Should I get a teaching credential before entering seminary?

[aggie_catholic]

I’m currently 23 years old. I have a bachelor’s degree in English and feel called to teach high school students, but I need a teaching credential to do that. However, I feel even more strongly called to the priesthood. I have met with other priests to discuss my discernment, including the director of vocations in my diocese. I am thinking of joining a religious order like the Franciscans or Carmelites whom I can teach with. My question is this: do they care whether or not I have my credential, or should I quit stalling? I’m aware that the Sacraments take priority before all other duties, but I feel that my potential role as a Catholic educator is important for me to consider as well.

 

[Le_Crouton]

Do it after you become a priest and the order might pay for it!

 

[Irishmom2]

You should really just speak to your vocations director for answers. He would know better than any of us.

 

[prayerrider]

In California Catholic schools generally require a credential to teach K-8. High schools will often accept a master’s degree in the subject. I don’t know about other states.

 

[Maximilian75]

Talk to your Diocesan Vocations Director.

 

[PapyrusDouay]

How far along in discernment are you with the religious orders you’re looking into?
I’ll defer to the vocations director for specifics, so get in touch with them.
But here’s some food for thought:

• in my province of my Order, candidates usually discern seriously for about a year before deciding to apply. Folks usually decide to apply in the winter, and get all their applications in for an admissions board which usually occurs mid-to-late spring. If admitted, the candidate will enter formation in August, usually coinciding with academic calendars.
• so for us, the earliest you could enter formation is summer/fall of 2020. It’s too late to apply for this fall. (Again, my caveat is to speak with a vocations director. Everywhere is different, and I don’t know where you’re from). That gives you the full 2019-2020 (U.S.) academic year to get your credential, if you enter at the earliest possible time.
• Will the credential cost you a lot of money? Will you incur debt? Do you already have student debt? Some communities can take on student debt, some can’t. Some only a very limited amount. Do you have non-student debt?..no community I know of will take on non-student debt, like credit cards. If getting the credential will increase your debt or prevent you from paying off the debt you have, you may be better off working and paying it down.

That’s my two cents. But again, talk to the communities your interested in. They may have different timelines or different finances…all are just different.

 

[midori]

I’d probably hold off a bit, until you’ve discerned a bit more of your path. You already have the most important groundwork-- a bachelor’s. Then you’ll be doing your theology/philosophy, and your MDiv.

From an educator’s perspective-- if you end up teaching in a private school, you might not even need the teaching certs. Private schools are going to be more interested in your degree (the Bachelor’s, the MDiv, etc), especially if it’s in a related field to your subject matter; they’re going to be interested in whether you’ve done any academic publishing in your field (especially with more advanced students); in your experience and knowledge of your field; in your natural teaching/communication ability.

In my state-- Texas-- you don’t necessarily need a separate education degree if you already hold other degrees and wish to be a teacher. There are tests and certifications that will qualify you to teach in a public school classroom. I never pursued those myself, because I was always busy doing something else, and couldn’t push pause on it long enough to get the hours of unpaid classroom experience (because no one’s guaranteed a paid internship). Some places will allow you to start teaching, with the understanding that you’ll get your valid Texas teaching certificate within x amount of time, or else you’ll be out of a job. And others don’t require it at all.

But Texas certs would be useless in Alaska. They have their own requirements and programs and certifications. And Alaskan certifications would be useless in Massachusetts, which has its own licensing program.

So I’d suggest focusing on discerning the priestly vocation first— and then do what you need to do as the rest of your path reveals itself, including the geography where you’re most likely to end up and the requirements of the specific organizations/institutions you end up being aligned with.