Herald Staff Report
(From the issue of 2/26/04)

Have you ever been involved with a secret society or a cult? Have you ever impersonated a priest or a bishop presiding at the Eucharist? Have you ever publicly abandoned the Catholic faith, or joined another religious body by a formal act? Do you have serious financial debt?

These are just a few of the questions on the 28-page application for the priesthood in the Diocese of Arlington.

The Confidential Information Form for Applicants, revised and expanded in December 2003, is the beginning of what is often, after undergraduate college, a six-year journey to the priesthood.

"We have the moral and legal obligation to ask the tough questions," said Father Brian Bashista, diocesan Director of the Office of Vocations. "We are not probing for curiosity. If serious psychological issues are raised, I try to connect the candidate with their parish priests or counselors who can better assist them in their vocation journey, but that journey would not continue on the path to priesthood."

For others, this path to priesthood often begins with an e-mail or a phone call to the vocations office, or by speaking with Father Bashista as he makes parish and campus visits throughout the diocese. During an initial interview, Father Bashista starts with the usual questions — from education, family and work background, to faith life and attitudes toward Church teaching. He also asks some of the questions found on the application — Have you ever been married? Have you fathered any children? Have you helped someone procure an abortion? Do you consider your sexual orientation … as having a homosexual disposition? And the more obvious question. Why do you want to join the Diocese of Arlington as a priest?

According to Father Bashista, the men he talks with don't get to the formal application process "unless they look like pretty sound candidates."

These men are encouraged to attend a Vocation Discernment Retreat, like the one held last weekend at Missionhurst Retreat Center in Arlington. The weekend of prayer, reflection and discussion on religious vocations drew some 20 men. Father Bashista estimates, that in the months and years ahead, perhaps a third of them will advance to the next step, the application phase.

The all-encompassing application goes from the standard questions — from social security number, to education and military service — to the more involved, such as questions about financial debt, psychological problems, drug or alcohol abuse, even smoking habits. They are asked about their school grades, computer usage, and carefully, they are asked about "non-chaste sexual relationships." Father Bashista is quick to point out that "there is no such thing as a perfect applicant," however he also says that "as a base line, one must be morally certain that God is calling them to live a lifelong commitment to celibate chastity … and that they firmly believe that with God’s grace they can live up to that commitment." Father Bashista also reiterates the long standing diocesan policy by echoing Bishop Loverde’s own words that, "Anyone who identifies himself as having a homosexual orientation, in inclination or through past deeds, is not to be considered as an applicant for priestly formation for the Diocese of Arlington."

The application asks for eight references, including a pastor, professor, employer, sibling or parents. An authorization form agrees to the release of confidential information, as well as a criminal history and sex offender record check to the vocations office and seminary.

The applicants must write a four- to 10-page autobiography and an essay answering two last questions: "What does the priesthood mean to me?" and "Why I think the Lord is calling me to the priesthood?"

School transcripts and records, and sacramental records are all required documentation, as well as a recent physical exam and psychological evaluation. The two-day psychological exam usually nets a detailed report on each candidate. Everything from ink blots to word association helps assess the candidate's mental status.

Father Bashista is quick to reassure the candidates that they are all going through the same process. This should reassure them that they will be studying alongside men who "have their act together."

"Every candidate is unique, and comes from a variety of life experiences," he said. "We want a candidate to strive for humility and holiness and be open to formation and growth. If they had all these things in place, when they first came to us, why would we waste our time and money to send them to the seminary?" In fact the diocese spends an estimated $25,000 a year on each candidate, for at least six years, according to Father Bashista. Most of that money comes from the annual Bishop's Lenten Appeal.

Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde is very involved in the application process. Father Bashista reviews the applications, makes recommendations and then sends them to the bishop, who "goes through them word by word," and then makes the final decision on who is accepted into the seminary for the diocese.

"That says a lot about the bishop, that he invests the time doing this," Father Bashista said. "He wants to get to know the seminarians."

Usually there is a wave of applicants from March to May. Currently there are 22 seminarians studying for the diocese. An estimated 70-80 percent of applicants continue through the years of study and formation and thus are eventually ordained.

The newly revised application is fairly different from the eight-page version that Father Bashista used in 1994. "This is very much indicative of the times in which we are living." He explained that the previous form asked for the date and in what church did your parents marry? Now they ask if your parents were ever married in a church, and if so in what church? With the question of siblings, now there is room to indicate half- or step-brothers and -sisters.

"The screening was good and tight under previous vocations directors, and we simply built on that."

Father Bashista is quick to point out that there have been no accusations of child sexual abuse by clergy occurring in the diocese in the past decade. "If an applicant has an abnormal psychological or moral background, I would assist them to explore their vocation elsewhere," he said. "There is always room for true-conversion, but any indication of child sexual abuse then that is a non-starter for us."

Father Bashista said that with "even the slightest hint of a lie, that's it, the whole process shuts down. This is too high of a hurdle to ever trust that candidate again. This person will be representing the Church and the bishop."

Near the end of the lengthy application, there is a question: "If you were not to become a priest, what other vocation or way of life and career choice do you think you might make?"

Despite a shortage of priestly vocations worldwide, contrary to what many might think, not everyone who applies will make it to ordination. Father Bashista said priests "are held to a higher standard and with God's help must do all we can to live up to that standard.

"With our stringent application and formation process in place here in our diocese, we do all we can to ensure that potential future priests ‘have what it takes’ to live up to that standard as well."