Qualifications | Applications Process & Visiting | Paperwork | Expenses | Questions | Contact
Qualifications
♦ 18 to 35 years of age, unmarried.
♦ Strong sense of piety and sacrificial willingness to give oneself totally to our Lord Jesus Christ.
♦ A good reputation, moral aptitude and intellectual ability.
♦ Good health and fitness.
♦ High degree of fluency in English.
♦ High school diploma (or equivalent non-US studies). 1
♦ Be able to enter the Seminary debt-free. 2
♦ Ability to obtain a student VISA (for non-US candidates) 3
1 We do not require college, however a good institution can increase the maturity and academic capabilities of a future seminarian.
2 Outstanding debt needs to be resolved before applying/entering because men may not be ordained to the priesthood with debt.
3 If your country of origin is outside the U.S., please contact us before applying to see if there are any restrictions for entrance.
Click to watch the FSSP Vocations Video
Applications Process & Visiting the Seminary
English-speaking men between the ages of 18 to 35 who are considering a priestly vocation, or who are ready to apply to the FSSP, are asked to make a short visit to the seminary during the academic year. This lets the visitor experience a bit of the Fraternity charism and life as a seminarian but also lets the seminary priests interview the candidate if he plans to apply for entrance. Candidates outside the United States and Canada do not need to make a seminary visit and alternate arrangments can be made regarding the candidate interview.
Visits should be scheduled for a 3-4 day time period. Men first need to contact the vocations office with their proposed date range as we will need to check the dates against the academic calendar to insure that there are no scheduling conflicts. Some dates are not available for visits due to ordinations, holiday breaks, etc. We are also unable to accept visitors from June-August as the seminary is closed during the summer months.
When a person is ready to start applying, he can access all of the necessary paperwork from this page. Candidates should send in the various documents as they are completed instead of waiting until everything is done. We will keep track of the assorted paperwork as it arrives. We are unable to consider candidates older than 35 years of age.
All applications paperwork must be received no later than the beginning of May each year for entrance in September. Decisions on acceptances are made only after all items have been received and reviewed by the seminary priests. Paperwork sent in after the May deadline will be reviewed for the next academic year rather than the one starting that fall. If you have any questions about the applications material, please contact the Vocations Office for assistance.
Applications Paperwork
The following documents are in PDF format. Please make sure that you have Adobe Acrobat Reader version 8.0, or higher, to insure no problems with the forms. Acrobat Reader is a free application which you can obtain HERE. These forms are fillable online if you are using Acrobat.
Please mail your paperwork to:
Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary
ATTN: Vocations Office secretary
7880 West Denton Road, PO Box 147
Denton, NE 68339 USA
1. OLGS Application Checklist - Print out this form and use it as your checklist in keeping track of what needs to be completed and/or mailed to the Vocations Office. If you have any questions on the items listed on this sheet, please email us.
2. Application for Admission - The application form can be filled out online and then printed out when complete. Please note that you will not be able to save the completed file and so you may wish to print out an additional copy for your own records.
3. Autobiographical Guide Sheet - This sheet will provide you with topic suggestions for writing your detailed autobiography.
4. Medical Record Form - You will need to complete the first part of this form and your physician will need to complete the second half. This form is not fillable online - please print and complete by hand.
5. Letter of Recommendation Cover Letter - This is the cover letter which you will want to provide to each person completing a letter of recommendation for you. If you will be providing them with a printed copy instead of forwarding a PDF copy, be sure to fill in your name in the appropriate area before printing.
6. Letter of Recommendation - If the priests who will write your letters of recommendation are computer literate, you can either email them a copy of the PDF or point them to the direct URL. This form is fillable online. If instead you are printing this form to have your writers complete the document by hand, be sure to type in your name in the appropriate section before printing. Also, do not forget to include the Letter of Recommendation cover letter (#5) and offer your letter of recommendation writers postage reimbursement.
7. FBI ID Record Request - This document will provide you with information on how to obtain an FBI and local police department identification check. If you live outside the United States, you will want to obtain a criminal records check from your national police database.
8. Advanced Placement and Course Exemption Information - This is just an informational sheet for your own records which provides you with background information on course advancement for previous academic work.
Expenses
The cost of room, board, and tuition is $7,000 per seminarian per year. This amount is greatly reduced from the actual cost of priestly formation thanks to the generous support of Fraternity benefactors. Additional expenses may include books, medical and vehicle insurance, travel to/from home during breaks, etc.
Candidates are expected to find benefactors (i.e. family, friends, Knights of Columbus, parish, etc.) to help pay for the various expenses associated with their priestly formation. Please note, however, that a candidate who does not have the ability to pay the annual costs should not be discouraged from applying. Applications will not be declined based simply on an inability to pay the tuition/room board costs.
Questions
The questions that most men interested in our seminary ask are answered in our FAQ section. Be sure to read through the FAQ before contacting the Vocations Office as your items may be covered in that section. If you still have questions after reviewing the information on this site, please contact us at the information below.
Contact
English-speaking candidates from the Asian/Australian/Indian region should contact:
Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter Vocations Director
ATTN: Fr. Duncan Wong, FSSP
Ezechiel House Novitiate
PO Box 917, Petersham
NSW 2049, AUSTRALIA
English-speaking candidates from the African region should contact:
Fr. Evaristus Eshiowu, FSSP
Nne Enyemaka Shrine Umuaka
PO Box 430
Imo State, Orlu, Nigeria
English-speaking candidates from all other regions should contact:
Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter Vocations Director
ATTN: Fr. Charles Ryan, FSSP
Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary
7880 West Denton Road, PO Box 147
Denton, NE 68339 USA
