Each person has a story to be told. Inside each story there exists a vocation –
a calling from God. According to Mother
Theresa, “We are all called to make something beautiful for God.” One of the real challenges in life, however,
is discerning a vocation and determining God’s call.
Ever since the early beginnings of the
Church, God has called men to serve his people as priests. The priest is charged to act in the person
of Jesus Christ. By living a holy life
grounded in promises of prayer, obedience and celibacy, the priest becomes like
Christ “who did not come to be served but to serve.”
Even today, God still calls men to this
sacred ministry and lifestyle. It is
possible that God might be calling you.
In order for a man to discern this call,
time and space are needed for prayer, discussion and study. The Affiliate Program at Saint Paul Seminary
provides a man with the necessary time and space for vocational discernment. Through monthly gatherings with priests and
seminarians, a man can explore the possibility of priesthood and begin to
discern a vocation. The Affiliate
Program is a wonderful vocational tool that allows a man from age eighteen to
forty to experience the spiritual, academic, communal and pastoral components
of priestly formation.
The Affiliate Program takes place monthly
at Saint Paul Seminary, “A quiet place alive with God’s grace.”
SPIRITUAL – Affiliates are invited to celebrate
the Eucharist and pray the Liturgy of the Hours with the seminary community
each month. In addition, affiliates are
granted access to spiritual direction, spiritual readings and a discernment
weekend experience.
ACADEMIC – Affiliates may audit or visit a
seminary house class (covering subjects such as catechism, liturgy, priesthood,
Scripture and Latin) on Monday or Thursday evening.
COMMUNAL – By visiting the seminary each month,
affiliates participate in an experience of community life that includes an
array of activities and events.
PASTORAL – Affiliates may “shadow” a seminarian
in one of his apostolic works to a hospital, nursing home or food shelter.
See: Contact – Diocese of Pittsburgh
for name and phone number of contact person.