1. How much does it cost to become a priest? Do I have to pay for my own studies/textbooks/etc?
2. What sort of things do you have to give up to become a priest?
3. I'm 16 and I think I want to become a priest. Am I to young to start thinking about it or to start studying (or I'm 45, am I too old)? At what age do most people start studying for the priesthood?
4. I want to become a priest one day but not yet.  What should I do now to help me become a priest later?
5. What do priests do?
6. What are some of the needs, challenges and benefits of priesthood?
7. Have the sexual abuse scandals damaged the reputation of the priestly vocation?
8. I am not a "holy Joe", maybe I am not holy enough to be a priest?
9. How long does it take to become a priest? Can you study part-time?
10. How do I know if I'd be suitable to become a priest? How do I know if I'm ready to start studying for the priesthood?
11. Can a priest choose what parish he works in?
12. Is it harder to be a priest today than it was a generation ago, with all the controversies and challenges in the Church and in the world today?
13. Who do I contact to start the process of inquiring about priesthood?
14. What kind of subjects do you study to be a priest? Is the study you do in preparation for priesthood easier than University study?
15. Is it true that priests aren’t allowed to own things? Can priests do ordinary things like spend time with friends, drink alcohol and go to parties?
16. What is the reason for Catholic priests not being able to marry? Is priesthood lonely?

How much does it cost to become a priest? Do I have to pay for my own studies/textbooks/etc?

There is no financial cost involved with training to be a priest. In Ireland, each diocese funds the training of its priests. The seminary provides food and accommodation and covers the academic costs. Each student receives an allowance to cover personal expenses such as books and clothes.

What sort of things do you have to give up to become a priest?

The first thing that often comes to mind when this question arises is the requirement for priests in the Roman Catholic Church to be celibate. The issue of celibacy is addressed in another answer on this page.

When a man becomes a priest he embraces a particular vocation, a particular way of life. Priests don't earn a lot of money. Being a priest is a lifelong commitment which is different to the current trend to change careers a number of times during a working life. A priest's pastoral responsibilities often take priority over personal wishes.

All of this is hard to take without a spirituality of service. No one could say that the priesthood is a mainstream way of life. One has to be honest and say that the priesthood is a radical vocation. What the church needs are people who have a heart big enough to take on this challenge. While it won't always be easy, it will bring deep satisfaction. To be a priest you need to believe in what you are doing in such a way that the sacrifices you make are worthwhile.

I'm 16 and I think I want to become a priest. Am I to young to start thinking about it or to start studying (or I'm 45, am I too old)? At what age do most people start studying for the priesthood?

At the age of 16 you are probably doing a lot of thinking about the path you will take after leaving school. It is a good time to be thinking about the possibility of becoming a priest. If you are 45 you are not too old to be thinking about becoming a priest either. Most people who start at the seminary are in their 20s. However there are exceptions to this, some seminary students are somewhat older.

There is no magical, definitive age for beginning at the seminary. Some important attributes for a person of any age beginning formation are maturity and the capacity to take on board new learning. A person's age alone does not tell us a great deal about who they are and what they believe in.

I want to become a priest one day but not yet. What should I do now to help me become a priest later?

An important question that needs to be considered is the reason behind not wanting to move towards priesthood at the moment.

Some things that can help prepare you for the priesthood include getting involved in your local parish community if you are not already involved, paying attention to your spiritual life and developing a healthy habit of prayer. It would be good to talk about these kinds of things with your local priest or the Vocations Director.

God's ways are often much more subtle than this. If you feel that you have some kind of calling to be a priest, doing nothing will not help you make a good decision. God gives us opportunities, but we have to cooperate with God in order for things to happen.

What do priests do?

There are the very special occasions that priests are involved in, such as presiding at Masses, Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals. However, as a leader of a faith community there are also many other less public things that happen. A priest’s life is full of variety; each week is usually different to the one that has gone before.

Every parish is different, so priests can be involved with schools, hospitals, nursing homes and providing assistance for those in financial difficulty. People often come to priests to talk about their various personal problems. Priests also have certain administrative responsibilities. Parishes usually have Pastoral Councils and Finance Committees which share in those responsibilities.

Some priest work in special ministries as diverse as hospital chaplaincy, prison chaplaincy, and theological education.

What are some of the needs, challenges and benefits of priesthood?

The main purpose of a priest is to preach the message of Jesus through actions and words. The message of Jesus is incredibility powerful; his way offers life, happiness and peace.

In this day and age preaching the message of Jesus Christ has its challenges. There are so many other voices promoting so many other things that the message of Jesus sometimes gets lost.

Have the sexual abuse scandals damaged the reputation of the priestly vocation?

Sexual abuse is a grave matter that has done a great deal of harm to innocent and vulnerable people. It has certainly harmed the mission of the church and the ministry of priests.

New screening procedures and better training of seminarians is aimed at preventing the possibility of priests offending in the future.

I am not a "holy Joe", maybe I am not holy enough to be a priest?

There can be a perception that being holy means being abnormal and distant from the lives of ordinary people. People can be holy by doing average things; they can be as holy as people who live in monasteries. Holiness is about developing a relationship with God and putting that into practice when you relate to other people. Someone once said that holiness is about living in right relationship with God and other people. Holiness is about compassion and love.

How long does it take to become a priest? Can you study part-time?

It used to be said that it took about seven years to become a priest, but given the diverse backgrounds of today's students for the priesthood, timeframes can vary. Today the approach to seminary formation needs to be flexible; and it may sometimes take less time or more time to be ordained a priest. This may sound like a long time, but you need to take into account the variety of phases involved in seminary formation. You don't spend seven years doing academic courses. Have a look at this page which outlines the phases of formation.

Rather than working from a particular timeframe, the formation program of each seminarian takes into account past studies and experiences as well as the learning needs of each individual. So the ultimate aim is not to "produce" a priest on time, but rather to ensure that a priest is equipped with the skills that he needs to be a competent pastor.

Training to be a priest involves more than studying subjects at a College. Formation for the priesthood also involves living in situations where you will be exposed to experiences which develop your understanding of yourself, your relationship with God and your ability to relate to people in a pastoral situation. Going beyond book or classroom learning, formation involves living in a seminary and eventually in a parish. These places become communities of formation where people learn with the assistance of others.

Learning to become a priest is a full-time occupation, students for the priesthood are expected to live in these communities of formation and focus their time and energy on the task of preparing to be a priest.

How do I know if I'd be suitable to become a priest? How do I know if I'm ready to start studying for the priesthood?

Every priest is different; each one brings his own strengths and weakness to ministry. Part of the process of considering whether you are suitable to be a priest is exploring those strengths and weaknesses. Those elements need to be explored through personal prayer and reflection and also through conversation with other people.

In the initial stages of thinking about priesthood people often want to keep their thoughts to themselves, but it is good to find a priest with whom you can discuss what is happening. As things develop you should make contact with the Vocations Director to enable you to discern further. Eventually the Director will arrange for a professional vocational assessment to help you and the Archbishop make the final decision about starting at the seminary.

As you can see, with finding who is suitable to be a priest, it is not a case of ticking off items on a list. Human beings are complicated and so the task of discerning whether you are ready to begin at the seminary must take that into account. It is also important that you continue praying so that you will be open to where God is leading you.

Can a priest choose what parish he works in?

The process through which a priest is appointed to a parish is aimed at bringing together the needs of the priest and the needs of the church. Every priest is different and every parish is different. The Bishop has ultimate responsibility for appointing priests to particular ministries.

Efforts are made to match priests and parishes in a way which is best for all concerned, and it always depends a great deal on what is happening in the diocese at that time. Every parish has its own limitations and joys; one of the qualities required for ministry is to be able to have a positive attitude in a variety of situations.

Is it harder to be a priest today than it was a generation ago, with all the controversies and challenges in the Church and in the world today?

It is probably true that the priesthood has had more stability and status sometimes in the past. More recent years have seen occasions of scandal and there is anxiety about the future of the church. But then, every era of the Church has had its challenges.

The crisis and lack of hope that the church experiences today is also shared by the whole of humanity. The human race has to find a path into the future, weaving through a variety of difficulties like terrorism, the growing divide between rich and poor, and the search for an ultimate purpose in life. As Catholic Christians we believe that Jesus Christ and his message is essential in negotiating all of this.

To be able to be a priest in the future, you will need to have a very clear sense of your mission to bring Jesus' message of hope to the world - by what you do, what you say and by assisting others to strengthen their faith.

You will have to be convinced of the saving power of the cross; convinced that where there is despair, the cross can bring resurrection and life. You will have to believe that God is changing the world to become his Kingdom. You will need faith and courage, and as a pastor of the believing community you draw from the faith and courage of the community and the community will draw these qualities from you.

Who do I contact to start the process of inquiring about priesthood?

Contact Fr. Diarmuid Hogan, Vocations Director.

What kind of subjects do you study to be a priest? Is the study you do in preparation for priesthood easier than University study?

People training to be a priest study a wide range of subjects which include: scripture; theology; philosophy; history; liturgy and ministry. Some of these things might sound a little scary, but anyone capable of doing a basic university degree will be able to study to be a priest.

Is it true that priests aren’t allowed to own things? Can priests do ordinary things like spend time with friends, drink alcohol and go to parties?

There are some differences between being a diocesan priest, whose main mission is to work in the local church, and religious rder priests (like the Franciscans, Carmelites and Dominicans), who have a variety of different missions depending on their order. Religious priests usually take a vow of poverty and do not own anything personally. Diocesan priests are able to own things. However, diocesan priests are aware that they take their income from the donations of ordinary people who often struggle financially; as such their lifestyle should not be exorbitantly expensive.

It is important that priests do have contact with friends and do have time to relax. Priests are ultimately ordinary people and it can be very unhealthy if they do not have people in their lives to share friendship with. Many people may not see the private life of priests, but spending time with family and friends is essential for a priest to be happy. There is no rule which forbids priests for drinking alcohol or enjoy parties. However there is an expectation that, like anyone that they would use alcohol responsibly.

What is the reason for Catholic priests not being able to marry? Is priesthood lonely?

The main reason for priests being celibate is to allow them to be free from the responsibilities of married life, so that they are more available to the ministry they exercise. Priests are said to be celibate for the sake of God’s Kingdom.

Celibacy can be a pretty mysterious thing and probably has to be experienced in order to really be understood. Making any kind of commitment involves loss, whether it is marriage, celibacy or any other major life choice. When we make big choices we usually give up something to make that choice.

This might sound strange, but learning to be celibate involves coming to a deeper understanding of one's sexuality. Sexuality is not just about sexual behaviour, it is about how we relate to other people and to God. No one can stop being sexual, they can refrain for sexual relations but they do not lose their maleness or femaleness.

The priesthood can be lonely, but it does not have to be. Learning about your sexuality is also about taking responsibility for your life. If we feel lonely, it is as if God is calling us to grow in our friendships. When we take responsibility for our lives, we respond to that call from God.