FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions...and Answers
1. How do I know if I have a vocation or call to religious life?
Those who are considering religious life may experience this call in a variety of ways. Some experience a deep attraction to emulate someone that they know who is a religious. Some desire to serve others (e.g. teaching, working with the poor or sick, going to a foreign mission, etc.). Others speak of a thirst to draw closer to God by means of prayer, service, or community by using one’s talents for God and neighbour. In short, there are some men drawn to religious life because it just makes sense for them; they find it attractive.
Others find that it makes sense for them because of certain experiences where they see, in faith, God’s hand drawing them to this way of life and service in the Church.
Admittedly, it is hard to tell. No one knows for certain without a lot of prayer, reflection, and some good discernment, which includes talking with others you know and trust. There are some signs that are good benchmarks. If you agree with most of the statements below, you should talk with a vocation director or seek some spiritual guidance.
Other people tell you so.
Your prayer life is getting better.
You are attending Mass and the sacraments more frequently.
You are spending more time in church and/or service-related activities.
You progress beyond a generic idea of being a priest to imagining yourself acting as one more concretely, e.g., preaching, teaching, celebrating the sacraments.
You find yourself fighting it but can't get it out of your head.
You have other good options but wonder if you will regret it some day if you don't give the seminary a try
2. What can I do to test my vocation if I'm not sure?
Pray, especially in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
Go to daily Mass wherever possible.
Volunteer to get more involved in parish or campus ministry activities. Do you enjoy it? Is the thought of doing ministry for a lifetime increasingly appealing?
Seek guidance from a spiritual director, a priest, brother, or sister, with whom you can discuss your spiritual journey. Discuss it with your family and friends who know you best.
Try other things. Pursue jobs or internships in careers that appeal to you. If you're thinking about applying for a job or for graduate school or for a job, can you write a convincing resume or essay about why you want to do those things that sounds convincing to you? Is your heart pulled more toward these things or toward serving God as a brother or priest?
3. How long is the preparation time?
If a candidate has his college, professional or technical studies completed, he spends one year in a pre-novitiate program and one year at the novitiate, after which he takes temporary vows for one year. Two years, then, are needed for those who have completed their studies.
4. Where does one study?
The candidate program is at St Joseph Hall, located on the campus of St. John's High school with the pre- novitiate program at Butumegyebu, and the novitiate program is at Brother Andre Novitiate, District Center Cape-Coast
5. Does Holy Cross emphasize community life?
Yes, we are an active apostolic religious community. Beginning with the candidate program at St Joseph Hall we share a common life of prayer, fellowship and work. This is the norm for Holy Cross members throughout their lives.
6. Do you have a choice in regard to assignments?
All assignments are determined through mutual discernment between the individual Brother and the Provincial Superior. Assignments are based on the gifts and talents of the Brother involved and the needs of the Congregation. Holy Cross is an international community with a broad array of apostolic opportunities.
We strive to help a person put his gifts to their best use for the good of the Church. A person who has the capability for advanced studies will be encouraged to pursue those interests, and his preferences are given serious consideration by superiors.
Neither do we "order" religious to work in foreign missions, but a Holy Cross religious should always be open to go where he is called and do what he is asked by his superiors. The vow of obedience is meant to free a person to give of himself happily where he is most needed.
Living the vow is, even more fundamentally, a matter of striving to be faithful each day to living the life we have professed and being attentive to one's daily prayer life and personal well-being in order to be a sign of holiness and fidelity to others.
7. What about celibacy?
As religious men we vow celibacy in addition to poverty and obedience. Celibacy is a gift given by God. It is rooted in a call to love others that is different, but not necessarily better, from marriage. Through celibacy, Holy Cross religious dedicate themselves completely to God and to God’s people in their service to the Church.
8. How does one enter Holy Cross?
Contact the Vocation Office. A vocation is a gift from God; therefore, prayer and discernment are necessary. The Vocation Director will provide answers to questions and invite interested men to visit Holy Cross.
9.What is the application procedure?
Anyone interested in applying should contact the Vocation Office. We will discuss the feasibility of having you come for an informal visit or formal interviews. We schedule a number of visits throughout the year, ranging from a couple of hours to several days.
That typically includes four to five interviews plus evaluation. This time provides the applicant a good opportunity to experience the life of the community and get a better sense of whether he feels that this is where he is being called by joining in our prayer and daily life.
10. What are the criteria for admission?
The following is a brief, if not exhaustive list:
Baptized, confirmed, a practicing Roman Catholic with a sustained prayer life and regular participant in the sacraments.
Free of psychological or medical conditions which would inhibit one from exercising a full life of ministry and emotionally mature for one's age.
A record of service and/or liturgical ministry which indicates a serious interest in a life dedicated to these purposes.
Solid leadership qualities for exercising public ministry proven through school and/or work experience.
At least 17 years old if applying and no older than 35 if applying to the Candidate Program.
Free of all other canonical impediments and other potential grounds for disqualification on legal or moral grounds, e.g., prior criminal record; personal, legal obligations; sexually inappropriate conduct.
Demonstrated ability to live religious vows faithfully.
11. I feel that I'm not worthy. How can I be sure?
No one is ever worthy, but a person who feels called to enter a seminary should take that very seriously, discuss it with those close to him, seek expert spiritual advice, and pray over the matter with earnestness. A vocation director can also help. Rather than just thinking about it, contact us. We are intent upon helping a person make the right decision. It should be the right time and the right place for you to give it a try. We do not try to "railroad" people who are hesitant or divided and cannot give 100% of themselves to the program.
12. Why should I be a priest given recent clergy scandals? Is celibacy a healthy way to live?
No one ever got into trouble by being celibate. Celibacy has allowed many people like Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa to be more loving and more human. Where the Church was negligent, it rightly deserves criticism, but most dioceses and religious communities screen applicants carefully and have had strong sexual abuse policies in place for many years.
Despite the vocation shortage, the best way to increase vocations over the long haul is to be rigorous and selective in admissions so that we have more good priests to inspire young people to consider this way of life. Only a small percentage of Catholic priests have been accused of sexual misconduct. The great majority of priests live their vows with fidelity. We have learned a lot and can do better, but there is no evidence that Catholic priests commit more sexual abuse than clergy of other faiths.
As several bishops have noted recently, there is no easy time to be a priest, but any age is a great time to be a priest for those truly called to this life. The failings of some simply demonstrate the need for more faithful men who will rise to the occasion and be true witnesses of the Gospel.
The Church has been challenged by scandals in other eras as well as by persecutions throughout its history. Every profession or way of life has its difficulties. Don't let other people or circumstances dictate your vocation. Find a seminary or community that seems healthy to you and pursue your call there. The most important question you can ask yourself is: How is God calling me?
