What does it take to become a priest? Orthodox priest

The word Pop comes from the Old Church Slavonic Pop and may have been borrowed from the ancient Germanic pfaffo. Sometimes stands for "Shepherd of the Orthodox Sheep", an outdated, often ironic title for a priest. In the Orthodox Church, a priest - or otherwise a priest - is a clergyman who has the second degree of priesthood. Priests are also called presbyters, which means elder in Greek. The rank next to the priest is called Bishop.

Other articles on religious topics can be found in the section.

How to become a Priest

To become a priest you need to graduate from a theological seminary, which exists in many cities. The Theological Seminary is a higher educational institution. The duration of training is five years. Entrance exams take place in the summer; you can find out more precisely at the institution you decide to enroll in. You can also decide on exams there. Approximately for admission you need:

1. Pass oral exams on the Catechism and church history, both general and specifically Orthodox, and, of course, knowledge of the Old and New Testaments is required.
2. Knowledge of Old Church Slavonic is required.
3. Having an ear for music.
4. In addition to the exams, it is necessary to obtain a recommendation from the diocesan bishop or a recommendation from a priest certified by the bishop.
5. You can apply at the age of 18 to 35 years.

As in other educational institutions, students are paid a stipend. If necessary, some seminaries provide dormitory accommodation.

By the end of your studies, before you are ordained, you need to decide whether you will be a monk or get married. Once you have been ordained, you cannot change your status.

Although a priest is a profession in the worldly sense, in reality it is rather a calling and going to study at a theological seminary is at the behest of the heart, and not the call of the mind. After all, there are many other professions that are no worse if you do them with your soul, for the benefit of people. You can look for them at.

Hello dears!
Last time, we briefly went over the basics of the Orthodox clergy: and today I propose to continue more specifically and talk about the first degree of the priesthood - about deacons.
The system of diaconate (or otherwise diaconate) is an ancient institution that arose in the very first years of the existence of the Church, although the roots of this institution are even deeper - something similar, say, was in Judaism, and some find similarities even in some of the assistants of the ancient Egyptian priests of Aten.

In general, you need to understand that deacon - this is not a priest, but his first and main assistant, that is, a religious professional who cannot independently perform all sacred rites, but knows all the procedures very well.
In general, the word deacon comes from the Greek διάκονος, which means " minister".

Deacon Isaurian. Fresco from the 11th century.

Speaking about deacons, we must understand that this term means several ranks at once - just deacon, protodeacon, hierodeacon and archdeacon . We'll take a closer look at what the difference is below. As well as mentioning subdeacon, which, although it does not relate to the priesthood and is a transitional link from clergy to clergy, is still close to the institution of deacons in essence.

So, as we have already said, deacon- This is the chief assistant to the priest during sacred rites. At the moment, this institution is gradually becoming a thing of the past, and there are deacons only in large parishes, monasteries or cathedrals, and locally the priest can cope quite well alone.


Denis Hopper in "Water World" also called himself a Deacon, but this is somewhat from a different opera...:-)))

Deacon (until he is ordained, he is called protege) can be a man at least 25 years old (there are exceptions, but they are rare), preferably having graduated from a theological seminary or at least a college, unmarried, first married, or a widower who has no obstacles of a physical, spiritual or social nature. Obstacles of a physical nature are those that may prevent him from performing priestly service. That is, to be disabled, say, hunchbacked or missing a leg deacon It may well be, but blind or deaf - no. Obstacles of a spiritual nature are weak faith or the desire to enter the priesthood under the influence of a serious illness. The desire must be conscious and deliberate, and the strength of faith must be proven not only in words, but also in deeds.


Deacon at the service

Finally, social is associated with a person’s status in worldly life. No criminals hiding from justice, no marriages with close relatives, and also a ban (though it is often circumvented) on marriages with non-Orthodox wives. And there is another funny thing about unfaithful wives. Prohibition on ordination deacon the spouse of a wife caught in adultery sounds like this: “ If the wife of a certain layman, having committed adultery, is clearly convicted of this, then he cannot come into church service. If, after the husband’s ordination, he falls into adultery, then he must divorce her, but if he cohabits, he cannot touch the ministry entrusted to him."(8 rights. Neokes. Sov.). It is very interesting to know how this situation is verified in practice :-))))


Deacon Andrey with his family. Staged photo by A. Zhuk

Before ordination protege must pass the so-called test - that is, pass henchman confession before the diocesan confessor for his entire life and priestly oath. After this, the confessor tells the bishop whether he is ready protege to be ordained or not. Confession can be secret (which most often happens) or in the presence of the entire community.

Ordination of a deacon (the protege was a subdeacon)

If protege Approved for consecration, then the process itself ordination occurs during the Liturgy after the consecration of the Holy Gifts. Commits ordination local bishop (bishop). The procedure is as follows: the protege circles three times around the so-called Throne (the table located in the middle of the altar for celebrating communion (Eucharist) on it), kissing its corners, then kneels in front of the Throne and places his head on it. The bishop (bishop) places it on his head a special ribbon, the honor of one’s vestments, which is called omophorion(we will talk about it in the following parts) and on omophorion, having read a special prayer, lays on his hands.


Omophorion

After which it grants 3 attributes deacon and loudly proclaims " Axios!" (ἄξιος), which translated from Greek means " worthy", to which everyone present in the church also answers him three times "Axios!"
From this moment the protege begins to be considered deacon and you need to contact him either Father Deacon, or “ Your evangelism" Although no one has canceled the order of addressing by first name and patronymic, and as far as I understand, in Tsarist Russia it was the latter address that was most common.
To be continued...
Have a nice day!

Becoming a priest requires dedication, time and education. But if you feel called to it, then the path to ministry awaits you no matter what. Here's what awaits you if you intend to follow your calling

Steps

Recognition

Pray and reflect. If you are waiting for God to call you to pursue your destined career as a reverend, pray and reflect to receive clues and determine whether the call is coming from God, and to understand what you are getting yourself into.

• Being a priest or following any ministry is not for you. Moreover, you have been called to serve God and others in a special way. For you, this is not a profession out of despair or a way to glorify yourself.
• Consider what other people have told you in the past. If you have been particularly active in the church, and others have noticed your dedication and invited you to officially become ordained, then your calling is true, and others see it. If there are no such approving responses, you should not neglect the spiritual impulse. Ultimately, the approval of others is not the only indicator of whether you have been called by God.

1. Study the specific tenets of your denomination. Most Christian followers follow the same path described in this article, but some may skip or rearrange some steps while others advance additional tenets not described here. Before you begin this journey, find out what you will need to do before becoming a reverend.

   • There are different sources where you can learn about dogmas. The simplest, perhaps, is the Internet. Otherwise, you may want to ask your youth or young adult church leader. Or talk directly to your pastor about what you can expect.

2. Talk to your pastor. The first person you can consult with on an “official” level is the pastor of your church. He or she will want to know why you are interested in becoming a priest. If the pastor believes your intentions are noble, he or she will raise the issue with a formal church council or committee.

   • If there are no clear warning signs that your intentions to become a priest are impure, your pastor will support you and help you take the next step. The interview with your shepherd will be the most personal and ceremonial of all the interviews you will undergo during this process.

3. Get support from your church. In most cases, when you receive approval from your pastor, you will need to go to a council or committee in your local or house church where you will discuss your calling with the congregation. If the committee recognizes your intentions as sincere, they will most likely offer you their support.

   • Please note that this is not always the case. It all depends on how your faith is structured. If the church has a formal patriarchal hierarchy rather than a small community-oriented structure, the approval of your pastor may be all you need to move to the next stage. In this case, you may end up attending your church and support groups, but they will simply support and guide you without deciding whether you are worthy of going through this path.

4. Go to the church committee. When your home church acknowledges your desires, you must convince the local church committee to support you as well. These committees will interview and test you on a more professional level to determine whether the path is right for you. If you are rejected, the process is over, at least for the time being.

   • The names of this committee may vary depending on the name of your denomination. You may have heard terms such as “diocese,” “presbytery,” “synod,” or “annual conference.”
   • The regional committee will interview you. He may require you to provide a psychological profile or a certificate indicating whether you have a criminal record.
   • Throughout the conversation, be frank, even personal problems should be stated.
   • Undoubtedly, the committee will reject you if it suspects that you are planning to enrich yourself at the expense of the church, running away from your old life or problems at work, or if you do not prove yourself to be an adequate person. In addition, you may be denied if you have a criminal record.
   • If you earn the committee's recognition, you will be appointed as a seminarian. This means that you will need to enroll in a theological seminary.
   • While you are studying there, you will be required to report your progress to the committee.

5. Find a mentor. If the church committee approves of your candidacy, it may assign you a support group or mentor to help you in your spiritual training. If you haven't been assigned a mentor, find one yourself.

   • A mentor or support group guides you through the process to ensure you don't burn out. If you feel like you can't cope, they will try to help you out of any trouble.

Education

1. Get your bachelor's degree. Before entering the seminary, it is necessary to complete four years of study at the Faculty with a basic cycle of study. There is essentially no need to major in a specific field, but a bachelor's degree in some area of ​​religious studies will be a distinct plus when applying to seminary.

2. Be active in your studies. During your undergraduate college experience, you should be sure to get involved in any extracurricular activities of the institution. This way, you will not only get a taste of what it is like to be a priest, but you will also prepare a more convincing application to the seminary.

   • If your school does not have any spiritual groups, you can start a small Bible group with a few like-minded people. Moreover, you can find ministers and clergy in your local church.

3. Prepare for seminary. Some seminaries have special requirements that you will face before enrolling. These conditions may require more than just obtaining a bachelor's degree and having the support of a church committee.

   • Choose the right seminary. Most denominations require that you choose a seminary that is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools. Some denominations also insist that you choose a seminary that matches your religion. However, this is not the case everywhere.
   • Most likely, you will need various letters of recommendation. An application for admission to study is also required.

4. Take seminary classes. It takes two to four years to complete a seminary education. When all is said and done, you will receive a Master of Divinity degree, but you can work up to a Doctor of Clergy or Doctor of Divinity degree.

   • Take classes in Old and New Testament studies, biblical interpretation, preaching, biblical languages, history of Christian worship, Christian worship practice, counseling, curriculum development, sociology, church history, ethics, theology, and nonprofit management.

5. Take internships and workshops. Seminars will require you to complete a certain number of internships and practicums before qualifying. Find out the requirements and follow them.

   • During your internship, you will work part-time with a pastor at a local church, charity home or hospital.
   • However, you are unlikely to be required to write and defend a dissertation.
   • For part-time students, studies can last up to eight years.

6. Complete any required additional training. Although not always required, some denominations may insist that you complete additional training during or after your seminary studies. This training focuses on such aspects as working with people and the legal aspects of the profession.

   • Additional training also includes pressing topics such as sexual abuse, clinical pastoral care, and religious persecution. Classes are usually conducted under the direction of the denomination's responsible insurance company. For this purpose, you can also undergo psychological and personality testing.

Final Steps

1. Write a petition for ordination. Once you have received the necessary education, you will need to write a petition for ordination describing your experience and calling. This document will be reviewed by your church committee.

   • The length of the letter may vary, but it should fully reveal the entire educational, social and spiritual path throughout the development that you have gone through to this day. You will also need to demonstrate personal conviction and dedication to the calling.

In this article you will learn how to become a priest. Kyiv priest Grigory Kryzhanovsky told Pravmir about this. Read!

Petya jumped with a parachute, but Vasya did not, and Petya tells Vasya how great it is. But Vasya looks at Petya and thinks: this could break all the bones, and this does happen!

Why quit a great job? Why work in construction with a higher education?

By the way, it is not necessary to change your job. Wash the dishes as before, but you can wash them and feel happy. I discovered in my 30s that I don't like washing dishes, but rather splash around in warm water. All my life I thought that I loved washing dishes, but my wife denounced me.

It takes a lot of courage to admit this to yourself. You seem to be good, but in reality you love pleasure. You do good deeds, but you yourself love praise and attention.

In a large family, you need to compete for parental attention. You have to put your shoes on the shelf, make your bed, and for this they tell you that you are good - but you are the same as everyone else, although you realize this at 30.

No matter how good you are, no matter how many years you have been in the Church, over time you will learn that you are the same as others, like believers and non-believers, in terms of the degree of your distance from God. But God is everywhere and always, and the question is whether you let Him into yourself.

The feeling that Petya experienced while jumping with a parachute - how to convey it? The word becomes scarcer and ceases to be significant. Divine services, chants, temple construction, paintings, all this splendor is an attempt, an attempt.

Madness, actions - that's what really amazes people. Someone's example convinces them that they need to change. And God changes a person. How and when this happens is a mystery. For some during life, for others right before death, at the moment of death or after it - but the Lord will give to everyone who asks.

It takes courage to be a believer. This is not just a ritual: go here, come here, light a candle, take a blessing. If a person truly seeks beyond his strength God, who is merciful, forgiving, and gives grace and energy, he is a brave man, he decides to live forever. This is a serious decision and responsibility.

I grew up in a closed, large family with little contact with the world. For example, for a long time I did not know that there was such a thing as divorce. I had many uncles and aunts throughout the Union, we saw them regularly, and they all had full-fledged families. And already at school I learned that it happens like this: a boy without a dad, but not because his dad died.

My father and mother did not profess Jesus Christ, they were materialists, good people of Soviet views. They didn't say we had to be kind, they were just kind to us. And kindness is even more important than decency.

I graduated from the physics and mathematics class with a gold medal, and in 1995 I entered the KPI. I decided to study to become a programmer. I thought about law school, but didn’t go because court cases put me off.

When, in my second year, one department head hired me to work in an organization associated with the Ministry of Justice, I worked there for a year and a half as a computer systems engineer and realized that I did not want to be a lawyer for moral and ethical reasons. In addition, the work of a programmer was more creative.

Then I worked at Golden Telecom for five years, working in the financial department with database and accounting systems. Here, over time, I became interested not in the applied aspect of programming, but in the aspect of developing database architecture and systems analysis.

When I moved to Foxtrot, a completely Ukrainian company, I noticed a difference in mentality. Golden Telecom was half an American company, which means different approaches and principles. The most important thing here is the skills of a specialist. In a foreign company you understand that the Minister of Economy cannot become the Minister of Health. The corporate spirit reigns here; you yourself value the opportunity to earn money above all else.

In a Ukrainian company, you must be, first of all, a person - a cool guy, a friend, a fellow countryman, in general, one of our own. Narrow specialization is not so important here: having worked in domestic business, you already fully admit that the Minister of Economy can become both the Minister of Internal Affairs and Health. Here they recruit a team rather than specialists.

At the same time as working, I was studying as a full-time student. My boss was a workaholic, from him I learned patience, the ability to surpass yourself - when you can’t anymore, but you’re still working.

After Foxtrot, I worked for a year at MTS. During that period, I spent a lot of time on hobbies: psychology, introspection, worldview concepts. These are apparently innate inclinations: my older brother became a psychiatrist.

It was then that I began to become interested in Christianity - after I came across Alexander Men’s book “The Son of Man.” I was no longer interested in making money. While I was helping my parents support their family, this was important, but now the children had grown up, the older ones were settling into their lives, the younger ones had finished school, I was no longer needed as a breadwinner and could devote more time to myself.

I was planning a family life. I had a sad experience in a relationship with a girl - I liked her, but I didn’t marry her. I was in search, constantly thinking about how to become happy. People often associate happiness with something external. The present is not enough for him, he needs guarantees of the future, and this makes him extremely tormented.

At some point I realized that I don’t like disappointments, I’m afraid of them. If I live to be 70 and only then learn the truth, it will mean that my whole life has been a mistake. And I thought with youthful maximalism: it’s better to find out this truth tomorrow.

For some reason I remember this moment - it happened at night, around 2 o'clock. I loved staying up late, looking at the burning windows of high-rise buildings around me: these are thousands and thousands of different destinies that I don’t think about until I sit by the window. Happiness, unhappiness, everything is seething, or is already asleep, or has already disappeared.

And I say to myself - why is all this? And at this moment I decide that I could pay for the truth with the most precious thing - my life. I made this decision and forgot about it, but from that moment my life began to change dramatically.

I started reading books dedicated to the soul and God - and once again changed jobs, moving to Philip Morris. This is a tobacco manufacturer. Now I changed jobs not due to earnings - I was more interested in the team, relationships with people.

And my brother starts going to church. I was a provocateur, I loved to scare people, to laugh at people, and now I’m probably the same, I just got into the habit of doing it softer, so that it would be beneficial, to laugh at myself rather. So, my brother tells me about Jesus Christ, and I answer him: “Was there a boy?” He was very angry with me then.

In general, when my boss returned to work at Philip Morris from maternity leave, I said that I was fed up with this smoking and that I was quitting. I went nowhere, went to live in the country.

It was a period when everything came naturally. It was rather difficult for me before this. By this time I have already fasted, lived on the balcony for six months, slept on a rug - these were my ascetic practices - and went to church, to the St. Cyril Church.

Those around me were frightened by my behavior. They told my mother: “your son is crazy, but it’s okay, you have five more normal children.” Classmates - all capable mathematicians, materialists - shook their heads, saying that a man had disappeared.

I re-read a ton of literature. I was especially struck by Anthony Sourozhsky’s book “Man Before God.” I entered into a state of conversation with the author where I ask a question and find the answer on the next page. I understand what this man is preaching for me. By this time, I was already in my second year of evening catechesis school at the parish of St. Catherine on the street. Polupanova.

One and zero - what could be less? We know that zero can be approached from the right and from the left. What can you see when you can't see anything? Nothing, but you can feel it. When you're sitting on a tricky math problem, you need insight. When you are looking for God, you can read the wisest mentor, sensei, guru a thousand times - and you will not understand anything.

I had my eureka moment when I became an active churchgoer. Fighting for my ideals, I fail. If earlier I strived for everyday success, now this failure was my success. In what sense? My mother consoled me, and I told her: everything is God’s will. And she: do you really believe that?

And then I understand that this is just a familiar phrase. I don’t know the will of God, I don’t know God, and His will interests me only when it is combined with mine. It was a moment of horror: God forbid that God’s will be for everything!

This was my insight, a new turning point in my life. All my dreams are starting to come true. I begin to feel God, search for Him, run after Him. After reading the books and lives of the saints, I begin to look for God's people in the Church and outside it - meetings, communication, disappointment... Experiencing and seeing miracles is terrible in its own way, because at some point they will end, and you will have to pay for them, as and for all happiness.

In church, I became familiar to people as a diligent parishioner thanks to some of my instilled qualities from childhood. My aunt once said: maybe you’ll become a priest? And then someone else: go ahead and be ordained, you will serve the liturgy for children.

The first time I heard this, I fainted: I am a distant, unworthy person. And then the circle narrowed and the time came when I prayed: “Lord, I want this. Do you, Lord, want this? Let me know". A prayer of gratitude appeared not only for what I have, but for the fact that You exist, Lord. I am insignificant, but God's mercy is immeasurable. It is this feeling of gratitude that gives courage to ask: “What do you want, Lord?” In the phone call they told me “Axios!”

Although I didn't have a job, I constantly found one for myself. I'm a workaholic - I just love to work. This is a model of behavior: in a large family it is impossible not to work; parents have never been idle.

At that moment I am rebuilding the house, turning the dacha into a solid dwelling. I make money from transportation and construction. I dreamed of a private house, of a family - and now it all appeared: both a house and a woman who accepted my proposal. That same year I entered the seminary, for which I took the blessing of my wife - she was exactly the person thanks to whom I, faint-hearted, made up my mind.

By the time I was ordained, my relatives and their parents had already become church people; they all found in the Church a solution to their problems that were, in principle, unsolvable in the world.

This year we celebrated the 9th anniversary of the deaf community at the Ionin Monastery. Deaf people are essentially foreigners who are unable to learn our language. And only we can learn their language and help them.

Who doesn't want to learn a deaf language as a child? I lived in Vinogradar, not far from boarding school No. 6. You think: that would be great, and you forget about it. And when I entered the third grade of the seminary and they began to teach us sign language, it turned out that I was capable of it.

As a deacon, I was asked to come to Ioninsky, where services were held with the help of a translator. The deaf took a closer look at me and decided: “This is the future priest! We need him to learn – we need him.” After all, there are things that a person wants to discuss with a priest directly, without an interpreter.

Overall, I realized that this was an opportunity to serve people. And not ordinary people, but deprived people and at the same time people of God who fulfilled God’s commandment “be like children.” They are active, trusting, open - but in their own environment.

Language is a culture-forming factor, so it is a separate people. Sign language forms a national minority in the territory. In Europe this has already been formally prescribed. A foreigner is born into an ordinary family! If parents do not learn the language of their child, the child will find people of his “nation” and will not fully return to the family.

Before the revolution, the Church translated liturgical texts into sign language. There were almshouses and parochial schools for the deaf in St. Petersburg. In Kyiv, a priest also began teaching the deaf. He had two deaf daughters, and he had enough money to send one of them to study. She returned and taught her sister and father, who began to teach the children.

The revolution interrupted this endeavor, like many others. It became even worse when Stalin spoke to the effect that the deaf are inferior, and their language is also a manifestation of inferiority. Then the deaf were forbidden to communicate in their language and were forced to keep their hands in their pockets. The tradition of liturgy for the deaf was completely lost, and only in the 90s did the Orthodox Church in Kyiv begin to engage in translations.

Difficulties arose with the translation of some theological terms and texts, those in which the teaching about Christ is concentrated - we had to largely start from scratch, creating gestures denoting these concepts.

Now almost all liturgical texts have been translated. After all, once a language has been developed and there is a dictionary, the rest is a matter of technology. A video dictionary of sign language for liturgical terms has been created. We have collected everything we have learned and are disseminating the information.

Now is the age of rapid information development. God gives revelation to people, and they use it for good or evil. Mobile phones - it’s as if they were specially invented for the deaf so that they could type SMS. The Internet is also for them.

There are many of us - 20 people at a service, but about 60 in total. Now we have six to eight translators - more than in the Minsk and St. Petersburg communities, which are older than us. Recently we have been to Lutsk, Chisinau, the Moscow region, Zhitomir, and we are going to Kherson.

What do we preach? There are already believers there. Only that it is possible and necessary to translate the service. We need to embrace these people too. God chose them, and we can help ensure that their faith is realized through wide and full participation in the liturgy.

There is nothing special or special about my priestly service in this community. Only knowledge of sign language. The feelings, emotions, and everyday issues of these people are the same as ours. The divine service itself, of course, has its own specifics. First, the translator must be a believer. Know the divine service, understand the content and meaning of prayers, dramaturgy. He must have feelings!

If I were deaf, a purely technical, unemotional translation would not suit me. I would like my brother or sister to translate, for example. The service flows; there is a visible and an audible part of it. And the audible must be translated into visual. Thus, the “video sequence” in worship for the deaf is more intense. And since this “channel” is overloaded, you cannot “throw” unnecessary things into it.

Father should express himself simply, not abstrusely. The translator needs discreet, non-distracting clothing, the priest needs a trimmed mustache. I'm lucky with my mustache.

Magazine "To the Right", No. 1, 2014

Becoming a Catholic priest is a very serious decision. If you feel that this is the will of God, are ready to devote yourself to a righteous life and agree to celibacy, then perhaps you are destined to be ordained. Remember, the life of a Catholic priest is subordinated to serving God and others.

Steps

Getting on the path

Compliance with basic requirements. Currently, in most dioceses, a priest must be single and never married. Both rules have their exceptions, but they are rare, and almost everywhere you need to comply with them.

Active participation in the life of the church parish. You need to start helping in your parish even before you first think about entering a university or seminary. Applicants to become priests must have been practicing Catholics in good standing for at least the past five years, and they must have been actively involved in the life of the parish for at least two years. In addition, it will be better if those who want to become a priest study the conduct of mass, special services and other studies.

• Meet your favorite priest. Tell him about your desire to enter the seminary, find out if you could help him during services, when visiting sick parishioners or organizing events in the parish.
• In addition to altar services, help with singing and reading. Having thoroughly studied the books and psalms, you will greatly simplify your further path.

1. Think about your faith. The decision to become ordained is not one that can be made without hesitation - years will pass before the ordination is accepted, and this is not for those who are weak in spirit or faith. If you are confident, perhaps san is for you.

   • Pray to God for help in recognizing the situation. Attend Mass regularly, interact with the clergy of your parish, and try to sort out your thoughts and feelings. Seek advice from church leaders or someone you trust in the clergy.

2. Think about your options. In addition to being a priest, there are other positions in the church that will help you stay closer to God. Besides deacons and monks, consider missionary work. Missionaries primarily engage in cross-cultural missions while living among the poor and disadvantaged.

   • Again, it is best to consult an expert. If you are already involved in the activities of the church, then you have several acquaintances who can suggest the right path. Research the issue and connect with the clergy, they will be able to help.

   Getting an education

   1. Go to university. For bachelors, the time in the seminary is reduced to 4 years. The training will take 8 years anyway - the decision is yours. If you decide to enroll in higher education (public or private), it is better to get a degree in a related field, be it philosophy, theology, or even history.

      • At university, get involved in a church organization. Visit hermits, help other students, and become involved in the life of a new parish or diocese. Under no circumstances should you give up your studies - the university will give you the knowledge you need for your future career.

   2. Apply to seminary. Apply to seminary through your diocese or religious order. The process usually involves several questions about you and your desire to be ordained. Find out from your parish where to start.

      In seminary it is important to study very well. You'll study philosophy, Latin, Greek, Gregorian chant, dogmatic and moral theology, exegesis, canon law, church history... for starters. One year will be devoted to an in-depth study of “religion” - so you’ll be poring over books almost all the time!

   Achieving Success After Seminary

   Receiving appointment to the post of deacon. This is almost the same as priesthood, but a little simpler. If you have completed 8 years of study/seminary, you are given 180 days before you are ordained. Six months of diaconate and you're almost there.

   • Essentially, this is a probationary period. You will be able to experience what awaits you. This is the last obstacle, and only those who truly want to devote themselves to the priesthood will overcome it. For your information, vows of celibacy and devotion to God are taken at this stage.

   1. Be ordained. The call of a bishop is the final “test” of whether the priesthood is truly your calling. If the bishop does not ordain you, then the priesthood is not your calling. Unless the bishop has some reason for not actually ordaining you, then everything will be fine. Be ordained and you're in business!

   2. Receive an appointment as a priest in a specific parish. After the bishop ordains you, you will first be assigned to a diocese. In some cases you may be asked to move. They will help you with accommodation if possible.

      • Once the process is complete, the most important thing is to remain submissive to God and celibate. This will not bring any special financial benefits, but your soul will soar.
   • You can be ordained even if you are not a Catholic. Often people realize their calling to the priesthood at the same time as the need to convert to Catholicism.
   • Prayer is extremely important to the process of discernment. It is important to attend daytime masses, go to confession often, read spiritual books, and choose one of the saints as your patron.
   • Celibacy and sexual abuse scandals may make you less determined to recognize your calling to the priesthood. Understand that these fears are shared by many men in the process of becoming ordained; prayer will help overcome them. Understand also that sexual abuse represents the actions of only a few people in the church, but these people in no way represent the church as a whole or the majority of the priests.
   • Remember, entering the seminary is not the same as being ordained. Many enter seminary or become students in a religious congregation, but realize that they are not called to the priesthood. So, if you are not completely sure of your calling (and, by the way, the absolute majority are like that), you can still enroll in a seminary or become a student.
   • Remember the two vows of a Catholic priest: obedience and celibacy. Lay priests make these vows to their bishop. The priests of the order take vows of obedience, chastity and poverty.
   • You can go to www.gopriest.com and order a free copy of Father Brett A. Brannen's book, Saving Thousands of Souls. This is perhaps one of the most powerful books on diligently recognizing your recognition, and the book is free.
   • You can look at the program for becoming a priest.
   • The terms “vocation” and “knowing” are useful. Everyone is called to be godly, but everyone is called in a different way—callings include religious life, priesthood, singleness, and marriage. “Knowing” is the lifelong process of knowing God through prayer and faith. Knowledge requires enormous patience.