catholicinsd Posted October 30, 2007 Author Share Posted October 30, 2007 [quote name='Slappo' post='1411239' date='Oct 29 2007, 07:44 PM']Franciscan University of Steubenville has a pre-theologate program that does not require a particular diocese or religious order to sponsor you. It is meant for youth discerning the priesthood either diocesan or religious order. The formation at Franciscan University can help you discern whether or not you really do want to be a priest for your diocese, or another diocese, or for a religious order. The formation can also help form you into a holier man who would then (being older, more mature through 4 years of undergrad and formation) be a more likely candidate for your diocese.[/quote] With all respect, I cannot afford FUS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slappo Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 [quote name='catholicinsd' post='1411572' date='Oct 30 2007, 01:04 PM']With all respect, I cannot afford FUS[/quote] Neither can probably 80% of the people going here. The pre-theologate program also has a donor that covers $5,000 a year for pre-theologate students. Different diocese's have different policies on student loans, and so do different religious orders. I'll say this flat out though, as someone trying to enter the priesthood, the amount of benefactors that can be found is numerous. There are non-profits, there are friends and family, parishioners of diocese's, and several other places to find financial help if you are later accepted to a religious order that does not accept student debt, or a diocese that does not accept it. Some organizations will take on all of your loan payments until final vows, and upon final vows, will pay your loans in full. Some benefactors will simply donate money to support you. Who said becoming a priest is easy? The life of a priest is even harder. If you aren't willing to put forth an EXTREME amount of effort to become a priest, than how do you ever expect to survive once you are ordained? Read "The Priest is Not His Own" by Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Servant of God). That will tell you what the life of a priest is all about, and none of it is easy. Just FYI, I'm coming to FUS on complete loans. I have roughly $45,000 taken out and I am in my junior year. I'll graduate with 70,000-80,000 in loans. I'm looking into the priesthood as a possibility. As to how the debt will be managed? That is in God's hands. If I feel called to the priesthood, and the financial aid I need doesn't show up when I need it, than maybe I need to wait another year before entering novitiate, or maybe that's a sign for me to look at other vocations. God bless, Marcus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slappo Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 I should add, the real question isn't as to whether or not you can afford somewhere, it is whether you are called somewhere. If you are a child of God, and doing His will, the question is what can your Father afford? His pocket book is one of infinite grace, and that can pay for much more than any billionaire. Whether or not that grace comes financially or not isn't up to you, or me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnydigit Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 i noticed there are other things going on in the thread, but i wanted to address this red flag that first caught my attention: [quote name='Noel's angel' post='1365706' date='Aug 21 2007, 10:47 AM']Maybe your last post might help explain things... Everything will work out, in time.[/quote] [quote name='stlmom' post='1365684' date='Aug 21 2007, 10:33 AM']I see--that must really sting--will pray that you can work through this disappointment. Do you have an SD that can help you?[/quote] [quote name='catholicinsd' post='1365686' date='Aug 21 2007, 10:34 AM']Not really.[/quote] [quote name='catholicinsd' post='1365705' date='Aug 21 2007, 10:45 AM']With everything that just, happened I really couldn't care less.[/quote] [quote name='Noel's angel' post='1365706' date='Aug 21 2007, 10:47 AM']Maybe your last post might help explain things... Everything will work out, in time.[/quote] i think it may be possible that the fact you don't have a spiritual director means you are still in the early stages of discernment, and possibly the early stages of the spiritual life. these things can be very obvious and so that's probably why you were rejected, for now. continue to pray (to be content and accept these types of things he does to you), discern, and grow. there's no reason why you can't apply again in the future. maybe God was telling you to slow down so you can learn and experience more things first, rather than dive right in. maybe he needs you to be a part of a plan to help others somehow first. He'll reveal to you later why this needed to happen and it'll all make perfect sense. so don't worry. know that in pain and hurt He is helping you to grow, He is chiseling a saint out of you. relax and have a snickers bar. just let it pass with time. instead of thinking, "why oh why?" try thinking, "hm. ok. well i'm shocked. whatever you say God. so.. what next?" pax de Cristo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maria Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 [quote]Here a fifth point emerges that we must bear in mind before discerning: with respect to future possibilities, we cannot discern whether we should do something, but only whether we should try to do it. The idea may sound strange at first, but it makes perfect sense, as the following example shows. A young man—call him George—should understand himself to be discerning not whether he is called to marry Susan, but only whether he is called to try to do so. For, as noted earlier, God never asks us to do the impossible; and if Susan says no, then it is clearly impossible for George to marry her, which means that God is clearly not calling him to do so. Even if Susan is unreasonable or heartless in saying no, her refusal still makes it clear that God is not calling George to marry her. However, this does not mean that George's discernment was wrong. As long as he believes that God is calling him only to try to marry Susan, then he should not assume he made a mistake if she refuses. But he was mistaken if he concluded definitively from his discernment that God was calling him actually to marry Susan. The same point obviously holds true if George discerns that he should try to enter a seminary to study for a certain diocese. As long as George realizes that he is called only to try to do this, then he need not assume he made a mistake if he is not accepted. These observations make it clear that some vocational paths require the consent of more than one person. Failing to bear that in mind can lead to a great deal of bitterness and disillusionment. George might be tempted to think, “Susan (or the bishop) is preventing me from fulfilling my vocation!” He might even be tempted to turn away from God, thinking either that God deceived him or that, despite his best efforts, his discernment was mistaken. These problems can be avoided by realizing that God calls us only to try. Unfortunately, many fail to realize this, and they set themselves up for serious problems. This point holds true not only when discernment requires someone else's consent, but whenever we discern. After all, we do not know the future, and we could die at any moment. The real possibility that we could die before we carry something out or that other things could intervene and make something impossible should warn us not to conclude that we are definitely called to do something in the future, but only that we are called to try to do it. Often enough, all God wants is the effort; and if we make the effort, we produce the results he desires. If George does his best to discern, then he can rightly conclude that for some reason, God wants him to put the question to Susan or the vocations director. Doing that much is part of God's plan, and he will use George's cooperation in the lives of those involved, even if the answer is no or George dies later that day. If we remain detached from our own agenda, we do not set ourselves up to be disillusioned and will not be tempted to conclude that God is deceptive or capricious. We must be absolutely committed to carry out whatever we discern, be detached from everything else, and not assume that we have discerned more than God has disclosed to us. It is not easy to be committed to God's unfolding will and detached from our own; one reason it is so difficult may be that we want our lives to make sense within the context of this world. When we spend time discerning and our efforts to do what we have discerned fail, our lives seem not to make sense. If, after discerning, George asks Susan to marry him or the diocese to accept him as a seminarian and he receives a negative response, his effort seems futile. His sense of futility will be even greater if Susan or the diocese says yes initially and no later on, or if circumstances intervene so that George cannot marry Susan or be ordained for the diocese after all.[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catholicinsd Posted November 6, 2007 Author Share Posted November 6, 2007 My parish priest is leaving this parish pretty soon, I believe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catholicinsd Posted November 19, 2007 Author Share Posted November 19, 2007 Interesting turn of events, the Ast. VD who rejected me and I are now Friends on Facebook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathoholic_anonymous Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 I know this has been a painfully difficult time for you, and you have my deeply felt sympathy, but I think that you may be misinterpreting the VD's decision. It is very doubtful that he declined you because he dislikes your personality and never wants to hear from you again. It is much more likely that he declined you because he doesn't think you are suitable for the seminary - [i]yet[/i]. That's not to say that you won't make a fine seminarian five years from now. It just means that you aren't ready at this moment. Given that the rejection most probably wasn't a calculated insult, why should it be surprising that the VD has accepted you as a Facebook friend? Have trust. I'm sure everything will turn out perfectly, in His time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 [quote name='catholicinsd' post='1422199' date='Nov 19 2007, 02:33 PM']Interesting turn of events, the Ast. VD who rejected me and I are now Friends on Facebook.[/quote] How is that an interesting turn in events? Maybe I'm nutty but I'm pretty sure the AVD didn't deny your request to enter seminary based on personality conflict. I'm sure he LIKES you. He just doesn't believe, at this time, that you're a fit for the seminary. [quote name='Cathoholic Anonymous' post='1422457' date='Nov 19 2007, 06:15 PM']I know this has been a painfully difficult time for you, and you have my deeply felt sympathy, but I think that you may be misinterpreting the VD's decision. It is very doubtful that he declined you because he dislikes your personality and never wants to hear from you again. It is much more likely that he declined you because he doesn't think you are suitable for the seminary - [i]yet[/i]. That's not to say that you won't make a fine seminarian five years from now. It just means that you aren't ready at this moment. Given that the rejection most probably wasn't a calculated insult, why should it be surprising that the VD has accepted you as a Facebook friend? Have trust. I'm sure everything will turn out perfectly, in His time. [/quote] Much better said. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catholicinsd Posted January 17, 2008 Author Share Posted January 17, 2008 I was recently sent information on the Divine Word College- how they got my information is a mystery to me. Anyone know anything about them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catholicinsd Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 Ok, so basically I thought I'd let ya'll know that this childish dream of mine is dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deus te Amat Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Why? If it is God's call for you, it will never be dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catholicinsd Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 Well, for the last year, or so- when I received that letter, I haven't heard God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominicansoul Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 It's okay...you don't hear God right now...I can't possibly know what's going on inside of you....we all go through spiritual dryness, some of us question our Faith, lose a bit of grace, etc..... ...but you must believe....God hears you loud and clear... ...and hopefully, there will be a moment that comes in your life when you realize that God is madly in love with you... ...that will definitely change your attitude and your life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archaeology cat Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 [quote name='catholicinsd' post='1589188' date='Jul 2 2008, 06:31 PM']Well, for the last year, or so- when I received that letter, I haven't heard God.[/quote] I'm no expert, but perhaps it's simply that God wants you to pursue Him even more. To follow Him even when you don't hear Him, to continue down that path He set before you. After all, Bl. Theresa of Calcutta didn't hear God for quite a while, and I'm sure there are many Saints who felt that at times. [quote name='dominicansoul' post='1589311' date='Jul 2 2008, 08:40 PM']It's okay...you don't hear God right now...I can't possibly know what's going on inside of you....we all go through spiritual dryness, some of us question our Faith, lose a bit of grace, etc..... ...but you must believe....God hears you loud and clear... ...and hopefully, there will be a moment that comes in your life when you realize that God is madly in love with you... ...that will definitely change your attitude and your life![/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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