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Serving the Church
Priesthood
Priest Formation
Process / Forms
A priest is an ordained leader whose work combines vision and detail, interaction and introspection. It requires academic, practical and spiritual preparation and a deep commitment to Jesus, community and congregation. Those who are accepted for priesthood find it an ideal way to exercise their skills and provide both personal and professional fulfillment.
| Personal Traits |
Typical Duties |
| Passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ |
Celebrate liturgy and preach |
| Love of prayer and worship |
Provide pastoral care |
| Intellectual vigor |
Teach the Christian faith |
| Leadership experience |
Serve the needy |
| Stable personal life |
Develop gifts of the laity |
| Empathy and understanding |
Build community |
| Communication skills |
Proclaim the Gospel in the world |
| Involvement in the world |
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| Geographic mobility |
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Process
The journey to priesthood usually takes 4-5 years. A typical aspirant spends three years at an Episcopal seminary, completes field work and supervised ministry, sits for interviews and takes the ordination exams.
After you attend the required weekend discernment retreat to clarify your call, the typical process for ordination to the priesthood looks like this:
| When |
Who |
What |
| -- |
You and your priest |
Form a Parish Discernment Committee to help you clarify your call |
| -- |
You and the Parish Discernment Committee |
Meet several times to discuss your call |
| -- |
You |
Complete the application process |
| -- |
You and your priest |
Meet with a Commission on Ministry representative |
| -- |
Commission on Ministry |
Interviews you for postulancy |
| -- |
Bishop |
Interviews you for postulancy |
| School year # 1; fall |
You |
Enter first year of seminary |
| First summer |
You |
Practice clinical pastoral education in a hospital setting |
| School year #2; fall |
You |
Enter middle year of seminary and begin first year of field work |
| School year #2; fall |
You |
Find a summer parish training position |
| School year #2; spring |
Your seminary |
Writes a "middler evaluation" of your progress in seminary |
| School year #2; spring or school year #3, fall |
You |
Interview with the Commission on Ministry and Standing Committee for candidacy |
| -- |
Bishop |
Approves your candidacy |
| Second summer |
You |
Complete Middle Atlantic Parish Training Program of supervised ministry |
| School year #3; fall |
You |
Begin last year of seminary and second year of field work |
| School year #3; January |
You |
Take the General Ordination Examination |
| School year #3; spring |
You |
Finish seminary and interview with the Commission on Ministry and the Standing Committee to become a transitional deacon |
| School year #3; spring |
You |
Graduate from seminary |
| Shortly after graduation |
Bishop |
Ordains you to the transitional diaconate |
| Before completing your six months as a transitional deacon |
You |
Find a job |
| Six months after your ordination as a transitional deacon |
Bishop |
Ordains you as a priest |
Forms
Here you can download the lists, approved resources, applications and forms necessary for the process of becoming a priest. Simply click on the document you need.
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