1. If you feel that God may be calling you to the priesthood, the first thing you should do is talk to your pastor or another priest. These people can give you spiritual direction as you decide whether you should consider entering a seminary. The Diocese of LaCrosse's vocations office sponsors Dare to Follow retreats for boys and young men in high school. Also scheduled occasionally are An Evening with the Bishop events at parishes throughout the Diocese. Either ask your pastor about attending one of these events, or talk directly to Fr. Hirsch, the vocation director. His email is: jhirsch@dioceseoflacrosse.com Also available on this site is a novella about a young man in high school, and his decision to enter seminary. Feel free to read "To Answer His Call" online, or download it.

2. If, after making a prayerful decision with the help of a spiritual director or the Vocation Director, that you would like to enter seminary to learn more about your vocation, there are several ways to enter the seminary.

The Diocese of LaCrosse has a high school seminary, Holy Cross Seminary and House of Formation, in which high school-age boys are able to live together in community, praying together and growing in faith. High school seminarians can also study at St. Lawrence Seminary. After high school seminary, the student may apply to enter the college seminary

An high school graduate (from the high school seminary or any other intitution) would normally enter a college seminary to study philosophy, graduating after four years with a normal Bachelor of Arts degree. Prospective seminarians who have already started studying at a two or four-year institution normally transfer to the college seminary as well. The Diocese of LaCrosse currently sends men to one of two midwestern college seminaries. St. John Vianney College Seminary is affiliated with the Twin Cities' University of St. Thomas. Immaculate Heart of Mary College Seminary is affiliated with Winona's (MN) St. Mary's University. Some seminarians also study at Washington DC's Theological College, obtaining a Masters in Philosophy after five years. After these years of college, the seminarian who is approved then enters the Theologate.

Men who have completed a college degree must study philosophy before becomming theologians. Many Pre-theology programs are utilized by the Diocese for this purpose. A Pre-theology course normally takes two years, but depends upon how much philosophy and other related courses were studied when the prospective seminarian was in college. Pre-theology students study at a number of institutions, including the Pontical College Josephinum and Sacred Heart Major Seminary. After completion of Pre-theology, and with approval of the diocese, the seminarian enters the Theologate.

3. If in high school and/or college, the seminarian still feels a strong calling from God to the priesthood, he asks the Bishop to be accepted into the Theologate. All seminarians accepted into the Theologate have completed at least the minimum philosophy requirments set forward by the Program for Priestly Formation, and therefore it is necessary to complete at least part of #2 before moving on to #3. If accepted, the seminarian will study for at least four more years at one of several Theologates nation -- and even world -- wide. Seminarians, at the discretion of the Bishop, are sent to Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, the Pontifical College Josephinem in Ohio, Mundelein Seminary in Illinois, or the North American College in Rome. During this period of theological studies, the seminarian receives the Lectorate, and becomes an Alcolyte.

5. The culmination of what is normally six years (for Pre-theology students) to 12 years (for high school seminarians) of studies, is the Ordination to the Holy Priesthood. The diocesan Bishop normally ordains all the new priests for the year in one large ceremony at St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral in LaCrosse. Afterwards, the newly-ordained priests are given their assignments, normally for a high school chaplaincy, an associate pastorship, or perhaps for higher studies.