Struggling at the academic part of seminary

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Rosco507

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Dear all,

I am at the philosophy year at seminary. Although I am new to this life, I am not still an intern. This is due to the fact that my Spiritual Director said that because I am 35 years old already I should start Philosophy ASAP and I enrolled. I joined classes with the other seminarians who are actually interns at the seminary. I don’t know if they do this anywhere else in the U.S.

The classmates are OK and the teachers are very nice but I don’t seem to keep up with the studies. The classes are just too hard and I don’t seem to get anything right. I told my Spiritual Director and he said “oh well do what you can” and it is going to be allright; but that doesn’t really help.

I quit my full time job and started this class convinced that it was God’s will. I live alone and I have some savings but I need to keep up with rent and stuff. I’ve got a job at a restaurant where they don’t treat me in the best way.

I paid for my books and all that. I was billed for the classes as well.

I have always been a good Catholic. I love my church and I love God very much. I attended mass every day and pray the rosary. Now I have no time to do so, I only work at a job that I have to admit I hate and I study. I study very hard and get mediocre marks.

My biggest fear is that I won’t be able to make it and I will be betraying God or failing my church.

Please pray for me. I am feeling very down and sad about my vocation and how this is going.
 
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Ask the local Knights of Columbus for financial aid. They love doing stuff like that. Also, set up a GoFundMe account, and tell your story. This cross is falling hard, but there are Simons out there waiting to help. Just say the word.

Also, let your student life office there at the seminary know of your financial struggles. They might have some ideas.

Your seminary counselors should also be informed.

Blessings,
Mrs Cloisters OP
Lay Dominican
http://cloisters.tripod.com/
http://cloisters.tripod.com/charity/
 
Praying for you. Don’t feel bad. Soon-to-be blessed Father Solanus Casey was a poor student, and he later was very holy and is on the path to sainthood. Just persevere and don’t be afraid to seek out mentoring, tutoring, financial aid, talk to the counselors or anyone who you think can help.
 
Will keep you in prayer. Just keep in mind that the Lord loves you and he always has. Can you talk with your classmates and ask one of them to help you study? Also, is it possible that your professor can make accommodations that may be of benefit.

As for books and supplies, maybe your home parish can assist, Knights of Columbus or St. Vincent de Paul.
 
I think you should get a little icon of Saint John Vianney and pray to him every day. He did rather poorly in seminary and was thought to be dumb but became an amazing Saint and patron of all parish priests. He will be sure to help you and give you courage along the way .
 
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Everyone is good at different things. Some people are better test takers than others, but it doesn’t mean that people who aren’t as good on tests are any less intelligent or competent (especially if you are doing everything you can). When you get out of school, the grades you made no longer matter, just the fact that you passed. I noticed this with classmates I had in nursing school (obviously a different profession). Some people were excellent in the skills part and comprehended the material, but they were bad at tests. It didn’t make them any worse than the rest of us who didn’t struggle with comprehending concepts better, actually while I was better at tests, a lot of them could start IV’s and do other things better than me.

I understand what it is like to struggle through school. I had no one to help me financially. I worked 60 hours a week and went to school Monday through Thursday for a year to get my nursing license and to pay my rent. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. However it was completely worth it in the end. It can be really hard to see past the struggle.

The only way I got through it was through the grace of God and His plan for me. You are actually lucky in the fact that you have a relationship with God. I was an atheist then. You have the most loving and supporting Person ever in your corner in Jesus.

You are going to be so much better having overcome the struggle than someone who had it easy. I know that sounds crazy, but it is true. Adversity has the ability to turn us into better people. That’s why God allows us to face it. And He never gives us a burden He knows we can’t carry. Things probably seem awful right now, and it is okay to feel that way. But God wants us to lean on Him when we experience things that are hard.

Pray, ask for guidance, see if there is a tutoring program to help you through the academic part. Talk to your teachers about it. Teachers don’t want their students to fail. Most importantly, talk to God. If it ends up that this isn’t your path, you aren’t failing anyone. God will lead you to where you need to be, but you have to work hard and listen.
 
What you have not confirmed is whether or not you are sponsored by a diocese. I don’t know that one can just “go to seminary” on one’s own. If you ARE sponsored, the diocese usually has burses to partially or fully fund seminary expenses. They should also be responsible for monitoring your academic progress or difficulties, and for providing you with appropriate material, spiritual, and academic support.

If you are somehow setting out on your own without a diocese as sponsor, then I would strongly urge you to talk with the diocesan vocation director a.s.a.p. Otherwise, you may not be on the road to ordination at all.
 
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