What Do You Have To Do To Become A Priest?

[snumerouno]

I am interested in what the process is to become a Priest. I am guessing that first you must go to College and then Seminary. Is there a particular field you must major in in College like Philosophy or can you major in any field? Do you have to go to a Catholic College or can you get your degree at any University?

Thanks.

 

[snumerouno]

Is it true that you must have never been married to become a Priest or can you be a single divorced male?

 

[JimR-OCDS]

First off, there are different types of priest.

There are diocesan priest, and there are priest who belong to a religious order.

Many dioceses accept seminarians while your going to college. They generally study philosophy and psychology and receive their Bachelors Degree. They then go on to study theology.

Throughout this, they are going through discernment and participating in active ministries allowed in parish life.

A religious order is similar, but varies according to the order.

It takes about 10 years from 1st year of college through to ordination.

Best bet, if you're interested is to contact your vocation director in your dioceses, or contact the vocation director of a religious order.


Jim

 

[catholicbybirth]

Is it true that you must have never been married to become a Priest or can you be a single divorced male?

My brother is a priest. He majored in Social Work and was married. Years later, after the divorce, he went into the Seminary.

My brother, although he was Catholic, was married outside the Church, therefore the Church never considered him married.

My son, who has thought about being a priest, was told by the Vocations Director of the Diocese, that it would be better for him if he would major in Philosophy in college. He has not decided, yet, what he wants to do with his life. I leave it in God's hands.

Janice

 

[Dylan Michael]

Hi there.
I'm a seminarian, so I can answer your questions.
(To an extent, each diocese and seminary is different)
To become a priest, you have to apply (Diocese or order)
For me, it took about six months of Interviews, paperwork, and exams (Both physical and psychological)
After being accepted, a seminarian is required to go to a college seminary, that is, if he does not already have a degree. This is the normal college of four years. And yes,you major in philosophy. If the seminarian already has a degree, he will be required to get another degree in Philosophy. (In my diocese, this takes two years.)
After College-Seminary, the seminarians move on to Major Seminary, where they study Theology for four years, focusing on practicum for the last two. (IE, learning how to be pastoral, homiletics, offer the sacraments, et c.)
Additional, in some dioceses, there is an additional year of working in a parish. In Florida it is wedged in between II and III Theology and called "Pastoral Year". This is more or less an internship.
At the end of III Theology, the seminarian is ordained a deacon. And at the end of IV theology, he is a priest.
All-in-all, it takes between 6 and 9 years to become a priest.

And to answer your second question, I know of priests who were at one point married, but either their wife died, or they had the marriage annulled. (Not the same as divorce)

 

[Gwendolyn]

To become a priest in the Latin rite of Catholicism, you must never have been married.

In Canada, men who wish to become priests must spend eight years studying theology and serving as a deacon - four years spent getting a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, three years spent getting a Masters of Divinity, and one year (sometimes two) spent serving as a deacon in a parish.

While in seminary, the men live in community and their daily lives are shaped to encourage priestly formation - lectio divina (reading of the Scriptures), the liturgy of the hours (common prayer and readings 3+ times a day), daily Mass, and basically just learning what it is like to live as a priest in daily life. The men also do a great deal of volunteer work serving the poor and the elderly, sometimes working with youth groups, sometimes teaching education classes at churches.

A man can leave seminary at any time, but if he wishes to return, he must often repeat some years of formation, as it is crucial to learn to live a priestly life. If, upon ordination to the diaconate, a man discovers he needs to spend more time serving in a parish in order to get used to priestly life, the bishop may grant him more time before his ordination to the priesthood.

I hope this helps.

 

[Gwendolyn]

Ah, see! Dylan and I are from different countries, so the requirements vary.

 

[Davidnic]

To become a priest in the Latin rite of Catholicism, you must never have been married.

There are dispensations. I know a man who was married and his wife died. He became a priest late in life.

 

[Dylan Michael]

There are dispensations. I know a man who was married and his wife died. He became a priest late in life.

We were talking about a priest who used to confuse people when he mentioned his grandkids. (He is a widower)

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I know some permanent deacons, who's wives died and then applied for the priesthood and were accepted. They went to a seminary for older men, Pope John XIII in Brighton MA.


Jim

 

[snumerouno]

My brother is a priest. He majored in Social Work and was married. Years later, after the divorce, he went into the Seminary.

My brother, although he was Catholic, was married outside the Church, therefore the Church never considered him married.

Thank you. This was the information I was looking for. I was married and got a divorce before I became Catholic. So I am in the same situation.

My son, who has thought about being a priest, was told by the Vocations Director of the Diocese, that it would be better for him if he would major in Philosophy in college. He has not decided, yet, what he wants to do with his life. I leave it in God's hands.

Janice

So Philosophy is the best major for a Priest then?

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Thank you. This was the information I was looking for. I was married and got a divorce before I became Catholic. So I am in the same situation.




So Philosophy is the best major for a Priest then?

Yeah, the problem is, it's not much of a career path outside of being a priest, should you decide not to become one.


Jim

 

[snumerouno]

Hi there.
I'm a seminarian, so I can answer your questions.
(To an extent, each diocese and seminary is different)
To become a priest, you have to apply (Diocese or order)
For me, it took about six months of Interviews, paperwork, and exams (Both physical and psychological)
After being accepted, a seminarian is required to go to a college seminary, that is, if he does not already have a degree. This is the normal college of four years. And yes,you major in philosophy. If the seminarian already has a degree, he will be required to get another degree in Philosophy. (In my diocese, this takes two years.)
After College-Seminary, the seminarians move on to Major Seminary, where they study Theology for four years, focusing on practicum for the last two. (IE, learning how to be pastoral, homiletics, offer the sacraments, et c.)
Additional, in some dioceses, there is an additional year of working in a parish. In Florida it is wedged in between II and III Theology and called "Pastoral Year". This is more or less an internship.
At the end of III Theology, the seminarian is ordained a deacon. And at the end of IV theology, he is a priest.
All-in-all, it takes between 6 and 9 years to become a priest.

Hi, that's a lot of information and I must admit that I'm a little confused. So if I don't have a 4 year degree already I should enter College and get a degree in Philosophy? Can I go to any University or should I attend a Catholic College? Are you sure that the degree must be in Philosophy or could it be in History as well?

And to answer your second question, I know of priests who were at one point married, but either their wife died, or they had the marriage annulled. (Not the same as divorce)

I am divorced but I was not Catholic when I was married. So would I still need to have the marriage annulled?

 

[snumerouno]

Yeah, the problem is, it's not much of a career path outside of being a priest, should you decide not to become one.

Although, for a Philosophy major law school would be another option.

 

[judechild]

Hi, that's a lot of information and I must admit that I'm a little confused. So if I don't have a 4 year degree already I should enter College and get a degree in Philosophy? Can I go to any University or should I attend a Catholic College? Are you sure that the degree must be in Philosophy or could it be in History as well?

You can major in anything that's available, but the Program for Priestly formation requires 30 credits of undergraduate-work in philosophy, as well as 12 credits of undergraduate theology.

Your best bet for these questions, though, is with a vocations director (usually a priest whose job it is to help men discern vocations to the priesthood). If you haven't already, you should look up the vocations director for the diocese or order you're thinking of applying to.

I am divorced but I was not Catholic when I was married. So would I still need to have the marriage annulled?

Again, you'll want to talk to the vocations-director, and I'm a little fuzzy on this subject so I won't say whether yes or no.

 

[Second Phoenix]

I am interested in what the process is to become a Priest. I am guessing that first you must go to College and then Seminary.

It's quite complicated, but in the general American system:
Priesthood is about more than education, it's about years of formation and discernment. In terms of education, Rome requires about two years of philosophy and four years of theology. It's in credits/hours, but that's how seminaries generally run.

-A man can enter seminary before college (and then do at least 4 college years and 4 grad school years). He might do a year for spirituality, or for pastoral internship.
- A man can enter seminary during college, which then becomes a complicated issue of what general ed and what philosophy credits will be considered. I have seen some very unfair decisions made in this regard.
- A man can enter seminary after college/grad school. In this case, he will need to complete his 'two years' of philosophy and 'four years' of theology.
--Sometimes a guy will have philosophy and theology credits from his previous studies and degrees. They are usually more likely to be accepted if from a Catholic institution, but it all depends on the seminary, and bishop, and how desperate the seminary is to attract the bishop, and what the bishop is willing to do.

Is there a particular field you must major in in College like Philosophy or can you major in any field?

College or 'minor' seminaries actually had men graduate with any variety of degrees. You might be a journalism major with the necessary credits in philosophy. Less than ten years ago, Rome increased the philosophy credits needed. This has made it difficult, if not impossible/impractical for seminarians to graduate with anything other than a philosophy degree.

Do you have to go to a Catholic College or can you get your degree at any University?

Ultimately, your bishop can do whatever the heck he wants. He calls men to orders and I have seen all kinds of things.
Seminaries can be weird about what they accept.

Some diocese will pay for part of college, all of theology, and even give you a stipend to live on. Some will give you nothing, until you become a priest and then forgive your debts.