Become a Priest

Prayer & Discernment

A vocation is not our will but a calling from God, we must listen to His voice so that we can hear His call. Prayer is how we primarily listen to the Lord’s voice. Be aware of anything that drowns out His voice.
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Sin and noise are the two major obstacles which get in the way of hearing His voice. In discernment, sin is like mud that gets in our spiritual eyes and ears, making us blind and deaf to the Lord. Do not fear being alone with your thoughts, for that is where the voice of God can be heard.

This page details the steps on the road of priestly discernment.

Seminary Formation

After talking to the Vocations Director, meeting the Bishop, and going through the Diocesan discernment process, those accepted for Priestly formation take up a place at a Seminary.

Seminary formation takes between six and seven years to priestly ordination, depending on where a student is asked to study.

The first stage of formation, the propadeutic year, takes place at Valladolid, Spain. Following that, students are sent for formation at one of the following seminaries : St Mary’s College Oscott, Allen Hall in London, the Venerable English College in Rome, and the Pontifical Beda College in Rome.

Seminary is a place to study, but is (more importantly) where men test and formally discern their vocation to the priesthood, with the help of the Church.

The Ministry of Acolyte

The Acolyte is instituted to assist the Deacon and minister to the Priest in liturgical celebrations, especially at Mass.

The Acolyte is entrusted with the following responsibilities:​

• Serving at the Altar during the Mass
• Distributing Holy Communion as an extraordinary minister
• Exposing the Blessed Sacrament for adoration
• Instructing and directing the other Servers

The ministry of the Acolyte is closely connected to the celebration of Holy Mass. When he is instituted, an Acolyte is presented with a chalice and paten, and is called to receive nourishment from and deepen his knowledge of the Holy Eucharist.

Ordination to the Diaconate

At the end of a Seminarian’s fifth or sixth year of formation he will ask to be ordained to the Diaconate. The order of Deacons is ancient; it began with the early Church (Acts 6) when seven men were chosen and set aside as helpers for the Apostles. The modern deacons are ordained to serve the Bishop in the ministry of the Church. The Deacons are called upon to assist the Bishop and Priests by:​​

• Distributing Holy Communion
• Assisting at and blessing marriages
• Proclaiming the Gospel and preaching
• Presiding over funerals
• Dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity

There are Permanent Deacons (generally married men, who are only ordained to the diaconate) but seminarians are ordained as ‘Transitional Deacons’ – Deacons who are preparing for priestly ordination.

The Diaconate is closely linked with the Gospel: proclaiming it at Mass, preaching it, and carrying out the works of charity it prescribes. This is why the Deacon is presented with the book of the Gospels at his ordination:

Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you now are. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practise what you teach.