• Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I.)
• Congregation of the Holy Cross (C.S.C./Holy Cross Fathers)
• Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) (C.Ss.R.)
• Legionaries of Christ (LC)
• Missionaries of Compassion St. Mary’s Province (MC)
• Missionaries of Compassion, Hyderabad (M.C.)
• Missionaries of Our Lady of LaSalette (M.S.)
• Missionaries of St. Charles (Scalabrinians) (C.S.)
• Missionaries of the Company of Mary (S.M.M./Montfort Missionaries)
• Missionaries of the Precious Blood (C.PP.S.)
• Orden de Predicadores (O.P.)
• Order of Discalced Carmelites (O.C.D.)
• Order of St. Paul the First Hermit (O.S.P.P.E./Pauline Fathers)
• Society of Divine Vocations (S.D.V.)
• Society of the Divine Savior (S.D.S.)
• The Congregation of the Sons of the Immaculate Conception Indian Province (CFIC)
• Third Order Regular of St. Francis (T.O.R.)

Brother Sam Gunn, BH
Director of Campus Ministry

Brother Martin Buganski, HB
Campus Minister

The Eucharist is the source and summit of the life of the Church. Without the Eucharist, there is no Church. In a sacramental way, Christ is present to the Church in the person of the priest. All of the sacraments offer a personal encounter with Christ, and the priest is the one who offers the sacraments.

Today, many people look to the future and ask: “What do I want to do with my life?” The proper question is: “God, what do you want me to do with my life for you?” To know if you are being called, you must have a prayerful relationship with God, since God is the one who calls us to a specific vocation. Often, when someone senses that God is calling them to the priesthood, there is a negative reaction. This is normal, but do not think that it means you are not meant to be priest. Very often, it is a positive indicator!

No. There are two levels of seminary formation, college and theology. In both cases, seminary is not only a place of education and formation, it is also a place for continued prayer and discernment.

There is first an application process for the diocese. Once the student is accepted by the diocese, then there is another application process for the seminary.

Currently, the Diocese of Orlando uses St. John Vianney College Seminary, Miami and St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, Boynton Beach. Once a student has been accepted as a seminarian by the diocese, then the student is assigned to the seminary by the bishop.

To enter seminary college, a student must have completed high school with a GPA of 2.0 or better. For the final five years of theology, a student needs a four-year college degree with a GPA of 2.0 or better and some basic philosophy requirements. Generally, the education process requires nine years after high school.

Most diocesan priests serve as parish priests, However, some do serve in other roles, such as high school chaplain, hospital chaplain, or in offices at the Catholic Center.

For college seminarians, the student and the family are responsible for the expense. However, there are numerous financial aid packages available through the school, and the diocese will do everything it can do to see that no one is turned down on the basis of financial need. At the theology level, the diocese covers the basic expenses of room, board, tuition, books, and health insurance premiums. The theology students also receive a monthly allowance to help defer other personal expenses.

A heart full of love and a deep need to make a difference in the world through service. A man called to serve God as a member of a religious community has the capacity to live in community with others who share the same dream. He is able, gradually, to learn to live the life of the vows: chaste love (chastity), simplicity and non-possessiveness (poverty), and accountability (obedience to God and his elected superiors). The spiritual vision of the founder of his community (ex: St. Ignatius Loyola for the Jesuits) speaks to him of a particular way to live a gospel-centered life. He is open to the call to mission and willing to be sent where he is most needed.

Religious communities have varying age guidelines, but generally speaking the candidacy is open to men 18–50. Men who wish to live in religious community must be single (with a church annulment if divorced), with good physical, mental, and emotional health.

Certainly. These are often the very relationships which have supported your vocation. They deserve the best you can offer them. The healthy balance between community commitments and family ties is something that new members in a community struggle to forge and maintain throughout their lives as religious.

Religious Order Priests – Priests who are members of a religious order are community men. They choose to live out their lives within the structure of the vows and community life, while pursuing a ministry of loving service which flows out of the particular charism of their community (care for the poor, healing, education, media, foreign missions, etc.). As community members, they elect their superiors who then send them to missions where they are best suited and most needed. Many religious communities have an option for missions worldwide. Religious priests celebrate the Mass and administer the sacraments. Their daily Mass and prayer in community support their call to religious life and their total commitment to the service of the gospel.

Diocesan Priests – Diocesan priests are ordained for ministry in a particular diocese, with accountability to the Bishop of that diocese. They are men of prayer and are to be obedient to their bishop. Their ministries are dictated by the call of their bishop and the needs of their diocese. The vast majority of diocesan priests serve as parish priests, which encompasses hospital visitation, family counseling, youth activities, and parish organization. At the heart of their commitment to Christ is the celebration of daily Mass and administration of the sacraments.

Diocesan priests do not ordinarily live in community situations and must be capable of living on their own. This vocation is demanding since there is no community with which to pray, outside the celebration of Mass and sacraments, unless the priests form one for this purpose. Often a priest will say, “My parish is my community.” Diocesan priests are encouraged by their bishops to form strong relationships with their brother priests for prayer, sharing, support, and relaxation.

Monks are laymen who are called to live in monastic (enclosed) communities. They are community members in a religious community dedicated to a particular style of spirituality (ex: Benedictine, Trappist). A man is accepted into a monastery for life. No matter how many times he may be sent out briefly, his initial monastery will always be his home.

A monastery schedule includes more hours of silence and community prayer than are commonly found in apostolic communities. The hours of ministry are wrapped around the firm monastic schedule of prayer, silence, work, meals, relaxation, and rest. There exists a variety of monastic styles, some quite strict, others less so. A small number of monks are ordained to priesthood to serve their communities.

Inquirer – Faithful prayer, rooted in complete openness to God’s will, is the starting point of a man’s discernment. Seeking information about religious communities may take him to vocation periodicals, the web, friends, and family. But the most reliable source will be religious men with whom he can discuss his hopes and anxieties. If no religious priests live in his area, phone conversations and email can be very helpful for information gathering at this point. When the Inquirer finds a community spirit / charism with which he feels a connection, he asks to visit and pray with the members as frequently as possible. When the time is right, and the community vocation director encourages him, he may ask for acceptance into the spiritual formation program.

Candidate – During this period of 1-2 years, he may live in a local community, praying and ministering with the members, and receiving spiritual direction, and learning the history of the community.

Novice – The novice immerses himself in the spiritual traditions of his chosen community. He studies theology, philosophy, prayer, religious life, and community history and traditions. He continues spiritual direction and participates in community ministries.

Profession of Vows – At the close of his 1-2 year novitiate, a novice may request permission to profess vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience. These vows expire at the close of one year, and must be renewed if the man wishes to retain his membership in the community. At the close of the period of initial profession, he may profess his perpetual vows in the community.

Ordination – A religious priest is ordained according to the tradition of his community. He may minister in a parish at the request of a bishop, or in any of a wide variety of missions which lie within the context of his community mission/charism (education, justice work, etc.)

Start with your closest friends whom you think will be open to understanding your desires for union with God and service for others. Talk with your parents, your pastor, and the vocation director of the communities in whom you are interested. Contact the Vocation Office of the Diocese of Orlando: jswallows@orlandodiocese.org or 407-246-4876.

A Brother is a man committed to living the Consecrated Life in response to a call from God. As a male religious, he is a lay Christian committed to Christ and the Christian community through vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience. He becomes a member of a religious brotherhood with elected leadership, based on a particular spirituality (ex: Passionist, Redemptorist, LaSalette). The promise of a community prayer life and extensive opportunities for a wide variety of ministries encourage acceptance of this call.

Religious priests and religious brothers share much as members of a religious community. Both live a community life and share in the spiritually of their founder.
Religious priests are called to the celebration of Mass, the administration of the other sacraments, and often the administration of a parish. Religious Brothers are called to other ministries: care of the sick and poor, education, health care, journalism, fine arts, and justice works. A brother may profess perpetual vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, but will not choose to be ordained.

A love for God and a dedication to the life of the gospel! A Brother is a person of truth and zeal. He sincerely wishes to minister with others as “servant.” He is attracted to a life in a prayerful community and sincerely loves others in faith. He is able to channel his natural desires for family and children into a loving service, and finds his greatest fulfillment there.

Yes, they do. The best way to become familiar with these guidelines is to write, email or call the communities in whom you are interested. These guidelines vary widely from one community to another.

Definitely! Some changes will certainly take place, as his commitment to his community deepens and his time for sharing with family and friends may become shortened, but a Brother’s family becomes part of the larger family of the community, thus enriching the lives of his family and the community itself.

Yes, there are. Benedictine Brothers, for example, live a monastic lifestyle. They remain members of their original monastery for their lifetimes. Their daily schedule is a monastic one, with ministry fitted into the schedule for community prayer. Silence plays a greater part in their lives than in an apostolic Brother’s life (ex: Presentation Brother).

Some Brothers are monks (Trappists) who live an enclosed lifestyle. They do not leave the monastery grounds except in special circumstances. Their work, prayer, and recreation occur on their monastery grounds. They may produce crops, food products (cheese, bread, wine) or make altar breads or vestments to support the community.

The spiritual formation process for a man who is called to serve as a Religious Brother has several stages and may last 3 – 9 years.

Inquirer- Faithful prayer, rooted in complete openness to God’s will, is the starting point of a man’s discernment. Seeking information about religious communities may take him to vocation periodicals, the web, friends, and family. But the most reliable source will be religious Brothers with whom he can discuss his hopes and anxieties. If no religious Brothers live in his area, phone conversations and email can be very helpful for information-gathering at this point.

When the Inquirer finds one community’s spirit / charism with which he feels a connection, he asks to visit and pray with the members as frequently as possible. When the time is right, and the community vocation director encourages him, he may ask for acceptance into the spiritual formation program.

Candidate – During one / two years as a Candidate, a man may live in a local community, praying, ministering with the members, receiving spiritual direction, learning the history of the community, and learning to enjoy being a community member.

Novice- The novice immerses himself in the spiritual traditions of his chosen community. He studies theology, philosophy, prayer, religious life, and community history and traditions. He continues spiritual direction and participates in community ministries.

Profession of Vows – At the close of his one / two year novitiate, a novice may request permission to profess vows of p poverty, chastity, and obedience. These vows expire at the close of one year, and must be renewed if the man wishes to retain his membership in the community. At the close of the period of initial profession, a Brother may profess his perpetual vows in the community.

Start with your closest friends whom you think will be open to understanding your desires for union with God and service for others. Talk with your parents, your pastor, and the vocation director of the communities in which you are interested.