Thinking about the priesthood or religious life.

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This past Friday (The Friday after Thanksgiving), I met with the vocation director of my hometown diocese.

It turned out to be a more positive experience that I thought it would be (I almost tiuned back a couple of times). It seems that I am further along in my disernment than I thought I was. Another positive was that one of his classmates was the late vocation that I was familiar with.

I still have a ways to go before making a final decision, but he gave me a few suggestions. Many of them I have already started to look into.

PF
 
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ByzCath:
If you enter a religious order then debt is a bigger issue.

I believe your grades will matter as will classes you have taken. You need a good grounding in philosophy.
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Religious orders won’t accept a man with personal debt, ie. car loans. My religious order accepted me with quite a bit of student loans, though. If the order you are looking into doesn’t accept men with any loans, there are groups out there who may help you.

As far as philosophy, you don’t need philosophy to be accepted. Many men do philosophy during their first year of seminary.
 
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CatholicAJ:
As far as philosophy, you don’t need philosophy to be accepted. Many men do philosophy during their first year of seminary.
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Actually, many seminaries have a two-year pre-theology program to allow for men without the underlying philosophy and theology foundation to get that foundation. Many requite 24 credits of philosophy and 12 credits of theology.

The pre-theology program that I am looking at also requires 6 credits of Latin (Spanish may be subituted if requested by the diocese) and 6 credits of Greek.

Fortunately for me, the seminary is also associated with my alma mater so I may have as many as 9 credits of each already completed if the time limit has not expired on them (I do not look forward to taking Epistemology:eek: again ).

I am also loohing to take some foundation course (with permission from the Vocation director) during my disernment period either through a distance learning program like International Catholic University or a seminary that will be close to where I will be living.

PF
 
I am seriously thinking I have a religious vocation. Still, I am at just starting my discernment and do not have a spiritual director yet. Going to daily mass and getting more involved in my Parish are a few of my first steps for now. Even if a religious vocation turns out to not be for me, taking steps to build a closer relationship with Jesus can’t hurt.
 
If I were single, I would look very hard at a vocation to the priesthood. However, I would apply to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) or another Traditional Latin Mass order. I have never called into question the validity of the Novus Ordo (Mass of Paul VI) and I never will. But I would want to be able to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass (Mass of Pius V) only.

Sure I’ll hear from several of you on this!
 
The poll should have included ‘brother’ as an option.

Religious brothers mainly teach in schools. The most notable orders are the Christian Brothers and the Marists, although you can be a Franciscan, Jesuit brother among other orders.
 
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Tanais:
I just wanted to know how many people out there are considering serving the Church as a priest or monk or nun. I have thought about it from time to time, however one of the things that is really holding me back is my own unworthiness. I view the priesthood as a holy and dignified calling, i just wonder if I am worthy enough. I also wanted to know anyone out there considering the vocation?
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I’ve been asked sometimes if I wanted to be a priest because I serve at mass(Altar server) and they say i should consider it(The congregation)… i don’t know though…
Podo
 
I am discerning a vocation to the permanent diaconate. You should have listed that as a choice.
God love you,
Paul
 
S.J.:
The poll should have included ‘brother’ as an option.

Religious brothers mainly teach in schools. The most notable orders are the Christian Brothers and the Marists, although you can be a Franciscan, Jesuit brother among other orders.
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I went to a Jesuit high school. While most of my teachers were priests or scholastics, my science teacher was a Jesuit brother. That guy was so cool, you wouldn’t believe it. He was an avid outdoorsman, and twice a year he would take a bunch of us camping and mountain climbing. We would catch fish and he would hold contests to see who could hold raw fish guts in his mouth the longest. That’s the kind of stuff boys love! Around the campfire he would tell us stories about the great saints and martyrs. He had a huge influence on a lot of guys.

God rest his soul.

Paul
 
For me personally, just due to my age of almost 50, it would be out of the question.

But even when I was younger, I wouldn’t be able to handle the high degree of schooling that priests have to endure before they are ordained.

People who are considering the vocation really have to be on the ball scholastically. They can’t be like some of us, who get restless during a two hour training class on the job.
 
Im 20, British, and have been confirmed since May. Im positive about my calling to the jesuits, with 2 priests (one of whom is a Jesuit) agreeing in the definite.

Unfortunately the Jesuits in Britain (and i think everywhere) wont take me until ive been confirmed for three years. Ive hard theres a possibility of applying early, but i have no idea how to. But its doing my head in, as im feeling really solidly pushed in that direction.

i feel like Gods wants me to find a way to enter earlier, but have no idea how. Can anyone help at all??

Thanks:)
 
Eighteen year-old seminarian here, just finishing my first semester of college seminary. If you are considering a vocation at all, pray about it, be completely open, and talk to the vocations director. Seminary has been the best thing for me. Here’s more. Here too.
 
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Tanais:
I just wanted to know how many people out there are considering serving the Church as a priest or monk or nun. I have thought about it from time to time, however one of the things that is really holding me back is my own unworthiness. I view the priesthood as a holy and dignified calling, i just wonder if I am worthy enough. I also wanted to know anyone out there considering the vocation?
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Of course your not worthy enough,God will take care of that let Him give you the Grace:thumbsup: God Bless
 
How much does it cost to go to seminary. what about personal debt and scholarships.
 
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santaro75:
How much does it cost to go to seminary. what about personal debt and scholarships.
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The diocese generally covers room, board and tuition. Traditionally, the seminarians home parish covers the cost of books, but not always.

I’m in formation to the diaconate. Once I was accepted, the Archdiocese of Detroit picked up tuition for myself and my wife (wifes are encourgage to take the classes as well)

I suppose I could ask my pastor to cover the cost of books, but it’s not a strain on our budget, so why bother?
 
Every seminary I can think of is accredited and eligible for regular student loans that you would take out for any college. Many dioceses will pay for at least 1/2 the tuition. I have never heard of home parishes paying for books but think it sounds like a great tradition to revitalize. Don’t let money hold you back–seminary is certainly a lot cheaper than regular college, with a lot more help available.
 
When I was a young girl in grade school, I had the desire to become a nun. However, I never had a “calling” later in life to do so. I really don’t think a vocation is something you can be successful at unless you truly have a calling from God.

Karen
 
Due to being let go at work, I decided to accelerate looking at a vocation to the priesthood and/or religious life.

Up to this point I was concentrating on the diocesan priesthood since I thought I was too old (41) for religious orders. However, I did check St. Vincent Archabbey which runs the college where I got my degree from.

I received an eMail today from the Vocation Director at St. Vincent Archabbey. It seems they do make exceptions for men over forty (Their two current novices are 57). He is going to try to contact me next week to discuss this further.

This will also allow me to concentrate on both the Diocesan and Religious Order paths since the Diocese offices and the Archabbey are only 15 minutes away from each other.

I think this bodes well for me since I now have two avenues to explore. Last time I checked, the Diocese only had two candidate at the main semninary (ironically St. Vincent Seminary). In addition, the Vocation Director for the Diocese was a classmate of a Late Vocation that I am familiar with in the Diocese.

I just have one question. WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG? :banghead:

PF
 
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