Seminary formation

[Semandreu]

I really do not know if the seminary formation before is free of any financial obligations on the part of the seminarians.

Would you like it to be free? Why?

Do you think that many will enter the seminary if it’s free?

Thanks.

 

[JReducation]

If a man wants to be a priest, but remain a secular, he will enter a diocesan seminary. In those cases, each diocese has its own policies. Some dioceses are very strict on the secular part. Meaning, that since you are a secular man and will remain so, even after you become a priest, you have all of the financial obligations that any secular student has. You pay for your education.

In some dioceses there is financial aid and you repay the diocese, if you leave. And then some dioceses have completely free education. There is no constant for diocesan seminarians.

If a man wants to be a consecrated religious and also wants to be a priest, things are a little different. If he has not been through seminary, he must first go through postulancy and novitiate. He pays for all education prior to becoming a novice. Once he makes vows, the religious community must pay for his education from that point forward. If he leaves, he owes the community nothing nor does the community owe him anything.

I hope that helps.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[DexUK]

I can only speak for the UK (and my experience of applying and being accepted for seminary training, albeit postponed for various reasons at the moment).

Here our dioceses pay for the costs of training. By virtue of the fact that training encompasses an academic degree course, some seminarians might receive a package of support from the Government that’s available to all University students, provided they haven’t already been in receipt of that support for an earlier course. To the best of my knowledge no seminarian student in the UK is asked to pay for anything: instead they will have their tuition costs paid for by the diocese and possibly receive a very small amount of ‘pocket money’ to help them pay for necessities, such as clothes, books, etc. Anything over and above that though (like personal computers, cars, etc), they are expected to fund themselves.

 

[CDNowak]

If a man wants to be a consecrated religious and also wants to be a priest, things are a little different. If he has not been through seminary, he must first go through postulancy and novitiate. He pays for all education prior to becoming a novice. Once he makes vows, the religious community must pay for his education from that point forward. If he leaves, he owes the community nothing nor does the community owe him anything.

That can vary from community to community. As a postulant my education was paid for, with no obligation.

 

[JReducation]

That can vary from community to community. As a postulant my education was paid for, with no obligation.

There you go, another variation. It is hard to say what the standard is, because there is no standard across the board. That was very generous of them; since postulants are not canonical members of the religious institute. Novices are canonical religious.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Semandreu]

Thanks for your replies. Now i understand better.

 

[GloriousOrder]

I do know that the F.S.S.P. seminary in Nebraska requires $22 000 USD, but due to arrangements with benefactors, each seminarian only has to come up with $7 000! This is a pitiful sum for such a great experience of faith and wisdom. Most seminary adverts I’ve seen tend to follow this charitable formula.

 

[JReducation]

I do know that the F.S.S.P. seminary in Nebraska requires $22 000 USD, but due to arrangements with benefactors, each seminarian only has to come up with $7 000! This is a pitiful sum for such a great experience of faith and wisdom. Most seminary adverts I’ve seen tend to follow this charitable formula.

Trust me, 22K is cheap. You can’t get a Master’s Degree at any of the Vatican universities for less than 50K. I’m talking about the Gregorian, Angelicum, Holy Cross, St. Bonaventure, Catholic University of America, Louvain, etc. Their theology master’s is very expensive.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[GloriousOrder]

Trust me, 22K is cheap. You can’t get a Master’s Degree at any of the Vatican universities for less than 50K. I’m talking about the Gregorian, Angelicum, Holy Cross, St. Bonaventure, Catholic University of America, Louvain, etc. Their theology master’s is very expensive.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Dear me! Don’t worry, I trust you brother. Now, I really must go find a prayer asking St. Thomas Aquinas to pray for me to God to get me a few hundred thousand! He’ll know just how to ask, too, having taught many … prodigal students.

 

[JReducation]

Dear me! Don’t worry, I trust you brother. Now, I really must go find a prayer asking St. Thomas Aquinas to pray for me to God to get me a few hundred thousand! He’ll know just how to ask, too, having taught many … prodigal students.

I’m sure that if you ask any of our great professor saints they’ll know how to help. Here are a few, just in case Tom is busy this week

Lawrence of Brindisi
Bonaventure
John Baptist de La Salle
Francis de Sales
Fidelis
Anthony of Padua
Rose Phillipine (sp?)
Sophie Barrat
Giuseppi Muscatti

It never hurts to have more than one contact person.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Biedrik]

As far as my diocese goes, it varies for major and minor seminary. For minor seminary, the seminarian or his family is expected to cover as much as possible, and then the diocese covers the rest. If you withdraw from the seminary, you are not obligated to pay the diocese back, although it used to be like that. Fortunately, Cardinal O’malley changed that rule.

For major seminary, I don’t recall the rules exactly, but I think it is similar. You pay what you can, and if you really can’t pay more, the diocese pays the rest. It isn’t much however, so it’s not really too bad for most people.