How to Train to Become a Catholic Priest

Making a decision to become a Catholic priest requires reflection and prayer combined with educational training. Before being ordained as a priest, you must have a certain amount of education and seminary training.

Instructions

1. Determine whether the priesthood is right for you. Become actively involved with a local Catholic parish and attend Mass regularly. Speak to the pastor of the church and speak with other priests in the area to determine whether this vocation is the right one.

2. Determine which type of Catholic priest you want to become. There are several orders of Catholic priests such as Dominican, Franciscan and Jesuit. Dominican priests follow the teachings of St. Dominic. Franciscans follow the teachings of St. Francis. There are many similarities between the two orders but the teachings and ways of life differ. Jesuits are best known for their educational ministries. Decide which order interests you before looking into a seminary program.

3. Attend a high school seminary program if you are still in high school. There are several high school seminary programs available in the U.S.

4. Attend college or seminary school if you are not in high school. There are many seminaries throughout the U.S., with the most located in New York. Many of these seminaries are run by the Dominican, Franciscan or Jesuit orders, but there are others, such as the Legionaries of Christ or the Washington Theological Union, which is sponsored by several communities. Plan on spending eight years in seminary school if you do not attend college. If you attend college, plan on spending four years in the seminary.

5. After finishing seminary, all men interested in joining the priesthood become deacons of the Catholic Church. During this time, you will work with other priests and religious people as well as lay workers of the church to gain further knowledge of what is required once you become a priest. Also, you have further opportunity to reflect and pray regarding this vocation.

6. Once all educational and deaconate instruction is complete, you will be ordained a priest at a celebratory mass officiated by high officials of the church including the bishop of the city where the ordination is taking place.

References

• Additional College Coursework Information

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish