Religious Priests

[BrooklynBoy200]

What do Religious Priests actually do during their days? I’ve been on all these websites for the differant orders, but none of them have a straight answer. Can someone hook me up with a good website or something? Thanks.

 

[Fr.Joe]

I don’t know of any websites off the top of my head to direct you to, but different religious orders are involved in different types of ministry and work. Some are involved in education, others work with the poor, some are in health care fields, etc. They do a wide variety of things. Is there anything specifically you are interested in?

 

[BrooklynBoy200]

I wanted to be a Franciscan because my favorite saint, Saint Anthony, was one. But i don’t know if i’d really like what they do. I’d like to work with the poor, and try to avoid public speaking whenever possible ( i’ll do it, but it’s not one of my favorite things.)

 

[Fr.Joe]

I wanted to be a Franciscan because my favorite saint, Saint Anthony, was one. But i don’t know if i’d really like what they do. I’d like to work with the poor, and try to avoid public speaking whenever possible ( i’ll do it, but it’s not one of my favorite things.)

You know it’s funny, every priest I know (including myself) was initially scared to death of public speaking. In fact, I read somewhere that people fear public speaking more than death! But believe me, it’s not that bad. In fact, after a little practice, it’s really kind of fun and is certainly nothing to be fearful of.

 

[BrooklynBoy200]

You know it’s funny, every priest I know (including myself) was initially scared to death of public speaking. In fact, I read somewhere that people fear public speaking more than death! But believe me, it’s not that bad. In fact, after a little practice, it’s really kind of fun and is certainly nothing to be fearful of.

I’m just not creative enough to think up beautiful sermons and the like. But yeah, i heard that the Franciscans do a lot of public speaking so my interest in them decreased a bit. But i think the main thing would be working with the poor. And administering ( is that the right word?) the sacraments.

 

[puzzleannie]

this site has links to several religious orders for both men and women, also look at the “vocations” link, should answer a lot of your questions
religiouslife.com/

 

[BrooklynBoy200]

Priestly Fraternity of St.Peter looks interesting. I heard the Latin Mass is easier to say than the other one. But i have another question. I thought you needed a master’s degree to become a priest. This says to join the Priestly Fraternity of St.Peter you only need two years of college. Do you complete the rest during the formation into the Order? And also they aren’t religious priests right? Thats fine.The only reason i wanted to become a religious was because i wanted to take vows, not promises.
P.S. Thankyou for the link puzzleannie

 

[tequilamac]

I wanted to be a Franciscan because my favorite saint, Saint Anthony, was one. But i don’t know if i’d really like what they do. I’d like to work with the poor, and try to avoid public speaking whenever possible ( i’ll do it, but it’s not one of my favorite things.)

One of my favorite priests was a Carmelite Brother who liked working in the library because he was shy and did not like public speaking. He became a priest much much later than the others due to a request from the Church and no one has gotten a word in edgewise ever since. Somehow the proclamation of the Gospel gets priests over their fear of public speaking. If I were you, I wouldn’t let your fear now stop your future.

 

[BrooklynBoy200]

I’m only a Sophmore in high school right now. I hate having to wait another 2 1/2 years, and then college, before i can become a priest.

Another question:
My church is a Franciscan church. Can i go to my director of vocations ( or whatever that is called) to give me information about a differant order, or just the franciscans? And, what about the degree thing?

Thanks for the answers and encouragment guys.

 

[Formosus]

Priestly Fraternity of St.Peter looks interesting. I heard the Latin Mass is easier to say than the other one. But i have another question. I thought you needed a master’s degree to become a priest. This says to join the Priestly Fraternity of St.Peter you only need two years of college. Do you complete the rest during the formation into the Order? And also they aren’t religious priests right? Thats fine.The only reason i wanted to become a religious was because i wanted to take vows, not promises.
P.S. Thankyou for the link puzzleannie

The FSSP have a 7 year seminary program, hence no need for a college degree to enter it.

 

[chicago]

I’m just not creative enough to think up beautiful sermons and the like.

Then you would fit in wonderfully with the great majority of priests!

As to some of your other questions, in order to be ordained a priest you need to complete a certain level of philosophical and theological studies (among other things) which are usually done in a college and seminary theologate program. These are a part of your formation and typically equal to the kind of graduate degree completion that you have in mind. However, in order to begin formation as a priest or enter a religious order you may not necessarily have to already gone through college as this training would be part of their program for educating you. But it’s not like you’d be ordained at 20. More like 25 at least.

Who can you talk to about this all? Well some priest at your parish could certainly help direct you. If he’s a Franciscan and you are interested in their order, all the better! Even if you can’t enter formal discernment with their order at this point, he may offer spiritual direction and get you involved with some of their ministries so you could try out whether that charism is something which you’d like pursuing further after high school. At this point, I would imagine that the same priests could help you more generally in your discernment, though ultimately each order or diocese tends to have their own formation program for a candidate to follow whereby you’d have to leave one to join another. But that’s something for you to worry about more later. Now you can just try stuff out, see where you seem to fit in and what you want to explore further, and maybe contact those groups to get more general information.

 

[puzzleannie]

One of my favorite priests was a Carmelite Brother who liked working in the library because he was shy and did not like public speaking. He became a priest much much later than the others due to a request from the Church and no one has gotten a word in edgewise ever since. Somehow the proclamation of the Gospel gets priests over their fear of public speaking. If I were you, I wouldn’t let your fear now stop your future.

I am reminded of St Anthony of Padua who was considered too slow and inarticulate to preach, but one day at some imporant event, none of the great preachers felt prepared enough, so they asked Anthony to preach, and his eloquence blew everyone away, and he became quickly the most notable preacher of his day.

 

[Unfinished]

Priestly Fraternity of St.Peter looks interesting. I heard the Latin Mass is easier to say than the other one. But i have another question. I thought you needed a master’s degree to become a priest. This says to join the Priestly Fraternity of St.Peter you only need two years of college. Do you complete the rest during the formation into the Order? And also they aren’t religious priests right? Thats fine.The only reason i wanted to become a religious was because i wanted to take vows, not promises.
P.S. Thankyou for the link puzzleannie

Don’t join the FSSP if you do not already have a great love of the Latin Mass. Just a suggestion. They currently cannot offer you a degree at the FSSP seminary. (In America anyway. They are not considered an accredited university) Is it “eaiser” because you are facing the same direction as the people? Yes. It helps me when serving because I don’t have to stare at everybody, but I still get nervous every time I serve. But if you do not currently attend the TLM or speak Latin, then it would be much harder.

The FSSP do not take vows. They are not a religious order. They operate as parish priests except they only celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass.

But remember, the priest still has to turn around and give the homily.

Last I checked, the Franciscans were all about caring for the poor. I don’t know much about the different areas of the Franciscans, but I am sure with a big of digging you could find one that specificly did nothing but that. Contact ANY Franciscan vocations director and I am sure they could put you in touch with the right area of the order. (I just saw your parish is Franciscan. I’m sure they can help you out!)

As for college, roger up and tell them you want to join (when you decide) and they will give you all the education you need. They want you, trust me.

Ps. You’re in my prayers.

 

[BrooklynBoy200]

So i get an undergraduate degree and then go and ask information on an order? Or do i ask information first? And do all orders have their own seminary program thing or do i have to go to some seminary before i look to join one? Or do i just look to join one during like my senior year (in highschool) and they will tell me everything i have to do?
Sorry for all the questions, but thanks.

 

[chicago]

At one time, many religious orders actually had their own high school seminary programs where someone your age could go to school and prepare to join their community eventually.

Nowadays, each group really is different and so you have to inquire individually as to what their policies are.

It may well be that a community would let you join them at the age of 18. They would put you through their own designated formation program and send you to whatever schooling they deem necessary. While a few orders do have their own seminaries, more often seminary education and formation would take place in conjunction with whoever’s established seminary they choose to send you to.

Other orders would prefer that you get a college degree first before trying them out. Again, once affiliated with a community, you’d have a time to get accustomed to their way of life and be formed in that. Eventually, they would be able to send you along to seminary if their desire and yours was to pursue the priesthood.

Be clear that there is a distinction between being a member of a religious community (which is a call in and of itself) and the additional step of becoming a priest. Being called to one does not necessarily indicate the other and each has it’s own unique steps.

But there is certainly no reason why you can’t inquire information from communities even now and be in touch with people from them who can give you a better idea as to what they hope for and expect out of someone like yourself who seeks to discern and explore their way of life and the priesthood.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

The FSSP have a 7 year seminary program, hence no need for a college degree to enter it.

What does their program consist of?

I assume that you end up with an MDiv as that is what the bishops in the US require now.