The priest who does not drive

[CyrilSebastian]

If a young Catholic man wanted to become a priest but did not drive (have a driver’s license) would this prevent him from a priestly vocation?

 

[tvknight415]

Not necessarily. We have a priest in our diocese who is legally blind and can’t drive. It would prevent him from some assignments, but wouldn’t prevent ordination.

 

[catholictiger]

If a young Catholic man wanted to become a priest but did not drive (have a driver’s license) would this prevent him from a priestly vocation?

what is preventing him from getting a drivers license?

Like most jobs driving is pretty essential, but some cases may allow someone not to drive and still have that Job.

My best guess is that if someone applied for the seminary and didn’t have a drivers license they would let him in but would say you need to get one soon, unless he had some reason he couldn’t get a license (from a foreign country, physical limitation, etc.) I could understand if someone poor didn’t have a need for a car yet, because they took public transportation everywhere, but it wouldn’t be that hard to get a drivers licence.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

If a young Catholic man wanted to become a priest but did not drive (have a driver’s license) would this prevent him from a priestly vocation?

It would also depend upon where his priestly vocation is discerned. Being a secular priest, it could be very challenging indeed. Being a religious priest, it can vary according to the community and its needs. If, for example, the young man were thinking of a priestly vocation in the context of being a Trappist monk, he might not have need of a driver’s license at all.

The ability to be able to drive is, however, a useful one…even for a monk.

 

[InThePew]

If a young Catholic man wanted to become a priest but did not drive (have a driver’s license) would this prevent him from a priestly vocation?

Not as such - by itself, it wouldn’t present him entering a seminary but he would be expected to gain his licence while he was in the seminary and the diocese (or order) - as well as the seminary - would probably support him with driving lessons, etc. It would however be very difficult in most parts of the world to be a diocesan priest particularly, and not be able to drive. Many pastoral assignments may not be on regular public transport links and public transport is generally more limited on a Sunday in any event. There is also the problem of places taking longer to get to by public transport as well as the absence of such transport in rural areas. While he could rely on parishioners / other priests for transportation this would likely become burdensome very quickly.

 

[Jesus_123]

:bible1:
“And having different gifts,
according to the
GRACE
that is given us …”
- Romans 12:6
+Most folks . . . in all likelyhood . . . immediately identify the calling of . . . “priest” . . . with that of a parish priest . . . and certainly . . . in order to tend the flock of God’s many and varied needs . . . either a parish priest has to drive himself . . . or have an assigned driver for this purpose . . .

However . . . priests have far more callings and tasks open within our Holy Mother Church than just that of being called to become a . . . “parish” . . . priest, where driving about is a rather essential part of handling the tasks at hand . . .

There are

• research priests,
• administrative priests,
• multitudes of priests in the Vatican and diocesan offices who handle all sorts of tasks,
• teaching priests in schools, colleges, universities and seminaries,
• etc.

. . . just to mention a few.

And there are cloistered priests in monasteries who may never leave the grounds of their monastery . . . let alone drive a vehicle. In some . . . healthy . . . Benedictine monasteries . . . from the outward appearance you can’t even discern who is a priest among the brothers therein . . . for they are exhorted to be extremely careful not to have any . . .“respect of persons one above another” . . . by St. Benedict’s Holy Rule . . . and all kinds of the many gifts, callings and talents given by God to the men graciously called by Him to live there are used within the community’s life . . .

In regard to a drivers license . . . there are several conditions that could preclude an individual from obtaining a license . . . as has already been mentioned . . . blindness is one . . . other disabilities whether temporary or permanent come to mind . . . one medical condition in particular is epilepsy . . . which condition may be such that it is not wise or safe for the individual to drive . . .

Always remember . . . our LORD is the one Who calls a man to the priesthood . . . and when He calls . . . the candidate needs to trust in Him . . . He will ALWAYS by **His **grace and power . . . provide the pathway and open the doors that are needed to fulfill His calling . . . when the person being called answers and . . . faithfully and prayerfully . . . follows God’s call in his life . . .

:bible1:
“But seek ye
**FIRST **
the kingdom of
GOD,
and His righteousness;
and **ALL **these things
shall be added unto you.”
- Matthew 6:33
Keep the Faith!

*. . . all for Jesus+
. . . praise God from Whom all blessings flow+
:harp:
*​