cmotherofpirl Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 It probably depends on the order and your calling. You could also be a brother or member of a lay order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLAZEr Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 Hmm....that's really interesting. I mean if you had to have a bachelor's degree to be a priest, then wouldn't that exclude all those who were too poor to get a college education, as well as those who seriously DID have a vocation but scholarly work just wasn't their thing? Surely that can't be a mandatory requirement for being a priest... **Free hopes not** Most diocese accept people who don't have a Bachelors degree. They send them to a seminary college and then to a theologate. This way no one who doesn't have the money is kept from their vocation. There is a certain amount of education a priest must have. First, he must be good at explaining the Church's teachings. This requires a certain level of intelligence. That does not mean that every priest has to be as smart as JP2, but they do have to be able to handle the theology classes they will be taught. If they can't handle the academics, there are other ways that they can consecrate their lives to God. The education thing is inDouche mandatory. No one is told they can't consecrate their lives to God because they aren't smart, but the priesthood because of the preaching/teaching/confession aspects require someone who can understand and explain theology and the Gospel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paladin D Posted October 14, 2003 Author Share Posted October 14, 2003 Hey guys, some confusion that was finally cleared up. - He's an Anglican Priest. - The Archbishop in Canada (where he lives) ordained him, since he has the power to do so. And usually, most have to go through 8 years of seminary before entering the priesthood, but he was the exception. Phew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellenita Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 Wouldn't that exclude all those who were too poor to get a college education Students don't have to pay for their college education in all countries. In the UK for example it's still relatively cheap for home students compared to the US, though we no longer automatically give grants to students to live on - they have to get loans and there is increasingly student debt as a result. The government is beginning the discussion about allowing universities to charge 'top up' fees, which is being fiercely resisted by students and many academics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreeSoul Posted October 15, 2003 Share Posted October 15, 2003 I wasn't saying that education shouldn't be mandatory...but I have a serious problem with many diocesan priests not having to take a vow of poverty....it's true..many don't have to take it. There are so many intelligent people with a deep and real understanding of theology that are homeless, or have learning disabilities...I even know some one who was told she should perhaps seek out another community for this reason...and she's already taking courses at a Master's level... Conventionally human-defined education does not determine the unconventional knowledge of the Divine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLAZEr Posted October 15, 2003 Share Posted October 15, 2003 I wasn't saying that education shouldn't be mandatory...but I have a serious problem with many diocesan priests not having to take a vow of poverty....it's true..many don't have to take it. There are so many intelligent people with a deep and real understanding of theology that are homeless, or have learning disabilities...I even know some one who was told she should perhaps seek out another community for this reason...and she's already taking courses at a Master's level... Conventionally human-defined education does not determine the unconventional knowledge of the Divine. First of all, NO diocesan priest takes a vow of poverty. VOWS are taken by Religious Priests (those who belong to a religous community like the Domincans, Franciscans, Jesuits, Benedictines, etc.) The Vows are based on the evangelical counsels of Poverty Chastity and Obedience. Most communities take those three vows, some do a slight variation (for example the Dominicans vow only Obedience but that is understood to inlclude poverty and chastity). Some communities have an extra vow (The Missionaries of Charity take a 4th vow of "Free and Wholehearted joyful service to the poorest of the poor.") All diocesan priests make solemn promises (which are as serious as vows). Diocesan priests make a solemn promise of Obedience to their local ordinary, a solemn promise to live a simple life, and a solemn promise to live a chaste celibate life. Sometimes diocesan priests are referred to as "secular" priests because they are thought to be those clerics who are closest to the world. Serving the spiritual needs of secular society in the place that the Church meets them most often, in the parish. Finally, there are communities that look for people like the homeless woman you describe. I would encourage you to have her look into a community like The Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal, or another such order that is dedicated to serving and imitating the poor St. Francis. I hope that clears some of it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.SIGGA Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 I don't think I'm changing the topic but... Does anyone know what the lowest age someone can be acepted to a seminary - in the U.S.? Is it just like applying to a college, or do men have to fulfill certain requirements? If the seminary is a pre-requisit for priesthood, wouldn't a really young priest first have to be a really young seminarian? How many years does seminary last b4 becoming a priest? I'm just a little bit ignorant... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paladin D Posted October 16, 2003 Author Share Posted October 16, 2003 I don't think I'm changing the topic but... Does anyone know what the lowest age someone can be acepted to a seminary - in the U.S.? Is it just like applying to a college, or do men have to fulfill certain requirements? If the seminary is a pre-requisit for priesthood, wouldn't a really young priest first have to be a really young seminarian? How many years does seminary last b4 becoming a priest? I'm just a little bit ignorant... Seminary lasts 8 full years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLAZEr Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 I don't think I'm changing the topic but... Does anyone know what the lowest age someone can be acepted to a seminary - in the U.S.? Is it just like applying to a college, or do men have to fulfill certain requirements? If the seminary is a pre-requisit for priesthood, wouldn't a really young priest first have to be a really young seminarian? How many years does seminary last b4 becoming a priest? I'm just a little bit ignorant... Seminary is about 4 years plus a bachelors degree. It can be 5 years if you didn't study philosophy in your undergrad. Currently you must have 30 hours of philosophy in order to begin the study of Theology. Most seminaries have a 1 or 2 year philosophy program for those who haven't had the philosophy before. Some dioceses accept young men who have graduated from High School and will send them to a Seminary College then onto the Theologate (which is the official Seminary which includes graduate studies in Theology). There are still a few dioceses that have a High School Seminary too. The Diocese of LaCrosse, WI has one, Bishop Burke is cool . . . I wish I had a link for that . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freaky Chik Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Students don't have to pay for their college education in all countries. In the UK for example it's still relatively cheap for home students compared to the US, though we no longer automatically give grants to students to live on - they have to get loans and there is increasingly student debt as a result. The government is beginning the discussion about allowing universities to charge 'top up' fees, which is being fiercely resisted by students and many academics! In Australia you don't pay either. We have a thing called HECS, it's what most students (like me) go on. Once you get into the work force and earn over a certain amount, you begin paying back the government. But ONLY if you earn over a certain amount. If you dont' earn more than that amount, you don't have to pay back the government. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICTHUS Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Here's a question: What if you already had Theological training. I'm considering taking a Theology/Social Science Bachelors program at Australian Catholic University, with the hopes of possibly becoming a youth minister, however, I have ulterior motives. :D I'm discerning a vocation to the Priesthood. And I thought that going into a Theo. program at a Catholic university might help me discern. So would that program reduce the amount of time that I would have to study Theology in the actual seminary? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freaky Chik Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 hi ICTHUS, i got accepted into ACU for Bachelor of Social Science Youth Work.... but instead I'm doing that course at RMIT now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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