5 Reasons to Visit a Catholic Seminary College
5 Reasons to Visit a Catholic Seminary
Discerning a vocation to the priesthood can be difficult. Often you don’t know where to turn or who to ask for help. Visiting a Catholic seminary can actually help in this discernment process. This is why Conception Seminary College offers a unique retreat twice a year for young men discerning a call to the priesthood. Encounter With God’s Call is a chance for you to visit a Catholic seminary college and discover for yourself if God is calling you to discern the priesthood!
1. Gain the experience for yourself!
Can you say that you knew exactly what you were turning down if you hadn’t seen it for yourself? Turning down the seminary without even having visited is like turning down a brand-new car without having test driven it. Form an opinion for yourself, not one that is based on the experiences of others. What would it hurt to visit? Also, Jesus would be proud. The 12 Apostles didn’t turn down God’s invitation without having first walked with him.
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2. Opportunity to gauge the atmosphere
You can only really know what seminary is like if you visit one. Encounter is an excellent time for you to see what the atmosphere is like at seminary. You can make a surprise visit to keep everyone on their toes if you want to make this experience as real as possible if you’re that kind of person like I was. Come and see what the men at seminary are like for yourself!
3. See what classes are like
At the Encounter, you will have the opportunity to sit in on a few classes. This is the most exciting part of all! Just kidding. However, if your inner nerd is calling you can sit in on a class. The classes are engaging and very exciting! You will ponder philosophical questions about the existence of God, the purpose of life and much more. See for yourself!
4. You can make new friends ahead of time
At Encounter, you will get to meet other young men discerning the priesthood, and you will form friendships. When I came to visit seminary, I met up with two men who were in my diocese! They gave me a tour of the school, took me to Mass, showed me a dorm room, and most importantly pointed me in the direction of the chow hall. The best part was that if I decided to come to the seminary, I had their cell phone numbers and knew that when I arrived that I already had two brothers to hang out with. Give it a try!
5. Opportunity to listen to the Holy Spirit
“Holy Spirit, I know that you’re leading me towards seminary life, but I don’t want to visit. If I do, I might actually want to go.” Don’t be that guy! Don’t ever say no to the promptings of the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit knows what’s best for us! Just because you might attend seminary doesn’t mean that the Church is expecting you to be ordained and be the next Pope, no way! Seminary is a time of discernment and listening to God and the Holy Spirit. It starts with the day that you come to visit. Please don’t say no to him, without even testing the waters.
May God bless you on your journey of discernment towards the seminary. Remember, nothing can ever replace first-hand experiences. It’s time to get in the car and visit! At least you’ll get to go to Mass and have a free lunch! Totally worth it!
For more information about Encounter With God’s Call, contact our Director of Admissions at (660) 944-2886 or vocations@conception.edu and visit our Enounter website at www.ewgc.org!
