the will of God.

 

[Trevelyan]

That didn’t quite make sense, correction:

Ultimately, yes, it is up to them whether you become a priest or not. But as you say it is up to God, and by your vow of obedience you take the decisions of your superiors as representing the will of God. But of course they would discern together with you about whether you feel called to the priesthood. Both your desire and the needs of the community would be taken into account. So, the superiors and the man would both be working together to discern the will of God.

 

[vince2paul]

I think you can be a religious priest, but whether you serve as a priest or not is up to the superior and the community. I know the Franciscan Friars in my parish do vote within the community to decide who will be the parish priest, asst parish priest, etc.

So you may be qualified priest, but if you are allocated to work at the colombarium office/vocation director, you may not be able to celebrate mass as often as the diocesan priests.

 

[Titus]

I think you can be a religious priest, but whether you serve as a priest or not is up to the superior and the community. I know the Franciscan Friars in my parish do vote within the community to decide who will be the parish priest, asst parish priest, etc.

So you may be qualified priest, but if you are allocated to work at the colombarium office/vocation director, you may not be able to celebrate mass as often as the diocesan priests.

They can always celebrate mass. I can’t believe in the West we have Francisan priests who can’t celebrate mass and want to. Come on! And if they are monastic, they very often celebrate private masses- I remember that from Cardinal Basil Hume OSB’s memoirs.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

They can always celebrate mass. I can’t believe in the West we have Francisan priests who can’t celebrate mass and want to. Come on! And if they are monastic, they very often celebrate private masses- I remember that from Cardinal Basil Hume OSB’s memoirs.

Religious priests who are not assigned to a parish do not celebrate the sacraments as often as those who are assigned to parishes, this is true.

I know a religious priest who has worked in High Schools for almost his whole time as a priest, about 15 years, and he has only done 10 baptisms and a handful of marriages.

But they have ample oppurtunity to celebrate Mass on Sundays as there is always a change to supply in a parish that needs a priest. Also many communities celebrate daily Mass.

Those religious priests who are assigned to parishes usually miss out on the daily community prayer.

 

[BrooklynBoy200]

I wanted to join a religious order like the franciscans after i get done with college. But i wasn’t sure if i would be guaranteed a position as a priest. I don’t really care if i’m assigned to a parish. It would be nice though.
Plus, would i go to seminary before joining the order if i have a bachelor’s degree, or would they send me to seminary when i joined?

 

[chicago]

I wanted to join a religious order like the franciscans after i get done with college. But i wasn’t sure if i would be guaranteed a position as a priest.

A couple of things.

Firstly, a call to the religious life is a particular call to community and charism. A call to the priesthood may or may not accompany it. But if you desire to join an order, then you ought to primarily be interested in that order for it’s own sake.

Now, you’re certainly not going to be “guaranteed” anything WRT a priestly calling (whether in religious life or not). You could well be given the opportunity to enter seminary and discern, just to see it not come to eventual fruition. However, if it is your interest and sense that you would like to be a priest, I imagine that an order would take your desires into serious consideration and, assuming they see the possibility of such a call in you also, direct you in that way.

Plus, would i go to seminary before joining the order if i have a bachelor’s degree, or would they send me to seminary when i joined?

They would send you. You can’t just “enter” seminary like you might go to college and study for a particular program. Given, many seminaries today actually do offer degrees to lay people who study right alongside the seminarians, but these students are not in “seminary”, per se. A seminarian ultimately requires the support and sponsorship of either a diocese or religious community. So, in order for you to get into seminary, there needs to be somebody somewhere who believes in you and is willing to offer you a shot at it.

 

[BrooklynBoy200]

Ok, got it. Thanks everybody.