Each of us likely remembers a time in our life when a priest played an important, maybe even a crucial role. Perhaps he provided comfort when a loved one was sick or dying, or helped resolve a dispute between family members or friends. Maybe he was there to give witness to God's enduring love and presence at a time of joy or pain.
Indeed, a priest's ministry of presence and service to the church community often places him a position to have a very strong, lasting and positive impact on the lives of those he ministers to.
But just as a priest can have a wonderfully positive impact on a person's life, all of us have seen the pain and trauma caused when a priest forsakes his calling and the trust placed in him by the community and the bishop he serves. That is why it is critically important to the entire church that those who are candidates for priesthood are evaluated and trained as thoroughly as possible prior to ordination.
In the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the screening process of candidates seeking entry into seminary formation is among the most sophisticated and thorough in the nation. Many people know that training for priesthood involves academic study and spiritual formation in the seminary. But what about the "screening" that takes place before someone is admitted to seminary formation? What does that involve?
Perhaps the best place to start is with the personal qualities that the Archdiocese looks for in men seeking to be admitted to the seminary. Among these qualities are: a love for the Catholic faith; generosity; a desire to help other people; a personal relationship with God; a capacity and desire to learn; a healthy self-image; good social skills; and the ability to enjoy one's own company and a variety of friendships
While this list is not exhaustive, one can see that in addition to spiritual and academic aptitude, a candidate for admission to the seminary must also be healthy psychologically. Indeed, before a candidate can be considered for admission to the seminary, he must undergo a series of in-depth personal interviews, a mental status examination and psychological testing.
The interview process
The first step in the screening process involves an extensive interview of the candidate by a clinician, usually a psychologist. In an interview lasting between two and three hours, the clinician seeks information about the candidate's personal background. The candidate is usually asked about his family's history and how his family members interacted with one another. The candidate's educational background and social history are also explored.
During this interview, the clinician assesses how the candidate describes his own history and how the candidate interacts with the clinician. The candidate's social history is crucial, as it provides the clinician information about how the candidate relates to others. This information is essential in assessing the potential of the candidate to function in a ministerial capacity.
A candidate's sexual history is also discussed in the interview. Questions include those focused on the normal patterns of psycho-sexual development: falling in love, romantic relationships, dating experiences, etc. Inquiries are also made into any possible trauma or sexual abuse that might have been experienced by the candidate. Sexual orientation is also explored.
With the data collected in the interview, the clinician examines candidate's current level of functioning through a Mental Status Examination. In this examination, the clinician looks for information regarding how the candidate interacts in their world. To maintain the effectiveness of this examination, specific details of what is asked cannot be disclosed here.
Following the interview process, a candidate is subjected to a series of psychological tests. The purpose of these tests is to gather objective data about the cognitive abilities (intellectual and thinking processes) and personality characteristics of the candidate. There are several components to the tests, which generally check for how honest and truthfully the individual who is completing the test is responding to the questions. This helps shed light on the character of the individual. This testing process is usually between three to five hours in length.
Through the interview process and psychological testing, the Archdiocese develops a complete psychological profile of the candidate which documents his strengths and weaknesses. If there are concerns regarding the candidate's emotional strength, these concerns, along with recommendations for addressing these concerns, are provided in the report made to the Vocation Office.
All of this is done prior to considering a person for entry into St. John's Seminary, the seminary for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Along with background checks and interviews with vocation directors, the psychological screening process is critical in ensuring the People of God that, as much as humanly possible, a man selected for seminary formation and ordination will be: "The companion of Jesus who cares for the people of God through the preaching of the Word, the celebration of the Sacraments, and the selfless service of the people." (1)
(1) "Who is the priest?" From webpage of Vocations Office of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
At a glance: Screening candidates for seminary
---All candidates undergo process that involves interviews and testing.
---Interviews involve candidate's personal history, including issues of sexuality.
---Mental status exam explores how candidate interacts with their world.
---Psychological testing helps assess character of candidate.
---Candidate also is subject to background checks and other interviews.
---All candidates must clear screening process before being admitted to seminary. |