1. What do you do all day?

That varies a lot from person to person. We all need a mix of prayer, work, and play in our lives. We try to have a balance of these, but we don't always succeed. In the area of work or ministry, many priests, brothers, and sisters have one main job, such as teaching, parish ministry, social work, or hospital work-all of which have somewhat regular hours and predictable demands. The unpredictable demands also lend richness to our lives. These often center around meeting the needs of people: the sick, old, angry, hurt, hungry, imprisoned, excited, or happy. We try to share our lives with others and to reveal Christ in all we do. Those who are members of contemplative communities (communities dedicated to prayer) fill their days with a combination of work and prayer. Sometimes they will grow their own food and do income-producing work, such as baking and selling altar breads. Their prayer usually consists of Mass, silent prayer and reading, and praying the psalm-based Liturgy of the Hours (an ancient collection of psalms and prayers prayed together every few hours).

2. How important is prayer?

We try to make it a major part of our lives. Because we've chosen a way of life that says that God is most important, prayer has to be central. Prayer is communication with the Lord. We need it as much as any two people who love each other need to communicate. Our relationship with God can't grow and deepen without prayer. Because prayer is so important, most priests, sisters, and brothers spend about two hours a day in prayer. Part of that time we're with others at Mass or praying out loud together. Part of that time, we pray alone in reading or just being quiet with God. Probably the main benefit of prayer is that it makes us more aware of God's activity in the people, events, and circumstances of daily life.

3. Is prayer always easy for you?

Definitely not. Even those of us in contemplative life-whose ministry is prayer- go through "dry spells" when our prayer time seems dull or uneventful. But our communities support us and give us a structure for regular prayer during difficult times. Those of us who are parish priests have our parish communities and our fellow priests to lead us toward prayer even when we'd rather not be bothered. We try to be faithful, even when we don't feel like it. Our efforts aren't always perfect, but we e certain of our deep need for God. e believe God sees and responds to our attempts to communicate.

4. What's the difference between a diocesan priest and a religious priest?

A diocesan priest ordinarily serves the church within a defined area and he serves the people as parish priest, but he may also be involved in many other forms of service: teaching, hospital, campus, or prison ministry, and so on.

A religious priest is a member of a religious congregation whose ministry goes beyond the geographic limits of any diocese. A religious priest seeks to live a life of poverty, celibacy, and obedience within a community of men. The community shares a common vision and spirituality and often emphasizes a particular ministry.

5. What's the difference between a brother and a priest?

A brother commits himself to Christ by the vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience. He lives in a religious community and works in nearly any job: teacher, electrician, cook, lawyer, technician, parish minister, or artist, for example. He tries to live his faith being a brother to others. A priest's distinctive role is as minister of the sacraments: celebrating Eucharist, Baptism, Reconciliation, and so on. He is involved in various other works as well-most often parish-related-but sacramental life is his special ministry.

6. How are religious orders different from one another?

Each religious order or congregation has its own charism, or spiritual gift, combined with a focused mission that members hope to accomplish in community: That mission could be a focus on prayer in a cloistered convent (a home that community members rarely leave) or on an apostolic, or active, ministry aimed at working with people. Or it could be one of dozens of other missions. Although there are many congregations that are like-minded or have similar minis. tries, each is distinct. Many groups of religious men and women were founded at a time in history when travel and communication were limited, so that some congregations formed for similar purposes were in different places and they didn't know a similar group existed elsewhere. New communities continue to be formed today in response to God calling men and women t particular forms of spirituality, community, and mission.

7. How long does it take to become a diocesan priest?

Generally it takes four years of college, followed by five to six more years of seminary study. A seminary is a college or university run by the Catholic Church for educating and preparing men to be priests.

8. How do you join a religious community?

The process of joining a religious community actually takes some time and involves several stages. While these vary from community to community in name, length of time, a format, the basic stages include: Contact: A person of high-school age or older who is interested in religious life but is still searching to answer the question, "What does God want of me?" can join a program of contact with a religious community. The formation program is usually very flexible. The person may meet monthly with a priest, brother, or sister and share in experiences of prayer and community life. Others may take part in a "come and see" program to or visit a community and experience its way of life.

Candidate: A more formal relationship with the community occurs when a person becomes a candidate. He or she must indicate interest and have the community agree to accept him or her as a person in the process of joining. The candidate lives within the community while continuing his or her education or work experience.

- This period enables the candidate to observe and participate in religious life. It also allows the community to see whether the candidate shows promise in living the community's life. A person may be a candidate for one or two years.

Novice: The novitiate is the next stage of formation. This is a special one-to-two year period that marks official entrance into the community. Novices spend time in study and prayer to learn more about themselves, the community; and their relationship with Jesus. At the end of the novitiate, novices prepare for temporary promises, or Vows,

Vows: Promises of poverty; celibacy, and obedience may be taken for one, two, or three

years, depending upon the decision of the individual. These promises are renewable for up to nine years. Final vows can be made after three years of temporary promises.

A man studying reIgious priesthood must also undergo seminary training. During this time he studies theology; scripture, church teachings, and the skills he will need to be a priest.

9. What vows do priests, brothers, and sisters make?

Brothers, sisters, and priests in religious communities make three vows, and some congregations make other vows as well. The three most commnon vows are:

Poverty-We share our goods in common, live a simple life, and realize that we depend on God.

Celibacy-We choose to love and serve God and all God's people, rather than to love one person exclusively in marriage. We offer our celibacy as witness and testimony to God's love.

Obedience-We live in community and try to obey the will of God by taking part in the community's goals, hopes, and work.

10. What vows do diocesan priests make?

Diocesan priests make promises of celibacy and obedience to their bishop.

11. Can priests, brothers, and sisters date?

No, they can't because dating is meant to lead to marriage, and as celibates we plan not to marry. However, we very much want and need friendships, and we have friends of both sexes.

12. Are you ever attracted to others in a romantic way?

Of course! We still experience normal, human needs, feelings, and desires. As celibate people we choose to channel these feelings - our sexual energies into other healthy directions. We work at remaining faithful to our vow of celibacy through closeness to Jesus, good friendships and healthy physical exercise.

 

13. What if you fall in Iove?

It does happen. The basic responsibility in such a situation is to preserve the original, existing commitment we've made-which is to live as a sister, brother, or priest, We try to develop the relationship within the limits and responsibilities of our commitment to celibacy. Obviously, falling in love can be a very difficult situation for a sister, priest, or brother. Yet we know all Christians eventually face pain and difficulty in their lives. It isn't easy to be a faithful spouse or single person of integrity either. Dealing with such a challenge can make us stronger than ever in our vows.

14. Do you have to be a virgin to be a brother, sister, or priest?

Past sexual activity does not prevent someone from becoming a brother, sister, or priest. A person's past life is not the main concern. If it were, men and women who once married could not become priests, brothers, or sisters (and they sometimes do). The question is whether from now on a person is willing and able to live and love as a celibate in the service of others. Some great saints - Augustine and Francis for example - lived wild lives that included some bad choices before turning to religious life.

15. Does it matter what your sexual orientation is if you want to be a sister, brother, or priest?

Religious orders and dioceses are seeking people who are sexually integrated. Being sexually integrated means having a strong sense of self and understanding your own needs for affection and closeness. Candidates to religious life or the priesthood should also have the gifts and talents to live celibately. They should understand what are appropriate expressions of love in a celibate context.

16. Why is it some of you wear religious clothes and others don't?

Those who wear habits or clerical collars do so for various reasons. One is that religious dress is a sign, or recognized symbol, of faith in God and commitment to Christianity. Another frequent rationale is that religious clothing is simple dress and therefore a way to live out the vow of poverty. A sister, brother, or priest who wears religious garb can own two or three changes of clothing and be free of the expense of a more expensive contemporary wardrobe. Some communities wear street clothes, preferring to make their lifestyle, rather than their clothing, heir main outward sign of faith. They feel that religious dress creates an undesirable barrier between them and other people. Furthermore, those who have discontinued wearing habits often say the original reason for them was to wear the dress of the common people, and street clothes are now the common people's dress.