Am I ready for the seminary?

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Am I ready for the seminary?

Entering the seminary is a big step in a man’s life, but it is also important to remember that it is also a small step at the same time. By deciding to enter the seminary, you are simply stating, “I feel the Lord is calling me to discern the vocation of priesthood.” This is a big step because you will have for the first time stated publicly that you are seeking to discern a priestly vocation. Friends and family will react in different ways to this declaration, but don’t let that worry you…..always remember the phrase most spoken in all of scripture, ‘Be Not Afraid!”

 

It is a small step, because you will have made no other commitment other than a willingness to spend the next year discerning a calling to the priesthood with the support and assistance of the seminary faculty, and your brother seminarians who both afford you the opportunity to no longer embark on this discernment alone.

 

If you discern, through the guidance of your spiritual director, that you are not called to the priesthood, what have you lost? A year or two, or three spent learning more about yourself, your spiritual life, your Church, your vocation….all this goes with you. If your discernment leads you to the sacrament of Holy Orders, you will have found your mission in life. Either way, it is a win-win, or as some would say, time well spent. Ask the vast majority of men who have spent time in the seminary discerning their vocation, and they will tell you it was some of the best years of their lives!

 

After spending time in prayer and reflection, asking the Lord what His will is for you, it can sometimes be helpful to ‘gauge’ where you are in regards to your readiness for the seminary. While this is certainly not an exhaustive list, nor meant to be the final word on this matter, perhaps the provided questions might help you in that ‘gauging’ process.

 

On each of the twenty points below, rate yourself on a scale from 0-5. A rating of 0 means you do not posses the stated sign at all. A 5 indicates that this sign is very evident in your life. The highest possible score is 100, so the closer you are to that number, the more prepared you may be for the seminary. Be completely honest with your answers and see where you fall in this hopefully helpful instrument. If you would like to follow-up with this through a discussion with the Director of Priestly Vocations, please feel free to contact him…..he would be more than happy to help you discern the meaning of your answers.

 

______ 1. I love Jesus Christ and I have a thirst to bring Jesus and His teaching to the world.

 

______ 2. I am endeavoring to be a believing, practicing Catholic Christian.

 

______ 3. I am trying to live a life of prayer and I desire a life of prayer.

 

______ 4. I am trying to serve others and I desire a life of service to others.

 

______ 5. I feel a desire to be a priest, though it is sometimes stronger than at other times.

 

______ 6. Others tell me that I should be a priest or that I would make a good priest.

 

______ 7. Prayerful reading of Sacred Scripture leads me to believe I might be called to be a priest.

 

______ 8. I am endeavoring to live virtuously.

 

______ 9. I like to be around people and I have sufficient social skills to engage others.

 

______ 10. I have enough intelligence to  complete graduate-level coursework and function as a priest.

 

______ 11. I think I have the physical, emotional and psychological stability to become a priest.

 

______ 14. I believe that I have the self-mastery to be a man of prayer, leadership, sacramental sign, and manager of a parish.

 

______ 15. Generally speaking, I have demonstrated stability in my life.

 

______ 16. People who know me would say I am a Christian gentleman.

 

______ 17. I have had events happen in my life that seem to be signs pointing towards the diocesan priesthood.

 

______ 18. I am usually able to accept both success and failure without losing hope.

 

______ 19. I believe that I have a healthy psycho-sexual development and orientation.

 

______ 20. I am trying to be truly open to the will of God for my life.

 

 

* This discernment instrument is taken from: To Save a Thousand Souls: A Guide for Discerning a Vocation to Diocesan Priesthood., by Fr. Brett Brannen