1. How do I know if I am called to the Priesthood?
Every person must go through a process called discernment, in which he or she takes the time to listen to God's call. This is done before decisions, sometimes big ones and sometimes small ones. It is very important to do it in deciding one's vocation in life.
Discernment must always be undertaken with a prayerful and open heart. For a young (or not so young) man who has thought about a possible call to the Priesthood, it is important to remember that Jesus tells us, and Pope John Paul II often reminds us, that we should not be afraid. Give God a chance to call you to the Priesthood. God will never give you a mission in life without giving you everything you need to follow it.
PRAY -- especially in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Go to Mass often, every day if possible. Ask the Blessed Mother to help you, especially by praying the Rosary. Talk with a priest you know so that you may become more familiar with priestly life. As you discern, you will perceive the gentle call of God in your heart.
The Vocations Office is always here to provide you with information and assistance. We offer information days and Come and See weekends which are absolutely free and without obligation. If you send us your name we will let you know when such events are approaching.
2. What requirements would I have to meet?
Some of the basic requirements for a man applying to become a seminarian are as follows:
•a. Be a practicing Catholic for at least 2 years, living a good moral life (No one is perfect; see #3 below)
•b. Have good physical and mental health
•c. Have at least average intelligence
•d. Have the proper intentions for entering the seminary and pursuing the Priesthood
•e. Age requirements vary for different dioceses and religious communities. In the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama, our general policy is to consider men up to the age of 40, though some exceptions are possible.
3. Do you have to be holy to be a priest?
By our Baptism each of us is called to holiness. And yet none of us is perfect. So being human and Christian involves a constant effort and sometimes a struggle to be holy. A man who is called to become a priest must, like everyone else, depend upon God's grace as he strives to be holy. As a man prepares for ordination to the Priesthood, he learns more and more about his call to represent Christ in a special way.
4. How long does it take to become a priest?
If a young man enters the seminary after his high school education is completed, it takes 6-8 years to complete his seminary studies. If he has already graduated from college when he enters the seminary, it takes 2 years of pre-theology and 4 years of theology studies to prepare for the Priesthood.
To some extent, it depends on the background of the applicant and the particular seminary program he is going to enter (All of our seminarians do not attend the same seminary).
In any case, these years include not just academic studies, but also formation -- a process that helps a person develop the maturity, spirituality, prayer life, and pastoral skills he will need to minister to God's people as a priest.
5. Wouldn't I have to be a genius to study all that philosophy and theology?
Actually, no. For a man to be considered as a candidate for Priesthood, he should have at least average intelligence and be willing to apply himself to his studies and formation. This is important because a priest needs to be able to teach and explain the Faith to other people. But not all seminarians get straight A's!
6. What about celibacy? Isn't that difficult?
Celibacy, of course, refers to the promise a priest makes to remain unmarried.
Each vocation has its blessings and its sacrifices. A married man has the blessings of a wife and children, but he also has the responsibilities of providing for his family and being faithful to his wife despite any temptations to do otherwise.
Married people make many sacrifices for the sake of the family, including the sacrifices that go along with being obedient to the Church's teachings on marriage and family life. A single person may have a considerable degree of independence, but he must live a chaste life and be a good Christian in the midst of a world full of temptations.
Those called to life in a religious community have the support of the community, but need to adjust to the sacrifices of community life. As Christians we should not lose sight of the value of sacrifice; after all, it was Christ's sacrifice on the Cross that won our salvation!
7. Can a person with a sinful past still become a priest?
Yes. The important thing is to repent of the sinful behavior, go to Confession, and resolve to live a better life from now on. Sometimes out of weakness or disregard for God we disobey Him; but He is always willing to forgive us and help us to serve Him.
Look at the example of St. Augustine, who lived a sinful life up to the age of 30 and then devoted his life to God as a priest, a bishop, and a theologian. He didn't plan it that way, but he began as a pagan and ended up as a great saint and doctor of the Church!
8. What does a priest do all day?
The work of a priest is varied and interesting. The most important thing priests do is to bring Jesus to us in the Eucharist. And it is through priests that Jesus forgives our sins in the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation.
Priests also administer the other sacraments, such as Baptism and Anointing of the Sick. Priests help people to prepare for marriage and the other sacraments. Priests often visit sick and elderly people in hospitals, nursing homes, and in their homes, offering them Confession, Holy Communion, and Anointing.
Many priests also visit people who are in prison. Priests offer prayers for those who have died, while also comforting the loved ones.
Sometimes priests teach classes in elementary schools, high schools, or colleges. Also, they often give guidance or advice, or just listen to those who are troubled. Poor people may turn to priests for help in finding the proper kind of assistance.
Priests preach the Gospel by their words and actions, and they help us to understand the Scriptures and the teachings of the Church.
Like most people, priests take time for relaxation and recreation. Like anyone else, they may enjoy sports, reading, music, movies, cooking, artwork, jogging, golf, or any of a variety of activities. A healthy, well-balanced life is just as important for priests as for the rest of us!
9. What is the difference between a 'diocesan priest' and a 'religious priest'? What is the difference between a priest and a brother?
A diocesan priest commits himself to a particular geographical area known as a diocese. The northern half of the state of Alabama makes up the Diocese of Birmingham.
A diocesan priest promises to remain celibate (unmarried) and to be obedient to his bishop. For example, Bishop Foley assigns the priests to different parishes according to the needs in the different areas of the diocese.
A religious priest is ordained in the same way as a diocesan priest, but he belongs to a religious community such as the Benedictines, Franciscans, Dominicans, or Salesians. See the Q & A on Religious Life for more information.
A brother is a man who belongs to a religious community and serves the Church in a variety of ways, but is not ordained to the Priesthood. Like religious sisters, brothers have a special vocation which calls them to consecrate their lives to Christ and perform various types of works.
10. Do priests retire?
Yes and no! At some point priests usually retire from active full-time ministry; but once a man is ordained a priest, he remains a priest forever, even into eternity. So even a very elderly priest who has retired from active ministry can still say Mass, hear Confessions, etc.
11. Will my friends laugh at me if I say that I am thinking about the Priesthood as my possible vocation?
Many people do not understand the concept of vocations to Priesthood and religious life.
Even being a Christian in the world often requires us to be "counter-cultural." Some people may question your interest in the Priesthood, or even make fun of you, but these incidents can be occasions for you to explain something about your faith.
Your true friends will want you to be happy and fulfilled in life, and most people will probably respect your courage and faith in being open to God's will!
FAQ's About Religious Life
1. What is a religious community?
A religious community is a group of men or women who consecrate their lives to Christ and share a common way of life and mission. The very first religious (a general term for men and women in religious vocations) separated themselves from the world and dedicated themselves to prayer, and some still do this, but at various times throughout history, people have founded religious communities in response to certain needs in the Church and in the world.
Here are a few examples:
In the late 1800's, St. John Bosco founded the Salesians (named after St. Frances de Sales) in Italy to teach poor children skills that would help them in life. The Salesian priests, brothers, and sisters today do this type of work all over the world, including the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta was already a religious sister when she saw the great need of the "poorest of the poor" on the streets of Calcutta, India. So she founded a group of sisters who demonstrate the Christian belief in the dignity of each human person by caring for extremely poor people who are dying.
Although Mother Teresa has left this world, her sisters are at work all over the world, including the United States.
In 1991, responding to the tragic ?culture of death? characterized by abortion and euthanasia, Cardinal John O'Connor, Archbishop of New York, founded the Sisters of Life to protect human life from conception to natural death.
They do this by their prayers and work in promoting awareness of the sanctity of all human life, helping pregnant women and women who have had abortions, giving retreats, and speaking at churches and schools.
There are hundreds of religious communities throughout the world, living out the Gospel in a wide variety of ways, including education, health care, publishing, parish ministry, retreat ministry, promotion of social justice, work with poor people, and many other types of ministries. Some religious communities are devoted to prayer as their kind of ministry.
2. What vows do members of religious communities take?
Religious priests, brothers, and sisters usually take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
Some religious communities add a fourth vow specific to their particular purposes. The vow of poverty means that the individual members of the community do not claim ownership of their possessions but rather share them with the community.
The vow of chastity means that the person's life is consecrated to Christ; the religious priest, brother, or sister does not marry and focuses on being pure in both thought and action. This vow helps the religious to love all God's people without a commitment to a spouse and children.
The vow of obedience signifies the willingness of the religious priest, sister, or brother to accept God's will as it comes through the superior of the community. All of these vows are made in an imitation of Christ Himself, Who, throughout His life on earth, was indeed poor, chaste, and obedient to the Father.
3. Isn't religious life boring and serious all the time?
Heavens, no! Forget about what you've seen on television and in the movies and look at some real religious priests, sisters, and brothers! Devoting their lives to God doesn't prevent them from laughing and having fun. It has been said that a religious community is a place in which "joys are multiplied and sorrows are divided."