I think God may be calling me ...
Perhaps you feel an overwhelming sense of God's calling to ordained ministry, or fellow Church members have been encouraging you for some time to consider ordination. Perhaps God's calling has come to you in a dramatic way, or you are gradually realising that God has been leading you slowly to this point over a number of years.
However you have come to this decision of offering yourself for selection to the ordained ministry, it is important to realise that you are now at the beginning of a journey, not the end. You may want to ask the Warden of Ordinands - 'Do I have a vocation to the priesthood?' The answer most probably will not be a definite yes or no but 'maybe....
It is possible you have come to this point for a variety of reasons, some good, others unhelpful.
As well as your sense of obedience to God's call, it is important to be honest with yourself about the variety of motivations that have led you to explore ordination.
We are pleased that you have chosen to offer yourself in God's service in this way. It is good that you are willing to place your future in God's hands, and are willing to allow him to use your gifts and talents for His glory.
However, not all who offer themselves for ordained ministry are eventually recommended for training. However, do not allow this possibility to discourage you at this stage.
Be confident that God has brought you to this point in your life for a reason. As well as offering you an opportunity to discern God's will as regards the priesthood, the process will help you grow in self knowledge and consider more deeply the ministry to which you are being called, whatever that ministry may be, lay or ordained. Yet, God calls the vast majority of his people to serve him as lay people, within the Church and the world.
Part of the role of the Warden of Ordinands is to help you discern your ministry and assist your growth in faith. However, the Warden works closely with the Bishop, your parish priest and vocations advisers to help you through this significant and vulnerable part of your life. It is important to realise that the Warden of Ordinands, your parish priest, and the Bishop also asses your vocation and suit ability for ordained ministry. Although not formal interviews, your meetings with them will enable them to make an informed decision about your candidature for ordained ministry.
The selection process begins when you see the Warden of Ordinands. If appropriate she will refer you to the Bishop. If the Bishop decides he would like to test your vocation further you will be interviewed by the diocesan selection panel, and if successful, by the Provincial Selection Board, who then advises the Bishop as to whether or not you should be recommended for training for ordained ministry.
The selection process may seem very daunting, but it is in place to ensure that the best decisions are made not only for you, but for the life and ministry of the Church.
Selectors (in the diocese and Province) will assess you in terms of your vocational, pastoral and educational potential.
Vocational selectors will want to know about your growth in faith, and specifically about what has actually led you to offer yourself for ordination. Is your faith realistic and is your relationship with God real? What is your understanding of priesthood, holy orders and ordination? In a rapidly changing world, clergy are increasingly having to be flexible in their understanding of their role. Selectors will also look for evidence that a candidate is taking steps to inform their thinking and praying.
God has brought you to this point for a reason.
Selectors will be assessing you in terms of your vocation, pastoral and educational potential.