VOCATIONS
WHAT VOCATION IS REALLY ABOUT
The word vocation comes from the Latin root “vocare” which means “to call.” Vocation is simply God’s invitation to love and serve him and his Church in a particular state of life leading to holiness. Vocation can come in form of priestly or marital life. The priesthood is not a profession but a vocation. It is a call to serve. For every high priest is chosen from among men and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sin (Hebrews 5:1).
God calls us in many ways. When one feels called to a particular vocation, it becomes necessary to enter into a discernment process. As a young man, you may feel called to the priestly and religious life as a Missionary of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Discerning such a call is not easy, but a good way to begin is to meet some of our confreres, learn about our formation program and experience the daily realities of community life. Most importantly, another way to discern this call is to pray constantly for God’s direction.
It is pertinent to know that even if you strongly feel that God is calling you to priestly and religious life, you also need to properly discern the spirituality and apostolate of the religious congregation that best reflects your strength and personality. This is the foundation to living the religious life to its fullest.
WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE BEING A SEMINARIAN OF OUR CONGREGATION?
You can expect to find a group of men with a healthy prayer life, a strong emphasis on community life, faithfulness to Church teaching, a solid education and great enthusiasm to study and work. Our seminarians are formed to embrace life challenges since they will work in different parts of the world as priests.
Our formation is aimed at forming men who are ready to enkindle the love of the Sacred Hearts in the hearts of people around them. In the same vein, our seminarians are formed by attending to the four pillars of formation namely human, spiritual intellectual and pastoral formation as outlined in the Pastores Dabo Vobis.
As religious, community life is of paramount importance to us. Hence, our seminarians are trained to imbibe the virtue of living and sharing in harmony with each other in the community. We do not work alone. We live and share as brothers in the community in the spirit of our Father Founder. Every one contributes his own quota towards the growth of the community.
LEARN ABOUT OUR FORMATION PROCESS
Formation to the Catholic priesthood is a journey of spiritual, emotional, intellectual and human maturity. It is a process by which a candidate is accompanied and properly directed towards becoming a refined religious and a Catholic priest. The life of prayer, work, study, and community life play a special role in the formation process. It is important to note that our seminarians study at Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Ulakwo, Owerri, Imo State. There are three stages of formation in our religious congregation which are: Postulancy/Philosophical Studies, Novitiate and Theologate.
Postulancy/Philosophical Study
This is the first stage of formation lasting a minimum of five years. Once a candidate is admitted into our Institute, he spends one year as a postulant in his place of primary assignment. At the end of the one year, he is vested with the clerical cassock and officially promoted to begin his philosophical study which serves as a foundation for later work in theology. During this period of four years, the candidate undergoes serious academic work in philosophy which is combined with a life of prayer, especially the Mass and Eucharistic Adoration; personal spiritual direction, monthly days of recollection, spiritual retreats and some supervised apostolic work experiences. After proper evaluation, the candidate is approved for the Novitate program at the end of the philosophical study.
Novitiate
The second stage of formation is a one-year canonical period of intense spiritual maturation and discernment. This takes place in our Novitiate house situated in Makurdi, Benue State. During this twelve-month period, the novice is instructed in the rule, spirit, and way of life of the Institute. The novitiate year concludes with religious profession as the novice takes temporary vows of chastity, poverty, obedience and perseverance, and also receives our religious habit.
Theologate
This is the third and last stage of formation. It involves embarking upon theological studies which spans a period of four years. During this period, the temporary professed candidate undertakes classes in scripture, dogma, morals, Canon law, spirituality, preaching, psychology and pastoral counseling, and so on. The candidate also gains pastoral experiences during the apostolic work period. Theological studies culminate in the reception of the Bachelor in Theology degree. The candidate also receives minor ministries of Lectorate and Acolyte in preparation for their final vows and ordination to the Diaconate and Priesthood.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION
- Age limit: 17-24 years for SSCE holder and not more than 30years for Degree holders.
- Academic Qualifications: Candidate for the Priesthood must have SSCE/WAEC, results of at least six (06) credits (in one sitting), including English and Mathematics; or a Bachelor’s Degree from a recognized University; and professional certificates from recognized institutions.
- Testimonials: Letter or reference from Parish Priest.
- Personal Qualities: One must be a male, baptized, confirmed and a practicing Catholic. The candidate must have the right intention, moral integrity, be of good health, joy and zeal to be a religious, outgoing and generous disposition. Also, the candidate must possess strong faith, love of Jesus Christ, closeness to the Church (especially through the Holy Eucharist), love of people; experience in Parish society and in apostolic activities; ability to live a community life, leadership qualities and willingness to face life challenges.
Feel free to contact us:
The Vocations Director,
Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
P.O. Box 2252,
Ulakwo, Owerri,
Imo State.
You can apply to the email below
Email: mssccvocationng@gmail.com