Priesthood today is an exciting vocation. Deeply rooted in the Eucharist, a priest serves as a sacrament, a sign, of God’s abiding presence. A priest gathers regularly with members of a community, leading them in praise and worship of God. However, this gathering is always for a mission – to spread the Gospel, the good news, of Jesus Christ!

The mission of Diocesan Priesthood is to give leadership and direction to a faith community, commonly called a parish. This certainly entails leadership in prayer, both communal and private. It also means calling forth the many gifts within the community for service in the areas of worship, education, formation, finance, and personnel.

The Diocese of Cheyenne currently has thirteen seminarians. These men have made the decision to seriously look at God’s call to priesthood. They have heard the invitation in their hearts and have said "yes" to further discernment and formation. These men range in age from 18 to 59. Each seminarian has a unique story of how they have said "yes" to seminary formation.

Radical Awareness of Discipleship Retreat
November 3, 4 and 5th 2007
An awesome retreat for men, juniors in High School and older, will be held in Casper. It is an opportunity to spend some quality time considering a vocation to the priesthood with Bishop Ricken and Fr. Ray Rodriguez. To register or receive more information, email me at rrodriguez@dioceseofcheyenne.org.

Encounter with God’s Call

April 12-14, 2008 A weekend retreat hosted by seminarians at Conception Seminary College. An excellent opportunity to see seminary life up close! Join Fr. Ray Rodriguez for this trip, which by the way is FREE. There is an Encounter Weekend each semester. Email me at rrodriguez@dioceseofcheyenne.org for more information.

Return to main Vocation page, check out signs of a possible priestly vocation, or find out more about seminary life.

Seminary Formation
Every priest struggled with the question, "Should I go to the seminary?" Many men who are now happily married or who have chosen to remain single have also struggled with the question.

Deciding to enter the seminary is not an absolute decision to become a priest! Rather it is saying "yes" to further discernment of and formation for a possible vocation to priesthood. Too many men get caught in the trap of trying to decide if they are to become a priest before deciding to enter the seminary. This is an unfortunate and sometimes painful mistake.

The decision to enter the seminary is a counter-cultural decision. It is a decision that friends, family, and maybe even other Catholics will question and challenge. Yet, if you have experienced God’s call, if you have been tugged by a gentle voice or hit over the head with a two-by-four, entering the seminary is the RIGHT DECISION! Remember the young rich man who wanted to be a disciple and Jesus told him to leave everything and follow him? The man sadly went away. Entering the seminary is not only the right decision, but the time is now!

The Diocese of Cheyenne currently uses five seminaries for formation to the priesthood: for candidates who do not have college degrees or need further study in Philosophy the diocese sends men to Conception Seminary College or to St. Gregory the Great Seminary; for men who have already earned a college degree or need further study in Philosophy the diocese sends seminarians to Sacred Heart School of Theology, University of St. Mary of the Lake Mundelein Seminary, and St. John Vianney Seminary.

Conception Seminary College in northwest Missouri has assisted the Catholic Church in Wyoming for many years in seminary formation. The Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey continue a long tradition of assisting men to discern a vocation to priesthood.

Each year two weekends are set aside for men to visit Conception Seminary College and see for themselves what a seminary is all about. Seminarians will host participants and share with them their experience of seminary life. To register or ask questions e-mail me at rrodriguez@dioceseofcheyenne.org.

The discernment is accomplished in a number of ways. First, Conception is a fully accredited institution of Higher learning, awarding Bachelor’s Degrees in Liberal Arts. Second, each student enjoys the assistance of a Chaplain, a monk who is trained to assist men grow as Catholic gentlemen. Third, each student participates in bi-monthly private spiritual direction sessions with a skilled Spiritual Director. Fourth, God’s grace is operative throughout the seminarians’ day, activities and challenges.

The following websites will further allow you to explore the various seminaries utilized by the Diocese of Cheyenne. Click on home to return to the main vocation web page.