Discern the Priesthood

The best first step in this sometimes difficult process is to follow the words most spoken in the Holy Scripture, “Be not afraid!” Whether it was an angel announcing good news, or Christ speaking to His disciples, setting aside your fear is the first step. Once you are open to hearing the Lord speak to your heart, a message that will most likely come as a quiet whisper, you will be able to truly discern, figure out, “Lord, where are you calling me to serve you in this life?”

Discernment must involve prayer, the willingness to seek out quiet in an otherwise noisy world, a desire to know God’s will for your life, and a love for the Church and all Her members. Discernment is the first step in coming to know if the Lord is calling you to serve him as a Roman Catholic priest.

“Christ is knocking very hard at many hearts, looking for young people like you to send into the vineyard where an abundant harvest is ready.” – St. John Paul II

While there are several methods of discerning God’s calling in your life, the following steps will hopefully assist you with this process:

You must have a personal relationship with Christ

As Pope Benedict XVI states: “The seminarian experiences the beauty of God’s call in a moment of grace which could be defined as ‘falling in love’….It is only when a young man has had a personal experience of Christ that he can truly understand the Lord’s will and consequently his own vocation.” Have you fallen “in love” with Christ?

Pray for guidance from God

God has a plan for everyone and following God’s plan will lead to true happiness. Allow the Lord to lead you and have trust that He will only desire what is best for you. It is then that you will find true happiness and fulfillment in life.

Pay attention to the gifts and talents you’ve been given by God

God has blessed each of us with many gifts and talents, distinct to every person. Have you allowed yourself the ability to consider that these gifts that you have been blessed with from God could be used to serve the Church?

Pray before the Blessed Sacrament for guidance

The Real Presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is the “source and summit” of our Catholic faith. What better place to spend time in quiet reflection and adoration then in the presence of our living God? “This is Jesus here. This is God. And priests exist to make him sacramentally present to the faithful.” Seek out a parish that has an adoration chapel and enjoy your time of grace in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

“Vocations are born in prayer and from prayer; only through prayer can they persevere and bear fruit.” - Pope Francis

Ask the Blessed Mother

A devotion to the Blessed Mother is the surest and safest way to your vocation. Just as she was the way Jesus chose to come to us, so too, she is the way to go back to Jesus. She will protect, guide, and perfect our prayers and bring them before her Beloved Son. The Rosary is a powerful prayer for any man trying to discover his vocation.

Seek advice from a priest

While many people are well equipped to assist you in your discernment of a priestly vocation, there is no substitute for a priest. Whether it is one of your parish priests, a spiritual director, or friend, the advice and direction received from a priest will be extremely beneficial in your discernment of a calling to the priesthood of Jesus Christ.

Receive the sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation

Regular reception of the Eucharist, definitely every Sunday and preferably every day if your schedule allows, will afford you the opportunity to stay in communion with the “Word made Flesh”. Unlike other food, the more you receive the Eucharist, the more you become like that which you consume. The sacrament of Reconciliation reminds you that we are all sinners and always in need of God’s merciful forgiveness. The more we receive forgiveness for our sins, the better we can configure our lives to Christ.

Know God, know true peace

True peace will be felt in your heart when you come to know God as an intimate friend. This peace will also lead to an affirmation that what you are experiencing emotionally in regards to your discernment of the priesthood is from God. Knowing what and where God wants you to be will come with an overwhelming sense of peace.

Look to Jesus as the model for all decision making.

“Father…not my will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) By seeking God’s perfect will, life to the fullest will be experienced. Jesus always followed the will of His Father, are we not called to do the same?

Be involved in the life of your parish

An excellent way to experience the life of a parish priest is to involve yourself in the life of a parish…..which is the life of a priest. Consider being an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, Lector, Catechist or a member of a Committee, Commission or Council. The more you know about the life of a priest, the better you will be able to discern.

The process of making a decision about your life with the help of the Holy Spirit is called “discernment.” It is the process of discovering God’s will for you. “Ultimately, our vocation consists in God calling us to consummate loving union with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for all eternity.”

As you begin, remember that both you and God ultimately desire the same thing – your happiness. You want to make a decision about your life that will bring you happiness.

Therefore, you and God are not working at cross-purposes, but for the same goal. Discernment is a gift from God, assisting you in the ability to “come to know, identify or recognize one thing as distinct from something else.”

Discernment begins with the ability to ask without fear, “Lord, how can I best serve you?” Only after you are willing to ask this question can true discernment begin.

Holiness (to be like Jesus) is a lifetime endeavor for every person in every vocation. Don’t worry if you don’t see yourself as very holy right now. God will form you slowly, day by day and week by week, so that you will be ready to be His instrument when the time comes. But for now, use the sacrament of Penance at least once a month. Repent of your sins, receive the sacraments, and pray every day. You will be surprised at how Christ-like you can become!

The purpose of a priest is to bring people to Jesus, and Jesus to people. He does this primarily by preaching the Word and offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. His daily life involves administering the sacraments — Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance and Reconciliation, the Anointing of the Sick, and Matrimony (Holy Orders is reserved for bishops to administer) — and caring for the people in their daily needs.

No, it is definitely not easy! A man who wants to become a priest must go to college for four years, with at least two years of philosophy. After graduating from college, he must go to a seminary for another four years to earn a master’s degree in divinity. Most men go to school eight to ten years after high school, before they are ordained a priest! But do not let this discourage you. God always gives us the grace to do what He asks us to do.

Most priests are extremely happy in their vocation! The life of a priest is a very rewarding life, both in this world and in the next. The media often gives an incorrect impression of priests… that they are largely unhappy, frustrated, and angry. This is simply not true. A recent nationwide poll was conducted of priests and 87% report being very satisfied with their vocation…..the highest such statistic of any profession!

You must pray every single day, asking God to reveal His plan for you. Do not ask yourself, “What do I want to do when I grow up?” This is the wrong question! Rather, you should be thinking and asking: “Jesus, what do You want me to do?” And listen for the answer! The primary area of revelation is the heart. Listen with your heart!

The discernment process in the priesthood must also include the Church. The local bishop is the one who ultimately decides who is and who is not called. He is assisted in this by the Vocation Office and the seminary. This whole process is called “discerning one’s vocation.”

If you do not follow the vocation for which God made you, you can attain a certain degree of happiness in this world and still attain salvation (go to heaven), but you can never be as happy as you might have been had you followed your proper vocation. This is why it is so important that you discern correctly. Of course, there are trials and tribulations in every vocation. To become a priest does not take away all suffering. But there is great joy in laying down one’s life for Jesus!

Possibly, but not necessarily. A man must pray a great deal, listening with both heart and soul to know what God wants him to do. But if you feel some attraction at this point, just continue to pray, go to Mass, and live a Christian life. If you are living a Christian life, Jesus will let you know when the time comes. Also, go talk with your parish priest or with the vocation director. Try to come to the diocesan-sponsored retreats and discernment events. The vocation director can help you determine if God is calling you to the priesthood.

Yes. Since a priest does not have a family and because he lives a simple life, he does not need a lot of money. However, priests do receive a salary, which provides him with enough money to buy the necessities, to buy and maintain an automobile, to take a vacation, and to do normal recreational activities. Also, priests don’t have to pay for housing, food, and insurance, so their expenses are minimal.

Catholic priests in the Latin Rite do not get married so as to dedicate themselves completely to Jesus and to His people. Priests generate “spiritual children” by bringing many souls to Christ and helping them to grow in holiness so that they can one day live forever in Heaven. The sacrifice of celibacy (not getting married) is a sign to the world that only Jesus can give us the happiness that we all so crave. Giving up something as important as marriage and family is a powerful sign to the world that Jesus Christ is real! He is worth living for and sacrificing for completely. No, it is not easy, but neither is marriage. The fact is, every vocation requires great personal sacrifice. And there is great joy in sacrifice when it is done for Jesus and for others!

It is possible that this law of the Church will one day be changed. If the Holy Spirit wants this change, He will affect it through the Pope and bishops of the world. However, it would be a grave mistake to go to the seminary “expecting” this change. That would be setting oneself up for a big disappointment, should it not happen

Feel free to call confidentially, and ask any question you like. Give as much or as little information about yourself as you choose. It’s a normal part of a vocation director’s job to talk to guys at all levels of discernment.

The root word for vocation is vocare, which is Latin for “to call.” God has created each one of us for a particular calling or way to follow Him. Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we become a child of God and thus called to live in holiness through love of God and neighbor. It is important to also remember that our true vocation does not come from the world, but rather is an invitation directly from God to follow Him.

Our first or primary vocation is to live in holiness, or in other words, to become a saint! While this is a challenge for us all, it should be the goal of every baptized child of God.

Our particular vocation then becomes our state in life: Priesthood, Consecrated Life, Marriage or Single Life.

Learning what our particular vocation will be requires a process we call discernment. It will be utilized at various stages in our lives, and God will use others to assist us in that process.

Do you have the courage to ask God the question that is seldom uttered in our busy world, “Lord how are you calling me to follow You?”

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives, and the one who seeks, finds; and the one who knocks the door will be opened.”– Matthew 7:7-8

A vocation is a call from God to live a certain way of life for God and His kingdom. The primary vocation of every person is to be holy! It is the divine calling to love and serve God, to obey His commandments, and to cooperate with Christ in the work of redemption by loving and serving others. But we are all called to a secondary vocation as well, a “state in life” in which we are to be holy and make others holy around us. God made you for a purpose and you belong to Him! These vocations are priesthood, religious life, marriage, and the generous single life. Any vocation will include some type of sacrifice but will bring you the most satisfaction, fulfilment, and happiness, for you will be living the way God made you to live. Some of you were made to be a priest, don’t be afraid, take courage! Be the man God has called you to be!

A Priest is a man of Prayer

The priest is first and foremost a man of prayer. The priest lives “in persona Christi” (in the person of Christ) so his most important prayer is to re-present the sacrifice of Jesus during Holy Mass. His parish relies on him to offer a sacrifice “holy and acceptable to God.” Throughout the week, too, at parish meetings and community functions, he is often asked: “Father, will you lead us in prayer?” He is seen as a man who knows how to speak with God.

A priest spends each day in personal prayer through the Liturgy of the Hours and time in private meditation before the Blessed Sacrament. His private prayer is essential, for he must know Him of whom he speaks, teaches and preaches; he must come to have an intimate relationship with Christ. The priest becomes “another Christ” for his people.

A Priest is a preacher of the Word

Since the beginning of Christianity, people have come to Jesus through the preaching of the Word. Today, this remains a primary ministry of a priest. Because the majority of Catholics encounter the faith and receive their inspiration to practice it from the preaching of their parish priest, men who can articulate their knowledge and excitement about their faith are a great treasure to the Church. A priest’s duty, then, is to teach his people how Christ’s life is relevant to their own. He answers the question, “How can I live out my faith today?”

“The Church faces a particularly difficult task in her efforts to preach the word of God in all cultures in which the faithful are constantly challenged by consumerism and a pleasure-seeking mentality.” - St. John Paul II

A Priest is a Servant

A priest is not a priest for himself. The ordained priest shares in the mission of Jesus as Priest, Prophet, and King. As priest, he prays and celebrates the Eucharist. As prophet, he preaches and teaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and as king, he serves others.

At the Last Supper, Jesus gave the Eucharistic mandate to His apostles, “Do this in memory of me,” but not before the Lord had knelt down and washed their feet. Jesus said, “What I have done for you, you must do for one another.”

A priest must be a servant to God’s people. He brings the love and strength of Christ into the parish, the school, the hospital room, the prison, the inner city…wherever God’s people are and especially wherever they suffer, the priest is there.

Definition of Terms

Celibacy: The state of being unmarried, specifically for the sake of giving oneself full time to build the Kingdom of God. This is a gift from God, to which a man must be called. Presently, to be called to the priesthood in the Latin Roman Catholic Church is also a call to celibacy.

Chastity: “The successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual person and thus inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being.” (CCC#2337) Chastity is the virtue that moderates the desire for sexual pleasure according to the principles of faith and right reason. Priests, Sisters, married persons, and single persons are called by God to chastity, to use their sexuality according to God’s plan in their specific state in life.

“The requirement of celibacy is certainly one of the greatest sources of anxiety and fear in a man who is discerning priesthood. This is especially true in a sex-saturated society and culture. The message we receive from the media and culture is very clear: no person can be happy and fulfilled unless they are having a lot of sex. But this is simply not true.”

“The good news is that God’s grace can accomplish all things! With the power of Jesus’ cross, a man can overcome sexual lust and live his life peacefully in his respective vocation. It can be done. It is possible. There is much evidence. For example, there are approximately four hundred thousand Catholic priests worldwide. The huge majority of these men at one time said these or similar words, “I can never become a priest because I like girls too much.” Well, all four hundred thousand of them are priests now. God will never send us where His grace cannot sustain us.”

Excerpts taken from: To Save a Thousand Souls: A Guide for Discerning a Vocation to the Diocesan Priesthood by Fr. Brett Brannen (Pgs. 216-219)

For additional reading on celibacy:

• Virginity by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap
• Sacerdotalis Caelibatus (Priestly Celibacy) by Pope Paul VI
• The Courage to be Chaste by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R.
• The Case for Clerical Celibacy: Its Historical Development and Theological Foundations by Alfons Maria Cardinal Stickle
• Why Celibacy: Reclaiming the Fatherhood of the Priest by Fr. Carter Griffin
• Priestly Celibacy Today by Fr. Thomas McGovern
• When God Asks for an Undivided Heart by Fr. Andrew Apostoli, C.F.R.
• To Save a Thousand Souls by Fr. Brett Brannen

Seminary: A school for the spiritual and academic preparation of candidates for the priesthood

St. John Paul II describes seminary formation as “a continuation in the Church of the apostolic community gathered about Jesus, listening to his word, proceeding towards the Easter experience, awaiting the gift of the Spirit for the mission.” - PPF 7

When Jesus called His apostles, the first priests, to “follow me”, He formed the first seminary. The seminary is a house of formation where men who are discerning a vocation to the priesthood are formed into holy and dedicated priests. The four pillars of formation in the seminary are: Spiritual, Human, Intellectual, and Pastoral. Ultimately, the seminary is filled with joyful men eager to respond to the Lord’s call.

A seminarian is a man who is discerning the Lord’s call to the ministerial Roman Catholic Priesthood. By virtue of his baptism, he is a member of the priesthood of all believers. The seminarian hears the Lord speaking to him and calling him to a fuller participation in the priesthood, by becoming a priest of Jesus Christ. While the priesthood has many elements that make it like a job, it is ultimately a vocation: a calling from the Lord. The seminarian then needs to be open to hearing the Lord’s call in his life and be eager to respond to it.

A man who enters the seminary does not possess all the answers. In fact, many more questions will arise from time spent in seminary formation! Seminarians come from all walks of life, previous educational experiences, family backgrounds and parishes. They bring different talents, insights, and experiences to their time in formation. In the Program for Priestly Formation, the bishops write:

“All applicants should give witness to their conviction that God has brought them to the seminary to discern whether or not they are really called to the priesthood, and they should commit themselves wholeheartedly to carrying out that discernment.” - PPF 45

Seminarians live in community. This means they pray together, work together, eat together, and study together. While the seminary is a place where individual men go to discern what the Lord is asking of them, ultimately as priests they will belong to a fraternity. The seeds of this brotherhood and fraternity are sown during time in seminary formation. Again, from the Program for Priestly Formation:

“The essential work of the seminary takes place in the context of community. Personal growth and character development should progress together harmoniously within a deepening spiritual life. The seminary is a school of human virtue, of growth in honesty, integrity, intellectual rigor, hard work, and tolerance, where the common good is built with solidarity and discipline — all leavened by humor and healthy enjoyment. The seminary also must be a school of spiritual growth in which seminarians are formed into men of prayer, imbued with those virtues that only grace can bring: faith, hope, and charity. The seminary should help the seminarians develop the relationship and dialogue skills necessary for healthy interpersonal relationships as priests.” - PPF 260

To gain more information about seminarians, please know that you are always welcome to visit the seminary for a personal visit or tour with the Director of Priestly Vocations or for a more in-depth experience, by attending a Discernment Day (high school men, freshmen – seniors), or Discernment Weekend (for men, ages 18-55).

“Intellectual formation contributes to spiritual formation. The study of the traditions of faith and the experiences of faith among the saints and the people of God serves to deepen one’s own spiritual journey.” – Program of Priestly Formation 113

Men who enter a seminary come with a variety of educational backgrounds and experiences. Candidates for the priesthood range in age from 18 – 55. For any potential candidate for the priesthood in the Archdiocese of Detroit, their study and formation would take place at Sacred Heart Major Seminary.

Sacred Heart is located in Detroit and has been forming men for the priesthood since 1919. Sacred Heart offers both a fully accredited College of Liberal Arts and Graduate School of Theology.

A man with little or no previous college experience would complete a traditional four year Bachelor of Arts degree, while men who have already earned a Bachelor’s degree from another accredited academic institution, complete a two year Bachelor of Philosophy program, commonly referred to as Pre-Theology. For inquiries about how to apply to become a seminarian, please contact Fr. Craig Giera, Director of Priestly Vocations.

The Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy (A.B.)

A four year degree program consisting of 120 credit hours of study. This program is designed to serve men who have not yet earned a Bachelor’s Degree.

Courses Credits
Communication and Language Arts 9
Science and Mathematics 9
Social Sciences 9
Humanities 9
Music 5
Languages 15
Theology 13
Philosophy 40
Electives 11

The Bachelor of Philosophy (B.Phil)

A two year undergraduate degree program consisting of 67 credit hours of study. This program is designed to serve men who have already earned a Bachelor’s Degree and commonly referred to as Pre-Theology.

Courses Credits
Languages 9
Music 5
Theology 13
Philosophy 40

The study of philosophy prepares a man for further studies in theology. As the Program for Priestly Formation states:

“The study of philosophy is fundamental and indispensable to the structure of theological studies and to the formation of candidates for the priesthood. It is not by chance that the curriculum of theological studies is preceded by a time of special study of philosophy.” - PPF 152

The intellectual aspect of formation is complemented with the spiritual, human, and pastoral aspects which become the total formation program for a seminarian. These four areas of priestly formation are integrated through a seminarian’s entire time in the seminary. They are referred to as the Pillars of Formation and come from the Program for Priestly Formation.

After completion of one of the undergraduate degree programs: the four year Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy or the two year Bachelor of Philosophy (Pre-Theology), a seminarian would then advance to graduate studies in theology. A four year Master of Divinity program is then offered.

The goal of the Master of Divinity program is to build upon and continue to provide the necessary human, spiritual, theological, pastoral and priestly preparation for ordination to the Catholic priesthood and service to Christ and the Church.

The Master of Divinity (M.Div.)

A four year graduate program consisting of 123 credit hours:

Courses Credits
Church History 7
Patristics 5
Scripture 18
Systematics 23
Moral Theology 9
Liturgy and Sacraments 15
Applied Theology 12
Canon Law 5
Field Education 8
Integrating Studies 8
Music 1
New Evangelization 6
Electives 6

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 not 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 possess 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.
12. I believe that I have the self-mastery to be a man of prayer, leadership, sacramental sign, and manager of a parish.
13. Generally speaking, I have demonstrated stability in my life.
14. People who know me would say I am a Christian gentleman.
15. I have had events happen in my life that seem to be signs pointing towards the diocesan priesthood.
16. I am usually able to accept both success and failure without losing hope.
17. I believe that I have a healthy psycho-sexual development and orientation.
18. 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

Discernment groups for men (18-55) will be formed as needed in each area so that a support system is created. New members can join at any time, as there is no requirement to have been at the previous meeting. These groups will meet for times of prayer, group discussion on discernment, light refreshments, and fellowship with other like-minded men.

The previous nights have been a great success with many men excited to talk about their possible vocation to the priesthood. It will be led by Fr. Matt Hood, Director of Priestly Vocations.

Discernment Weekends are a unique experience for men who feel called to the priesthood. Spending four days living at the seminary provides you with a first-hand opportunity to see what it’s like from the inside and to discern with like-minded men.

Attending a Discernment Weekend is perfect for any man from the Archdiocese of Detroit (18 – 55 years old) who is discerning a vocation to the priesthood. These weekends provide you with more tools for proper discernment.

A large part of the Discernment Weekend focuses on the Aspects of Seminary Life and the Pillars of Formation (Spiritual, Human, Intellectual, and Pastoral). These four presentations are the foundation of the seminary formation program.

For more information, please contact us. Those interested must meet with Fr. Matt Hood, Director of Priestly Vocations, before they are allowed to register.