No matter if you or your child is interested in becoming a priest, pursuing a career in priesthood can be quite daunting, especially if you don’t know where to start, nor with whom you should talk to and ask for some help. This is why you might want to consider attending a catholic seminary.
But, why should you attend these classes? Are there some important benefits that you could gain? Fortunately for all individuals that found themselves in the same situation, the article below will shed some light on the entire topic. Here are the top reasons and benefits of attending Catholic seminaries.
1. You’ll Be Able to Openly Talk About Religion
The very first reason, as well as the first benefit of attending a Catholic seminary, is that you’ll be capable of openly and freely talking about religious topics. In fact, most schools out there will ensure that there is an open discussion where students can talk about religion, hence, you can share your experiences, talk about the relationship you have with God, and more importantly, you can discuss what it means to you as well.
During these classes, the spiritual director will most likely ask about the activities you’re involved in, how you’re looking out for yourself, how you’re getting along with your peers, and they’ll also ask how God is present in your life. Additionally, you’ll be encouraged to share your life experiences. The entire seminar will be beneficial for you, especially since you’ll hear about the director’s and other students’ experiences and thoughts and you’ll also hear new ideas and questions.
2. You’ll Feel Welcomed at The School
Although you’ll attend these seminaries together with people that are diverse, this is exactly what can help you thrive, especially since you’ll experience living with individuals that are different from you. Each of the classes that you attend will emphasize diversity, building social skills, learning new things, as well as spirituality, all of which will help you build relationships, and in return, create a welcoming atmosphere.
The dorm managers will help you with promoting social skills and other activities, and living with other individuals will most likely help you create long-lasting relationships with people from all over the world. You should know, during these courses, you’ll also be taught more about leadership skills that’ll help you with building a community in the future, and more importantly, that’ll help you with becoming a role model later on in your career.
3. People From All Walks of Life Can Attend Them
You would be surprised by the number of people who think that Catholic seminaries are only for the wealthy and academically eligible individuals. However, this isn’t entirely true and people from all walks of life can attend these classes. In fact, most of the schools such as the ones mentioned by seminariesandbiblecolleges.com offer some forms of financial aid, meaning that there will be some tuition payment plans that you could opt for.
This means that you’ll be capable of paying for the tuition in an easy way, but the price will be more affordable than some other options, such as private schools. Also, some schools will also offer payment plans for students that come from abroad, which means that, even if you’re a foreigner, you could still apply for a course. In most cases, financial aid is offered, thus, don’t forget to check what your options are.
4. The Educational Experience is Quite Valuable
You should know, most schools that are faith-based are as valuable as your overall education. This means that, even though most of the classes will reflect on the values of Catholicism, you’ll still be able to enhance your knowledge, skills, and understanding of other subjects a well, which can include arts, sciences, and so on. Also, it’s worth mentioning that there is an emphasis on building up a moral character, which can lead to a moral lifestyle.
5. There Are Extracurricular Activities
Yes, Catholic seminaries offer a wide range of extracurricular activities to their students. This suggests that, although you’ll be learning a lot of things about Catholicism, you’ll also be able to enjoy sports or other club programs that you feel attracted to. For instance, if you like sports, you can join soccer, volleyball, or even a bowling club, but if sports aren’t your thing, you could also participate in cooking classes and clubs.
On the other hand, music is also incredibly important, which means that you can join a choir, acting class, or band, all of which will help you develop your artistic talents and skills further. There is literally an option for everyone, and if you choose to participate in such programs and clubs, you’ll develop meaningful relationships with other students, but you’ll also gain some incredibly beneficial experiences that’ll help you thrive.
6. The Class Sizes Are Smaller
Going to a course that has smaller class sizes can be extremely beneficial for you, especially since you’ll be able to talk to the teacher, discuss different topics, and more importantly, you’ll have the time to ask all the questions that you might have. Smaller class sizes will also encourage students to actively participate in them, hence, in a way, you’ll gain the benefits of having one-on-one classes with your professors. This is something that can also promote productivity and discussion.
7. Preparation For University Life
If your child is interested in becoming a priest, signing them up for these courses can help your son gain the academic knowledge they need, and more importantly, it’ll help them get prepared for all the courses they might have to attend during university. Hence, by attending these classes, your kid will gain important study and organizational skills – something that can help them succeed in their university education later on.
Conclusion
Although a lot of individuals think that a Catholic seminary is all about religion, it isn’t. In fact, it is all about building new relationships, improving your social skills, and attending such seminaries will also allow you to develop other important skills, including the fact that you can thrive in arts and sports.
Since you now know most of the benefits, as well as reasons for attending Catholic seminaries, you shouldn’t lose any more time. Instead, if you or your kid is thinking about attending one, you should open up a new browser, and start looking for a school that’ll suit your needs.
