How Does One Become a Priest?

Discerning one's vocation, whether it be to the priesthood, marriage, consecrated single, or secular single life is the primary focus of the beginning years of seminary. Therefore, a seminary is an ideal place to learn about one's vocation, even if one is not sure they are called to the priesthood.

If you feel that God may be calling you to the priesthood, the first thing you should do is talk to your pastor or another priest. These people can give you spiritual direction as you decide whether you should consider entering a seminary. The Diocese of La Crosse's vocations office sponsors Vocations in Progress (VIP) retreats and the annual Threshold Retreat for boys and young men in middle, high school, and college. Also scheduled occasionally are An Evening with the Bishop events at parishes throughout the Diocese. Either ask your pastor about attending one of these events, or talk directly to Fr. Hirsch, the vocation director.

If, after making a prayerful decision with the help of a spiritual director or the Vocation Director, that you would like to enter seminary to learn more about your vocation, there are several ways to enter the seminary.

The Diocese of La Crosse has its own high school seminary, Holy Cross Seminary and House of Formation, in which high school-age boys are able to live together in community, praying together and growing in faith.  High school classes are taken at Aquinas High School in La Crosse, Wisconsin. High school seminarians can also study at St. Lawrence High School Seminary in Mount Calvary, Wisconsin. After high school seminary, the student may apply to enter the college seminary

A high school graduate (from the high school seminary or any other institution) would normally enter a college seminary to study philosophy, graduating after four years with a normal Bachelor of Arts degree. Prospective seminarians who have already started studying at a two or four-year institution normally transfer to the college seminary as well. The Diocese of La Crosse currently sends men two Midwestern college seminaries. St. John Vianney College Seminary at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota or the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary at St. Mary's University of Minnesota in Winona, Minnesota. Some seminarians may also study at Washington DC's Theological College, obtaining a Licentiate (Masters) in Philosophy after five years. After these years of college, the seminarian who is approved then enters the Theologate.

Men who have completed a college degree must study philosophy before becoming theologians. Many Pre-theology programs are utilized by the Diocese for this purpose. A Pre-theology course normally takes two years, but this can fluctuate depending upon how much philosophy and other related courses were studied when the prospective seminarian was in college. Pre-theology students study at a number of institutions, including the Pontifical College Josephinum and University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. Older men who are entering the seminary program after a career and are between the ages of thirty and sixty, may attend the Blessed John XXIII National Seminary.  At John XXIII, the program is designed for older men and so-called "second career" vocations. The pre-theology program and first-year theology program are blended together. After completion of pre-theology, and with approval of the diocese, the seminarian enters the Theologate.

If, after college seminary or pre-theology, the seminarian still feels a strong calling from God to the priesthood, he asks the Bishop to be accepted into the Theologate. All seminarians accepted into the Theologate have completed at least the minimum philosophy requirements set forward by the Program for Priestly Formation of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and therefore it is necessary to complete philosophy courses before theology ones. If accepted, the seminarian will study for at least four more years at one of several Theologates in the US or abroad. Seminarians, at the discretion of the Bishop, are sent to Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan, the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois, the Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy, or the Blessed John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts. During this period of theological studies, the seminarian receives the ministry of Lector followed by the ministry of Acolyte.

With the approval of the Bishop and recommendation of the Vocation Director, Theologians are normally ordained deacons in their third year of major (theological) seminary. A great amount of reflection and thought on both the part of the Bishop, Vocation Director, and seminary faculty, as well as on the part of the student, go into deciding who is ready to receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders. This ceremony is often carried out in one of three places: in the seminary, in the cathedral, or in the seminarian's home parish.

The culmination of what can be 12 years for high school seminarians, 8 years for college seminarians, or 6 years for pre-theologians is the Ordination to the Holy Priesthood. The diocesan Bishop normally ordains all the new priests for the year in one large ceremony at St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral in La Crosse during the month of June. Afterwards, the newly-ordained priests are given their assignments, normally for a high school chaplaincy, an associate pastorship, or perhaps for higher studies.