On this year of priests, we pray that more young men would heed the call to ‘shepherd the flock’ as Christ have shepherd His Church. But if you feel that you have been ‘called by God’, how do you discern it and who will help you in that journey? In today’s feature, we take an attempt to provide you an overview on how aspirants are ordained into priesthood.
1. Pray about your vocation. Take any feelings or advice that have led you to consider the priesthood and give them to God, then wait patiently and openly for a response. Realize that everyone has a vocation and if a person is truly open to theirs, God will reveal it to him or her.
a. If it would help, there is an online self-assessment to guide you whether you have high potential of becoming a priest.
b. There is also a website which you can explore to further understand the vocation. It contains a digital copy of their magazine as well as Q&As on vocation.
2. Talk to your parish priest, your diocese's vocations director, or the vocation of a religious order if you are familiar with them.
a. He can give you an overview of the different Catholic Religious Orders (http://www.shc.edu/theolibrary/orders.htm) of priests such as the Jesuits, Dominicans, or Oblates. They will talk with you about your vocation and possibly get you on a retreat specifically for men discerning the priesthood.
b. During your initial meeting, you will be asked to provide some general information about yourself and your interest in the priesthood. Together you can discuss the application process and options available for seminary formation. You will be given an opportunity to ask any questions about seminary, priesthood, or the application process
c. The Vocation Director may encourage you to meet with a spiritual director to further discern God's call.
3. Go through the application process. After you have made the decision to enter the seminary, you will begin the application process which includes:
a. completing an application
b. compiling sacramental and academic records
c. health records
d. psychological assessment
e. letters of recommendation
f. background check and participating in various interviews.
4. The application material is given to the Bishop for review and decision before he meets with the candidate. He then decides whether to accept you as a seminarian or not, or may delay your acceptance for some reason.
5. If you're accepted, go to the seminary. Unless you're somewhat older, you should expect to spend at least 6-8 years there, depending on how much college experience you have. Typically religious orders have a slightly different formation process, based on their own needs. Check with them about the exact steps they take that lead to ordination.
6. While you're at the seminary, continue to pray and discern God's will. Above all, do what your rector, bishop, vocation's director, or other superiors ask you to do. Seminarians begin formation with the start of the new academic year. They attend classes, retreats, and participate in apostolic work.
A Spiritual Director will be assigned to you to assist in your formation process. In addition, an Academic Advisor at the seminary will provide you necessary direction and assistance.
Each summer, the Bishop may assign seminarians to a particular pastoral work, such as assisting in a parish, hospital ministry, camp counselor, etc.
The Vocation Director serves to assist the seminarian throughout the seminary formation process.
The seminarian is expected to satisfactorily complete his undergraduate degree (followed by two years of philosophy studies if the degree is not in philosophy) prior to entering the program for his graduate theology degree.
7. The final test of whether or not you have a vocation to the priesthood is the call of the bishop. If the bishop does not call you to Holy Orders, you do not have a vocation to the priesthood. The bishop's call is definitive.
8. Be ordained a transitional deacon, making your promises of celibacy and obedience. Prior to ordination, the seminarian is required to successfully complete the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) Degree. The seminarian prepares for ordination as a transitional Deacon in January of his fourth year of theology. The Bishop assigns the newly ordained Deacon to assist in parish during the final semester while continuing classes at the seminary.
9. Be ordained a priest. In June of his final year of formation, the Deacon is called to Holy Orders by the Bishop and is ordained to the Priesthood.
Continue to pray for His will in your life. If priesthood is your calling, your desire for the service will continue to thrive forward despite challenges. If it is not, do not be disheartened as God prepares for us a mission whether priesthood or not. What is important is we continue to pursue to be like Jesus on whatever endeavor we undertake.
References:
http://www.fallrivervocations.org/ministries/application.htm
http://www.ichoseyou.com/seminary-faq.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Catholic-Priest
