Steps to Become a Legally Ordained Priest in New Mexico
- 1). To become a priest, regardless of what state you live in, you must be a practicing Catholic Christian and have completed the three sacraments of initiation available to laity: baptism, first communion, and confirmation. If you are not yet a Christian in full communion with the Catholic Church, you will need to become one.
- 2). Ask God about your interest in a priestly vocation. A call to the priesthood represents just that, a call, and can never be the product of an individual's whim or fancy. Open your heart to the Lord and make sure that He wants you to serve Him as a priest.
- 3). Decide whether you would like to become a parish priest or a member of a religious order, such as the Society of Jesus. If you are interested in pastoral ministry, talk to your parish priest or Rev. Michael DePalma, the director of vocations in the diocese of Albuquerque. If you would like to join a religious community, contact a member of the order in which you have an interest.
- 4). Apply to seminary through your diocese or the religious community you are interested in joining. You will spend between six and eight years as a seminarian.
- 5). Take vows of celibacy and obedience. These will allow you to be ordained as a deacon, after which your bishop will eventually consecrate you as a priest.