Requirements for being a Priest?

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Can literally anyone be a Priest? Even uneducated people? Or are there certain requirements? I think I heard from somewhere that it requires a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy?
 
There are a lot of studies you have to complete to become a Catholic priest. Equivalent to a masters degree anyhow. Yes, you do have to be educated
 
Hmm, I’m curious though. The Apostles – as far as I know – were uneducated men. I think St John Vianney was uneducated himself? Why is there a requirement for the Priest to be educated?
 
St. John Vianney started his education in his 20’s and worked hard to educate himself. After he got very sick he went back to school so he could become a priest. I feel men who have the calling to become a priest are willing to go through as must education as they can just to answer the calling. There are programs available to help pay for this education. I believe there is a requirement because a priest life is hard and they need to be a teacher and leader for the people.
 
There is first a lengthy application process, with references, background checks, interviews with clergy of the Diocese, and psychological and physical examinations. After being accepted to the Diocese, one applies to the seminary to be academically admitted, as he would to any other post secondary school.

Seminary consists of four years of undergraduate philosophy and four years of graduate theology, with the latter half including pastoral formation as well. This is the track for one who has no college degree. For one with a degree (like myself), instead of four years, the philosophy portion is called pre-theology and is just two years. The first phase of seminary, either college or pre-theology, is devoted to the discernment of one’s vocation, i.e. is he really called to the priesthood. Theology then begins proximate preparation for the priesthood. Ordination to the diaconate occurs at the end of third theology, usually, and priestly ordination follows graduation at the end of fourth.

Note that this is the process for Diocesan clergy. With religious order priests it’s a little different.

-Fr ACEGC
 
Well, the apostles were certainly not eneducated men. That’s a common thought, but inaccurate. First of all, you should realize that all Jewish boys went to synagogue school at the time of Christ. There they were taught to read Hebrew and Aramaic, and very possibly Greek also. As there was Jewish scripture and other literature written in all three languages. Indeed, ancient Jews had almost a 100% literacy rate among men. Then, we don’t know that much about all the apostles, but we do know that Peter had his own fishing boat. Not a minor thing, a boat would not have been cheap at that time. So he had his fishing business, which means that he had to deal with Roman taxes, likely he knew Greek for this also. Now many historians have speculated that Peter’s business partner was Zebedee, the father of James and John. So they were young men, but learning the business also. Mathew was a tax collector, so he was certainly literate and knew how to write. In ancient times, reading and writing were two different skills. Most Jewish men knew how to read, but relatively few were taught to write. So they did have formal education, and practical education.

Secondly, and most importantly, the apostles were taught by Jesus. And they were taught many more things than explicitly detailed in scripture. They had the best theoogical education ever given to men.

So your assumptions the apostles were uneducated is wrong.
 
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