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From our Pastoral Intern Eben MacDonald
The Application Process
In the Fall of 2005 I began the application process to become a
seminarian for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. I had completed
applications for numerous jobs and positions over the years, but the
application process to study for the priesthood was one of the most
intense experiences of my life, and was an occasion for deep prayer,
thorough personal inventory and self-reflection!
The first step of the application was to write a detailed, comprehensive
autobiography describing my family of origin, childhood, educational and
professional background, my spiritual and faith life and experience of
church, and my thoughts about priesthood. In addition, I had to complete
a forty question questionnaire outlining my personal motivation to
become a priest. I had to gather my sacramental records to determine
that I was a fully initiated Catholic in good standing. I also had to
get a letter of recommendation from my pastor as well as letters from
professional colleagues and personal friends to attest to my character.
Once all the paperwork was complete, I went through intensive personal
interviews with the Archdiocesan Vocations directors. I went through
interviews with three different people lasting about two hours each.
These interviews were very intense and probing, covering virtually every
aspect of my life. My approach to these interviews was to be completely
honest and transparent, including talking about my own sins and
mistakes.
Once the Archdiocesan Vocations team had determined I was a fit
candidate, they asked me to go through a range of tests. I met with a
licensed psychologist for a personal interview and took a number of
personality tests to establish my psychological fitness and ensure there
would be no “red flags.” I also had a complete medical physical, undergo
dental and vision exams, and present my immunization record to ensure I
was in sufficient physical health to meet the demands of seminary life
and priestly formation.
After all the paperwork, testing and interviews were gathered, I had to
go to the seminary to interview with the seminary admissions board. I
met with four teams of 2-3 people each for several hours to probe my
ability to handle the human, academic, pastoral, and spiritual aspects
of seminary formation. After going through the application process I
felt a sense of peace. Whether I would be accepted or not, I had
conducted myself with honesty and integrity and I appreciated the
opportunity to do some deep reflection on my life. That was a great
gift, and now all I could do was to wait for a response! Would I be
accepted as a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, or not? To
be continued… |
