Q. Where is Most
Holy Trinity Seminary?
A. In Fall 2005, the
seminary moved to temporary quarters in Brooksville, Florida (about
30 minutes north of Tampa) pending the completion of the new,
permanent seminary building under construction on the outskirts of
Brooksville.
Q. Who is on
the seminary faculty?
A. The
Most Rev. Donald Sanborn, Fr. Anthony
Cekada, Fr. Carlos Ercoli, and Fr. Joseph Selway.
Q. What
courses would I take?
A. In humanities:
Latin, history, literature, music and art appreciation, and English
composition. In philosophy: Logic, Cosmology, Psychology, Ethics,
Metaphysics, Criteriology, and Theodicy. In theology: Dogmatic
Theology, Moral Theology, Canon Law, Sacred Liturgy,Sacred
Scripture, Pastoral Theology, Church History and Homiletics.
Q. How long
would it take to become a priest?
A. About seven years
after high school, depending on your knowledge of Latin. Before
Vatican II, a high school graduate spent eight years of study in the
seminary before ordination: two years of humanities, two years of
philosophy, and four years of theology. Because of the need for
priests, we have condensed the course into seven years, but we have
not left anything out.
Q. What is
life in the seminary like?
A. The seminary is a
beautiful life of peace, prayer and study. Ask an old priest, and he
will tell you that the happiest days of his life were in the
seminary. The seminary wants to take the young man and turn him into
the young priest. It is therefore necessary to give him a moral,
spiritual, liturgical, and intellectual training that will last him
his whole life. For this reason, the seminarian has a schedule of
prayer, both liturgical and private, a schedule of studies, and a
schedule of other duties which prepare him for this end.
Q. How much
does the seminary cost?
A. $4,000 per year.
Those whose parents are unable or unwilling to pay all or part of
this amount ought to seek help from benefactors. Their parish
priests might be willing to sponsor them, and the candidate should
not hesitate to ask. The seminarian might also pay his way be
seeking summer employment in his parish or elsewhere. The seminarian
also must pay for his own personal expenses, such as books,
stationery, clothing, personal toilet articles, etc.
Q. Who will
ordain me?
A. A
validly-consecrated traditional Catholic bishop. The
Most Rev. Daniel L. Dolan and the
Most Rev. Donald J. Sanborn have ordained seminarians for Most Holy
Trinity Seminary.
Q. What will
I do after I am ordained?
A. To a great extent
that depends on you. The bishop who ordains you will require either
that you join an organization of priests, or commit to work with an
older priest for five years. After that you may wish to continue
working in that organization, or with that priest, or on your own.
Every kind of priestly work is open to you: parish work, schools,
seminary training, missionary work, retreats, chaplaincies to
convents, etc.
Q. What is
the life of the priest like now?
A. It is not really
different from what is was from any other time in the Church. To be
sure, Vatican II has caused many problems in the Church, and because
of them much confusion has resulted, but these are crosses which the
priest of today must bear in order to maintain the true Faith and
carry on the work of the Church.
Q. What
qualifications must I have?
A.
A high school diploma for the major seminary
program.
A grade school diploma for the minor seminary
program.
Age not greater than thirty years. (Exceptions may be made in
cases where a candidate has already received some traditional
seminary training elsewhere.)
A good reputation.
Freedom from emotional/psychological problems.
Good health. (Medical certificate will be required).
Freedom from debt. (Payment of loans may be deferred, however,
if the creditor is willing. This is often the case with student
loans).
Freedom from canonical impediments
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