Becoming A Member Of The Clergy?

[Orthodox Andrew]

Has anybody here considered it?

 

[Peter]

Yes. I have and do consider it. I've already talked to my priest about the process of moving through the ranks, as it were, and becoming a priest through what the OCA call late vocations. I am 38 now. I see myself becoming a priest some time in my 50's.

Peace.

Peter

 

[Anastasia]

I wanted to be a nun for a long time, sometimes I still think about it. I think if my husband ever died I'd want to do that, but I'm not sure I could. I don't know what the requirements are.

 

[CopticOrthodox]

sorry, double post

 

[CopticOrthodox]

The way it works in the Coptic Church is that when a church needs a priest they select a member of the congregation who is worthy, and he is sent to be ordained. If there is a great need for a priest and no one among the congregation is worthy then one can be sent from outside, but this is avoided if possible.

This is happening at my church now as we're about to get a second preist. Our priest nominated him a while ago, he sent his credentials to the Pope who approved it, a vote was taken among the congregation about 2 months ago which was over 90% in favour (70 was required by the Pope). Any objections were considered, and final permission was given. He quit his job as an engeneer (he's PhD), and he and his wife left for Egypt yesterday and he'll be ordained on the 12th. He'll then spend 40 days in the monastary and then return in time for Christmas. Please pray for him, his family, and our church.

There's no seminary involved in the formation of a priest, but that doesn't mean that our priests are uneducated. Only people who have already learned what they need to are selected, and these are people who learned it for the sake of learning it rather than to become a priest. Very rarely would someone who desires the priesthood ever be selected.

Do any other Churches have similar traditions, or do most use the seminary system now?

 

[Matrona]

Has anybody here considered it?

As the monastic vocation is the closest thing to clergy for us wimmin' folk , I suppose I can only give an answer about that. When I was a wee lass being raised by very lapsed Protestants, I always secretly hoped to one day be a Roman Catholic nun (since, of course, at the time, that was the only kind of nun I knew about). I thought (and still think) it would be so cool to be able to devote my life to God like that.

Now that I actually belong to a church with a monastic tradition, I don't know if I'm really cut out for it, but I still think about it sometimes and I still think of it as being "under consideration". I think I need to stay in the church as a laywoman for a little while before I make any big decisions like this, though, and I'd have to try it out for awhile, too.

 

[TWells]

Excuse my ignorance, but are Priests in the Orthodox Church in America assigned to their Parish? How does that work?

 

[Peter]

Excuse my ignorance, but are Priests in the Orthodox Church in America assigned to their Parish? How does that work?

Pardon granted. A common enough phrase among us too, BTW.

Think of it as an arranged marriage. Our parish had several "candidates" before we got the priest we have. The Bishop brought them in, we met, our Dean gave imput, we got our priest. It took over a year.

It is my understanding the priests can say no to an assignment. And so can a parish. There is a working together that I've never seen any where else.

Peace.

Peter