BECOMING A CATHOLIC PRIEST

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1565) states, through the sacrament of Holy Orders priests share in the universal dimensions of the mission that Christ entrusted to the apostles. The spiritual gift they have received in ordination prepares them, not for a limited and restricted mission, but for the fullest, in fact the universal mission of salvation, to the end of the earth prepared in spirit to preach the Gospel everywhere. 

Thus, Priesthood is a sacred vocation within the Catholic Church, one that is not simply chosen by an individual, but a gift given to them from God. It is not to be confused with a career, but is a profound way of life that forever marks the person ordained.

The primary purpose of priests is to share in Jesus’ mission of evangelization, bringing the Gospel to all people. Just as Jesus chose 12 men to share in his unique mission, the Church chooses men who will continue that mission.

 

SOME QUALITIES OR HABITS OF AN ASPIRANT TO CATHOLIC PRIESTHOOD

As you aspire for Catholic Priesthood, Consecrated Life or Living Permanent Private Vows, you should endeavor to make the following holy practices a daily routine.

● Attend daily Mass

● Say the Liturgy of the Hours

● Receive the sacrament of Reconciliation regularly

● Find a spiritual director/mentor

● Establish daily prayer habits

● Make out time for spiritual reading

● Continue in your faith formation by attending lectures, taking classes, practicing both the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

                                                                                                             

VOCATION STEPS

Below are the practical steps one takes to become a priest in the Roman Catholic Church.

STAGE 1: DISCERNMENT

This is always the first step. This does not mean the person needs to be 100% sure that he is called to the priesthood But it means the person needs to have a considerable intuition that God may be calling him to the priesthood. Discernment includes personal prayer and discussion with a Spiritual Director of two of them. Sometimes, priests can discourage people from entering into priesthood. Personally, I have met with five people, who are regretting accepting the advice priests gave to them, dissuading them from entering into the Catholic Priesthood. Two of these guys are from my home town.

Discernment can begin in childhood, or later in life. Either way, discernment normally spans years, though there are rare occurrences when an authentic calling is received in a shorter amount of time.

 

STEPS TO VOCATION DISCERNMENT

 

STEP I PRAY

Listen to God’s voice. Invite God into your decision-making process. Try different prayer styles. Attend Mass. Read and meditate on the Sacred Scripture and Spiritual Books, and become aware of God’s presence. Recite the Rosary. Pray the Divine Office (if available and if you know how to do so) Remember Matthew 7:7— “Ask and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be open to you.”

 

STEP II KNOW YOURSELF

You know what you want and you know yourself more. Listen to your voice. What are your fears and motivations? What makes you feel most whole, holy, and true to yourself. What brings you the most joy? Lamentations 3:40-41 says: “Let us search and examine our ways, and return to the LORD’s. Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands toward God in heaven!”

 

STEP III SEEK COUNSEL

Listen to other voices. Gather honest input from people who know and love you. Friends, family, parish staff, and spiritual and vocation directors can all help you assess a path you are considering. Proverbs 19:20 says: “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.”

 

STEP IV ACT AND CONFIRM

Follow your heart. Once you make your decision, you should be at peace and feel satisfied and confident in your choice. Continue to listen with your heart. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” —John 14:27

 

STAGE 2: INQUIRY

After thorough or careful discernment and consultation with a spiritual director or spiritual directors,, the next step is to contact a local diocese or religious order. The vocation to the priesthood is nearly always specific, being called to serve in a particular diocese, or in a specific religious order. This again takes discernment, but typically someone is drawn to serve as a diocesan priest or is attracted to a religious order, such as the Divine Presence, Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites or any of the other dozens of religious orders.

After contacting them, there will usually be a vetting period, during which the vocation will be tested to see if it could be from God, or is simply a human desire. The priesthood is not a job, which is why so much emphasis is placed on God’s will, not our own.

STAGE 3: PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS

You may have heard that in the past, the road to the priesthood was rather simple. Someone can be ordained a Catholic Priest within a short time interval. But today, all Catholic Organizations have an in-depth process of psychological examinations and criminal background checks. This stage is an important part of the vocation step, as it will identify areas that are problematic. Some areas can be improved with proper counseling and growth, while others are impediments to the priesthood. Many men are rejected at this stage for things that happened in their past, or because of unresolved issues that would harm their ability to effectively preach the Gospel.

Some dioceses and religious orders organize this examination before acolyte installation, or before diaconate ordination or before priestly ordination. But it is preferable to be done prior to acolyte installation.

STAGE 4: ACCEPTANCE & SEMINARY FORMATION

After the above three stages and the individual is accepted as a candidate for the priesthood, the person will be prepared through seminary formation. In Nigeria and some countries in Africa, this begins with sending to minor Seminary, followed by Prefecting (One Year Apostolic for Diocesans) or Postulancy (For Religious); followed by Spiritual Year (Diocesans) or Novitiate (Religious Order); followed by Major Seminary for Philosophical and Religious Studies. If the person is admitted after Senior Secondary School, the formation begins at Prefecting or Postulancy. In most part of Europe and America, depending on the age, the individual could be sent to college seminary, where he receives a college education, or a major seminary, where the education is adjusted to his situation. Either way, philosophy and theology remain the primary subjects and provide a basis for a thorough understanding of the Bible and Church teaching.

The average amount of time for seminary formation is 5-8 years, with some religious orders requiring up to 12 years of formation.in Nigeria, it is 10-13 years.

This is the most pivotal stage of discernment, as only one third of all seminarians are eventually ordained a priest. Most discover God is not calling them to the priesthood. This is not a failure, but should be considered a gift, as they will often go on to lead successful and fulfilling lives as married or single men.

STAGE 5: ORDINATION TO THE DIACONATE

Before being ordained a priest, a man must first be ordained a transitional deacon. There are many historical and theological reasons for this, but it is considered the last and final stage of discernment.

It is possible for a transitional deacon to discover he is not called by God to become a priest. This is a rare occurrence, but it does provide one final “out” in case the individual is not feeling at peace with the decision. Typically men are ordained as transitional deacons for a full year before their ordination to the priesthood. Though Canon Law said, there must be at least a minimum period of 6 months before priestly ordination. As to the maximum time, it is not stated.

STAGE 6: ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD

The last and final step to the priesthood is the actually ordination given by the hands of a bishop. Again, an individual could back out at the last minute, but once they are ordained, they are a “priest forever.” There are occasions where a priest may be removed from active ministry, but at a spiritual level, the sacramental character of Holy Orders, like that of Baptism, is indelible. As the Catechism states, “The vocation and mission received on the day of his ordination mark him permanently” (CCC 1583).

 

THE SEMINARY

The Seminary is a place of formation for would-be priests. In both Catholic and Protestant circles the word “seminary” is often used, but not always generally understood. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word is derived from the “Middle English, seedbed, nursery, from Latin seminarium, from semin, seed.” The word was initially used for agricultural contexts, but was quickly adapted for various forms of education.

The Catholic Encyclopedia explains, “The word seminary is sometimes used, especially in Germany, to designate a group of university students devoted to a special line of work. The same word is often applied in England and the United States to young ladies’ academies, Protestant or Catholic.” In this sense it refers to the “seed” of wisdom that germinates and grows in the mind of the student.

However, in recent years it has become more commonly associated with centers of training for both Catholic and Protestant clergy. In the Catholic Church this typically means a place where men live in community and attend philosophical and theological courses at a nearby university, while also receiving additional formation to become a priest. The seminary is designed to provide a suitable place for vocational discernment, allowing men to carefully consider God’s call in their lives, whatever it may be. In this sense it relates to the original word of “seminary” as a place where the “seed” of a vocation is fostered and allowed to grow.

Of those men who enter seminary, only 30% (roughly 1 in 3) continue on to be ordained a priest. Seminarians are free to leave seminary up until the day of their ordination. This fact is not a fault of the seminary or the individual discerning, but is a reality of life that not all men are called to be ordained a priest. It takes time spent away from the world to properly discern that call and be formed into the man God created him to be.

Compiled By Rev Utazi Prince Marie Benignus Zereuwa SFDPM

October 1 2020