Hi,

I'm currently in the application process with my diocese (Steubenville, OH) and it would be cool if a seminarian or priest could explain the different stages of seminary.
I am just about to finish my senior year of college majoring in Media Studies (journalism) so I'm going to have to take two years of pre-theology. What are the different divisions of the rest of it? Theology?

Thanks for addressing this confusing question.

Mike

Well since you have already gone to college, you would go to major seminary, to study pre-theology for one to two years depending upon which seminary you go to.

If you had not gone to college you could have went to a college seminary. Minor.

In Seminary, you will go through four levels of theology besides pre-theology. In your fourth year, you will be ordained a deacon.

Sometime before your fourth year, you will take part in hospital ministries, parish ministries, etc.

I am not quite certain if this is all right, but this is what Quinn and Wally, (Two seminary friends of mine) went through.

Peace of Christ,

Eddie

It is not necessarily a major seminary where you will do your pre theo work. I have heard of guys entering a minor seminary program for a year or two to complete there pre theo work.

Yeah those two (points upward) got it right. You'll either due one or two years of pre-theology. Pre-Theology is where you get your 30 or so hours of philosophy that is necessary for theology school. Here at Conception it's a two year program, but from what i have heard, 1 year programs are more prominent. After that you will enter theology school. And again, depending on your diocese AND a lot of times the seminary you will be ordained to the deaconate either your 3rd or 4th year. And before that will go through Lector, Acolyte, Etc. Hope this helps!

peace,
Tony

If anyone's still reading this, when do you get ordained after seminary?
What's that process like?

Right ater your 4th year of theology! So, for years of philosophy then 3 years of theology, deaconate, then after your last year you have ordination.

Peace,
Tony