About Priesthood

Invited to serve

Shepherds of God’s Flock

A call to a priestly life is best understood by considering who a priest is. He is a man of faith and prayer, called to minister in the Church; he proclaims the Word of God; he administers the sacraments; he lives celibately as a servant-leader; he builds a parish community that works to bring healing, justice, and holiness to everyone. Through the sacrament of Holy Orders, baptised men are consecrated in Christ’s name ‘to nourish the Church with the word and grace of God.’

The priest is a sacramental witness of the presence of God in the world. This vision of priestly life is lived each day in the parishes of the Diocese of Down and Connor and the diverse institutions which serve the pastoral needs of the people of Belfast and counties Antrim and Down.

Seminaries provide the necessary tools, formation and direction to be an effective priest for the Church, once a man has recognised the call to priestly life.

Through the process of discernment, a man discovers God’s will for his life. A man exploring the possibility of a vocation to the priesthood, diaconate or a religious order will be assisted by the Diocesan Vocations Director and his team of priests and lay people.