Why Diocesan Priesthood?
God made each of us for a unique purpose. Even before we were born, God had a plan for our lives. (Jer 1:5)
If you are a faithful disciple of the Lord, God may be calling you for a special mission - to become a Diocesan Priest.
Priests have a crucial mission: To bring people to Jesus, and Jesus to people.
For all Catholics, the priest is a spiritual father. He preaches the Gospel and celebrates the Eucharist with his people. Priests are living witnesses of Christ in this world – men of strong character and virtue.
Who is called?
The diocesan priesthood is an incredibly rewarding vocation. God calls men from different backgrounds, with different abilities, and from various cultures to the vocation of priesthood.
These qualities may be signs of a priestly vocation:
• You deeply love Jesus and His Church.
• Other people have suggested that you would be a good priest.
• You sometimes imagine yourself as a priest.
• You desire to live a life of goodness, integrity and prayer.
• You want to grow in holiness through your service to others.


What about celibacy?
“I am too attracted to women to become a priest.”
There are around 400,000 celibate priests in the world. All of these men feel the natural desire for marriage and family, but the willingness to channel this desire for the service of people and the mission of the Church is even greater.
I am not worthy!
No one is worthy of the gift of priesthood except Jesus the High Priest. But for more than 2,000 years Jesus has called ordinary men to be his disciples, equipping them with the grace they need to continue the mission he has started.
Seminary life
Men who are accepted into the seminary will enter into the process known as ‘priestly formation’. The purpose of the seminary is to form seminarians to the diocesan priesthood. The seminary will encourage and guide them to grow in human, intellectual, spiritual and apostolic maturity. The formation will also help each person to develop and enhance their gifts and talents that can be vital in their future ministries.
What next?
When a man reaches a certain point in his process of discernment, he needs to go to the seminary to explore more deeply whether the priesthood is his calling. The seminary is a ‘school and stage of discernment’, not a final decision to become a priest. When you are ready to have this conversation, contact the Office of Vocations. Discernment always happens with the help of the Church.
