Question about paying for College/College Seminary

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DarrenOglesby

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Don’t know if any of you remember me or not, but I posted about this a long time ago. As some may know I have been discerning priesthood for about 3 or 4 years now. And I am about to enter my first year of college (Not Seminary yet). I have decided that I want to go to seminary my sophomore year, which is next year, fall 2012. However for that fact being that my parents don’t want me to go to seminary, but they still say that I can do it if I want, I am on my own financially with no money already saved up.

So I was wondering if going the route of taking student loans was acceptable for college seminary and paying them off in the future.

Btw you are talking to someone who know’s nothing about student loans or paying for college. I may soon find out when I have to pay my 10,000 community college bill.

So if any of you know how this works, or if any of you are semenarians that can answer my question, it will be much appreciated.

I have talked to the vocation diretor back in High School. I believe they only pay for Major Seminary.

And as always pray for me!
Thanks, Darren:thumbsup:
 
DarrenOglesby said:
Don’t know if any of you remember me or not, but I posted about this a long time ago. As some may know I have been discerning priesthood for about 3 or 4 years now. And I am about to enter my first year of college (Not Seminary yet). I have decided that I want to go to seminary my sophomore year, which is next year, fall 2012. However for that fact being that my parents don’t want me to go to seminary, but they still say that I can do it if I want, I am on my own financially with no money already saved up.

So I was wondering if going the route of taking student loans was acceptable for college seminary and paying them off in the future.

Btw you are talking to someone who know’s nothing about student loans or paying for college. I may soon find out when I have to pay my 10,000 community college bill.

So if any of you know how this works, or if any of you are semenarians that can answer my question, it will be much appreciated.

I have talked to the vocation diretor back in High School. I believe they only pay for Major Seminary.

And as always pray for me!
Thanks, Darren:thumbsup:
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I do know that when you are finished with seminary you do not pay anything back. Talk to your vocations director and ask him for assistance talk to the serra club the Knights of Columbus. there are ways to get help many ways. If you are called you will get in. Remember this is not like medical school or law school where you go to “make a huge living” this is different it is selfless and in this Jesus comes first. God Bless Scoob
 
Thanks, I believe that if it is his will, then there will be a way. I am just wondering if that way is to gather up debt from Student Loans. I will be sure to bring this up when I visit the seminary in November.
 
Right as I said you need to talk to your vocations director and the seminary. I forget but there is an organization that pays your college debt. If you have a 4 year degree then they will defenetly talk to you. Either way money is not a deal breaker. There is a way. If a diocese accepts you they will do all they can to get you started. I got in and so can you. God Bless Scoob.
 
I just created a blog for anyone to follow, I am hoping to update regulary. And Hopefully I can blog about my discernment process, it should be getting intresting with the application process (God willing) starting soon.

Pray for Me, Darren
darrenoglesby92.blogspot.com/
 
scoobydoo6v92 said:
I do know that when you are finished with seminary you do not pay anything back.
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This really depends on the diocese.

There are some dioceses that make you pay for your college (and college seminary) how ever you can, so if you do student loans you have to replay them.

Some diocese pay for your major seminary, some pay half of it with you replaying your half after you graduate.

Again, it all depends on your diocese, you need to talk with your vocations director about this. Also if you plan to enter the seminary next year then you should already be in touch with your vocations director and starting the applications process.
 
My diocese that accepted me pays for theology (major seminary) not college. I have to go to Cardinal Stritch for two years then theology. The diocese worked out something and they have the funds for the two years at Cardinal Stritch. I honestly don’t know how anyone could repay college/seminary debt once they are a priest. as priests don’t make much money. But God provides Scoob.
 
scoobydoo6v92 said:
My diocese that accepted me pays for theology (major seminary) not college. I have to go to Cardinal Stritch for two years then theology. The diocese worked out something and they have the funds for the two years at Cardinal Stritch. I honestly don’t know how anyone could repay college/seminary debt once they are a priest. as priests don’t make much money. But God provides Scoob.
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I agree with you, I do not see how one can repay on a priest’s salary either but alas that is how it is with some dioceses. This is one of the many things that made me withdraw my application to a diocese.
 
ByzCath said:
This really depends on the diocese.

There are some dioceses that make you pay for your college (and college seminary) how ever you can, so if you do student loans you have to replay them.

Some diocese pay for your major seminary, some pay half of it with you replaying your half after you graduate.

Again, it all depends on your diocese, you need to talk with your vocations director about this. Also if you plan to enter the seminary next year then you should already be in touch with your vocations director and starting the applications process.
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I contacted my Vocation Director in my Sophomore Year, and I have been mainly talking to the Rector of the Seminary since, I am from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, we are responisble for the College Seminary, and The Archdiocese pays for the Major Seminary. And Major Seminarians get a stipend. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis has their own seminarians withing the Diocese. Bishop Simon Brute` College Seminary with the studies at Marian University, and the Major Seminary is at St. Meinrad Archabbey, which is also within the diocese.

I remember when I talked to the vocation director over the phone in the beginning of Senior Year, he said something about financial aid and scholarships. Which I didn’t know what they were at the time lol. So I assuming that means that I can go to the minor seminary somehow. Except I will have to find ways to pay for it.

I am going up to the College Seminary in November around my Birthday. From there I will talk to the Rector about all my questions and about Application Process
 
There are ways to get the funds for college. I don’t know how my diocese pulled that rabbit out of the hat but they have all the funds for my two years of college that I need. I am a second career vocation and have life experience and that is a 60 credit, credit towards college so I have only one and a half to two years instead of the required 4 years so the cost would be in half. What is nice about Sacred Heart School of Theology is that they work with Cardinal Stritch and so it is a “packaged deal” I find it unfair that some diocese require you to pay for the whole thing knowing that priests don’t make a huge potfull of money. It would discourage a lot of kids thinking of priesthood and had to pay everything back, most would say with all that education may as well be a doctor lawyer or the like and at the same time get the girl in the end and get kids in the bargain. It is a discouragement and yet another nail in the coffin of vocations. But there are other diocese that offer all kinds of help lifelines and are pro vocation all the way. My diocese is one of them. If they accepted me!!! there is no reason why anyone would have a problem. For what I went through I was honestly shocked and surprised!!! but again God is works in mysterious ways. My thoughts on this subject.
 
scoobydoo6v92 said:
I find it unfair that some diocese require you to pay for the whole thing knowing that priests don’t make a huge potfull of money. It would discourage a lot of kids thinking of priesthood and had to pay everything back, most would say with all that education may as well be a doctor lawyer or the like and at the same time get the girl in the end and get kids in the bargain. It is a discouragement and yet another nail in the coffin of vocations.
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I understand this thought and share it to a point. I think the same goes for religious communities that want all candidates to have at least a bachelors degree but then require them to be debt free including student loans. It sets up getting only a certain type of vocation.

Having said that it is also important to remember that the price of such education is high and not all dioceses or religious communities have the resources to cover the costs.

This may be one of the signs that one does not have a vocation to that diocese/group.
 
ByzCath said:
I This may be one of the signs that one does not have a vocation to that diocese/group.
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Absolutly!! that I totally agree with and that is sort of what I dealt with in my discernment. If it wasn’t my age (41 I mean really I am only 41) or it was the education. One Bishop I talked to was an electrical engineer. and was a second career vocation, just wanted someone with a 4 year degree I told him about Sacred Heart School of Theology and he still rejected me. as well as the Bishop of Sioux Falls SD. So yes I agree God will direct you to the diocese he wants you in. Or religous community.
 
I believe that somehow that everything will be fine. I just have this feeling. But I have talked to the dominicans a while back and they said that a certain amount of student loans would’ve been alright. I don’t feeled called to the Dominicans right now, but I do remember them saying that. And Luckily for me, I want to be either a priest, and a teacher or a DRE. So I think Seminary would work out for me, even if in the end I didn’t want to be a priest anymore.

But I have faith and a feeling that everything will be fine. I spent a couple of hours in Eucharistic Adoration today, and I have been praying for St. John Vianney’s intercession today.

Darren Oglesby
www.darrenoglesby92.blogspot.com
 
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