Becoming a Priest

10-08-2012 11:19pm #1

I feel a calling to become a priest and was wondering how I would be able to go the the Irish College in Rome and study at the Pontifical Gregorian or Lateran Universities?

Also if you study for an Arts degree in Italy or any European country, could you then study for a High Diploma in Education in Ireland, because I would like to teach in my diocese Diocesan College?

martinedwards · 11-08-2012 7:10am

be careful about planning your vocation.

God has a funny way of getting in the way of what WE would like to do!!!!

and given the state of RC clergy intake in Ireland I suspect the chance of a trained priest being stuck in a college in years to come would be slim. you'd be running about 6 parishes.

as to the detail of your question?

as a prod, not a clue!

sorry!

Onesimus · 11-08-2012 12:06pm

Kolten Alive Boar wrote: »

I feel a calling to become a priest and was wondering how I would be able to go the the Irish College in Rome and study at the Pontifical Gregorian or Lateran Universities?

Also if you study for an Arts degree in Italy or any European country, could you then study for a High Diploma in Education in Ireland, because I would like to teach in my diocese Diocesan College?

I think you would be better off contacting your local vocations director about that first. Many parishes have live in vocation weekends going on.

qrrgprgua · 11-08-2012 12:47pm

Kolten Alive Boar wrote: »

I feel a calling to become a priest and was wondering how I would be able to go the the Irish College in Rome and study at the Pontifical Gregorian or Lateran Universities?

Also if you study for an Arts degree in Italy or any European country, could you then study for a High Diploma in Education in Ireland, because I would like to teach in my diocese Diocesan College?

Its for the Bishop, who will ordain you a priest, to decide where you will study.

Unless you are able to pay your own stay in Rome. Its not cheap to send seminarians to Rome while we already have a seminary in Ireland.

neemish · 11-08-2012 12:49pm

Contact your Diocesan Office, who will put you in touch with the Vocations Director.

Best of Luck with it

11-08-2012 12:58pm

I am in the Diocese of Killaloe so hopefully Bishop O'Reilly (if he is still Bishop of Killaloe in a few years time, please God) will avail of the financial boost for vocations:

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/diocese-gets-1m-in-will-to-boost-its-vocations-3194324.html

Onesimus · 11-08-2012 2:16pm

qrrgprgua wrote: »

Its for the Bishop, who will ordain you a priest, to decide where you will study.

Unless you are able to pay your own stay in Rome. Its not cheap to send seminarians to Rome while we already have a seminary in Ireland.

If you could call it that . . .

more like a house these days to house the philosophers.

qrrgprgua · 11-08-2012 3:25pm

Onesimus wrote: »

If you could call it that . . .

more like a house these days to house the philosophers.

Well if you want to be a priest you need a Bishop to ordain you.. and its his decision where you will study,,if he is footing the bill.

If you have your own money.. that's another thing.

Or.. You can join an order or congregation in Italy.

Onesimus · 11-08-2012 3:29pm

qrrgprgua wrote: »

Well if you want to be a priest you need a Bishop to ordain you.. and its his decision where you will study,,if he is footing the bill.

If you have your own money.. that's another thing.

Or.. You can join an order or congregation in Italy.

I was not disagreeing with you in regards to the Bishop sending anyone who wants to be a priest to an Irish seminary. But thought I'd simply comment on the fact that we can hardly call them seminaries these days.

philologos · 11-08-2012 3:33pm

Onesimus wrote: »

If you could call it that . . .

more like a house these days to house the philosophers.

When I studied there I met quite a few of the seminarians. What's your criticism?

I think it's good that they value philosophy as an important part of education.

Onesimus · 11-08-2012 3:34pm

philologos wrote: »

When I studied there I met quite a few of the seminarians. What's your criticism?

I think it's good that they value philosophy as an important part of education.

That is not what I meant. . .

neemish · 11-08-2012 3:36pm

At the risk of feeding a troll, what did you mean?

Cossax · 11-08-2012 3:50pm

There was a topic or post on it in this forum before, after an investigation they wanted to clear out the priests/teachers/educators from one of the Irish seminaries in Rome/Vatican.

totus tuus · 11-08-2012 4:01pm

You can read about the findings of the Apostolic Visitation of Irish Seminaries here.

neemish · 11-08-2012 4:11pm

Yes, I've read it. I'm still wondering what the poster means by his comment though.

Northclare · 12-08-2012 9:58pm

Would you not consider studying theology and then make your own mind up,because right now the Church of Ireland might be more appealing.

Jesus Nut · 13-08-2012 12:22am

YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK as part of your discernment!
YOU MUST READ IT!!!!

http://www.amazon.com/Myth-Ritual-Christianity-Alan-Watts/dp/0807013757

Actor · 13-08-2012 3:55pm

Don't read into any advice on these fora.

skooterblue2 · 13-08-2012 6:59pm

totus tuus wrote: »

You can read about the findings of the Apostolic Visitation of Irish Seminaries here.

Read it and cant make head not tail of it ...... If they could only write it in the way the average lay person with a degree and without comprehensive knowledge of theology and canon law could understand it. So passively aggressively non-committal!! Anyone would think they were moving on issues!!

skooterblue2 · 13-08-2012 7:16pm

Actor wrote: »

Don't read into any advice on these fora.

Make up your own mind. Possibly write to several bishops and see if they would sponsor you in Rome. Personally I think the church needs more community leaders not philosophers.

The Last Priest we had swelled the congregation. He didnt have enough theology to fill a teacup but he could play music. He did a lot of work on the Schools, fixed the Church roof. When he left the church was a great community base. The man never asked for a penny and donations of work and services came from all corners of the parish. He left the books in the black.

Then the bishop wanted to move him on. The congregation called him down for "a little chat" where the Bishop was short of lynched and told to ride out of town on the horse he rode in on.

Since then the Church is half empty, The replacement priest doesnt have the same contact with the parish. These are the kind of men we need not great men thinking great thoughts in Maynooth. We need great community leaders men with emotional intelligence who can relate to people.

Onesimus · 13-08-2012 8:21pm

skooterblue2 wrote: »

Make up your own mind. Possibly write to several bishops and see if they would sponsor you in Rome. Personally I think the church needs more community leaders not philosophers.

The Last Priest we had swelled the congregation. He didnt have enough theology to fill a teacup but he could play music. He did a lot of work on the Schools, fixed the Church roof. When he left the church was a great community base. The man never asked for a penny and donations of work and services came from all corners of the parish. He left the books in the black.

Then the bishop wanted to move him on. The congregation called him down for "a little chat" where the Bishop was short of lynched and told to ride out of town on the horse he rode in on.

Since then the Church is half empty, The replacement priest doesnt have the same contact with the parish. These are the kind of men we need not great men thinking great thoughts in Maynooth. We need great community leaders men with emotional intelligence who can relate to people.

I may never agree with everything skooter has to say but we should open our ears to this. This is the reason we have a drop in priests. Too many vocational directors are looking for ''the perfect mind'' rather than ''the perfect heart''. They require you to have university behind you before they even at least consider you to the priesthood. they require that you had finished your leaving cert or carry some kind of college degree.

It is a far cry from St.Peter who was just a fisherman and St.Matthew who was just a tax collector. We should be looking for the man who has a great air of Holiness about him and good relationship with the Lord first and foremost and then taking on the seminarian on a trial period to see how he can cope with the education he is given to do.

But alas! the Vocational directors here are afraid of funding drop outs and losing money.

tutut.

skooterblue2 · 13-08-2012 8:57pm

Onesimus wrote: »

I may never agree with everything skooter has to say but we should open our ears to this. This is the reason we have a drop in priests.

But alas! the Vocational directors here are afraid of funding drop outs and losing money.

Thanks Onesimus. That was Big of you to say that.

I think they are not targeting the right candidates.
I think a Priest (I still hold on to my belief that a priest can be either sex and married if they wish), should be found well within the church and Parish.
Why do people drop out of college anyways (any and no course in particular)? They werent prepared, didnt know what lay ahead, poor guidance etc...
Really what is needed is students sought about the age of 27-30 who have that experience. They are the GAA, soccer coach, a background in music would be nice. They also need to be knowledgeable as well as humble enough as to say I need help. "I need an Engineer/Lawyer/accountant to look at this problem". They need to draft them into the community. Some display of management and organisation skills are needed as well.

If they had a primary Degree they could possibly fast tracked in the seminary. The boy of 17 no matter how gifted he is, hasnt a clue about living compared to a man of 30. You will often see the mature student while not out perform but have a better chance of finishing the course than fresher students.

That is why I posted a few days ago it would take each 50 students from each diocese each year for the next 10 years just to maintain the congregation we have now. This is to allow for dropouts and change of hearts. I dont want to see an end to the church but there will have to be dramatic changes.

Remember when ministers of the Eucharist came in? They were an abomination now How could the mass ever get completed without them?

ramblingcelt · 28-08-2012 10:39pm

martinedwards wrote: »

be careful about planning your vocation.

God has a funny way of getting in the way of what WE would like to do!!!!

Not to mention your bishop and seminary rector!

recourse · 27-08-2013 8:00pm

Kolten Alive Boar wrote: »

I feel a calling to become a priest and was wondering how I would be able to go the the Irish College in Rome and study at the Pontifical Gregorian or Lateran Universities?

Also if you study for an Arts degree in Italy or any European country, could you then study for a High Diploma in Education in Ireland, because I would like to teach in my diocese Diocesan College?

Hi, reading some threads. Can I ask did you enter a seminary?

brian_t · 27-08-2013 11:09pm

recourse wrote: »

Hi, reading some threads. Can I ask did you enter a seminary?

If you click on the OP's name it brings you to their profile page.

Here you can find out when the OP was last active on Boards.

In this case it was "Last Activity: 24-09-2012"

So you might not get a response to your query.

Becoming a Priest

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