The Seminary Applicants’ Year is a series of weekend retreats and scheduled meetings that form a "pre-seminary" year for applicants who wish to enter seminary to study for the priesthood for the dioceses of Scotland. There are five weekends in total and the emphasis throughout is on prayer and discernment as the applicant is invited to consider the Lord’s call to service in his Church.

Seminary Applicants’ Year weekends normally begin on the Friday evening around 6pm. It is expected that all applicants attend all events. The atmosphere at these weekends should be one of recollected quiet since there is the need not only to spend time in prayer but also to allow God’s Spirit to be heard. The weekends are also about meeting like minded individuals who are considering entering seminary. An important part of the weekends is the time spent socialising with fellow applicants. Applicants in the past have also been grateful for the opportunity to engage with a number of priests each of whom brings his own understanding and approach to priesthood. This is particularly the case with weekend four and it is hoped that as the process reaches its conclusion applicants will have a better understanding of themselves, of God, and of priestly ministry.

The weekends are arranged as detailed below. Included among these is a Day of Recollection between weekend two and weekend three. This short retreat aims to build on the pattern of prayer established in the first two weekends. At the end of the Seminary Applicants’ Year there is a five day retreat which takes place in the Royal Scots College Salamanca. This retreat is for candidates who are starting seminary the following September.

It is expected that applicants arrive in good time for all events and that they do not arrange to leave until the weekend is finished, in the case of the weekends this is normally around 2pm on the Sunday afternoon. Applicants who might wish to attend these weekends must first make contact with their diocesan vocations director who will decide whether to invite the applicant to take part in the seminary applicants’ Year.

Along with your Diocesan Director of Priestly Vocations you will also be assigned a Spiritual Director. Both of these have a very specific role within the Seminary Applicants’ Year. Your Diocesan Director of Priestly Vocations should be your first contact regarding your progress through the Applicants’ Year. Your Vocations Director should help you with the application process and the various forms and exercises that need to be carried out. Your Spiritual Director has a different focus since the core of your discussion with your Spiritual Direction is your relationship with God. Matters shared with your Spiritual Director remain within that forum and the Spiritual Director has no other involvement within the Seminary Applicants’ Year process.

The Director of the Seminary Applicants’ Year is responsible for having a general oversight of the process. He is responsible for offering a recommendation to the diocesan bishop regarding the suitability of an applicant for training as a diocesan priest. Throughout the course of the year the Director of the Seminary Applicants’ Year will call upon others to help in the process of listening and advising applicants engaged in the process. The process is centred on the applicant but also mindful of the Church’s need for able priests.

This year runs from September until June. Its purpose is to assist prospective candidates in discerning their future and to prepare them, after suitable assessment, for entry into the seminary process.
Further details can be obtained from the Diocesan Director of Priestly Vocations.

Each weekend begins with arrivals at 6.00pm. Applicants should speak to their Diocesan Director of Priestly Vocations before attending. 


Seminary Applicants' Year 2008 – 2009

Weekend One “Getting to Know One Another”
National Residential Weekend
19th – 21st September 2008
Dunkeld Pastoral Centre, Dundee


Weekend Two “Getting to Know God”
National Residential Weekend
7th – 9th November 2008
Dunkeld Pastoral Centre, Dundee


Day of Recollection
13th December 2008
Motherwell Pastoral Centre, Newmains


Weekend Three “Getting to Know Self”
National Residential Weekend
30th January – 1st February 2009
Dunkeld Pastoral Centre, Dundee


Weekend Four “Getting to Know Diocesan Priesthood”
National Residential Weekend
6th - 8th March 2009
Dunkeld Pastoral Centre, Dundee


Weekend Five “The Way Forward”
National Residential Weekend
1st – 2nd May 2009
Scotus College, Glasgow


Retreat for those starting Seminary Sept. 2009
14th – 20th June 2009
Royal Scots College, SALAMANCA