Testimonies of Discernment
Discover Your Why
What is
discernment?
We each have a vocation. We are all called to change the world in some way by living our God-given identity and purpose. Finding your vocation involves a profound commitment to following God’s unique call for you, and it requires intentional effort and prayer to understand.
The process of discovering God’s will for our lives is known as vocational discernment.
ELEMENTS OF DISCERNMENT
1
Build Self-Awareness
Know yourself—your strengths, weaknesses, desires, spiritual maturity, and your mental and physical health. Understanding yourself well helps you hear how God is calling you to serve him.
2
Be Rooted in the Faith
A strong man needs a solid foundation. Dive deep into the teachings of the Catholic Church. As you understand and embrace the Faith more deeply, God’s voice becomes clearer in leading you toward your vocation.
3
Know the Different Vocations
Understand the vocations—the life of a layperson in the world, either married, single, or consecrated; the ordained life of bishops, priests, and deacons; and the consecrated religious life. Learn what each entails and discover where your gifts and heart align with God’s plan.
4
Engage with Endurance & Trust
Discernment is a marathon, not a sprint. True strength lies in patience and persistence, trusting that God reveals His will in His perfect time. Keep praying, studying, and waiting with courage
5
Seek Brotherhood and Guidance
No man walks alone. Seek the wisdom of a priest or spiritual director who can challenge and support you as you uncover God’s plan.
LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST
Our Discernment Process
Aspirancy Program
If a young man is open to the possibility of entering the candidacy program during the upcoming summer, he should consider joining the Legionaries of Christ Aspirancy Program. The Aspirancy is a time to deepen in the understanding of the charism of the congregation and Regnum Christi alongside other aspirants.
Who is the aspirancy program for?
- High school seniors (with parental permission)
- University seniors and select undergraduates
- Men working off financial debt
- Men wanting to experience the Legion and Regnum Christi charism, community, and apostolate
- Men needing time and guidance to strengthen certain habits and form virtues
- Men taking firm initial steps before Candidacy
Hear from a participant
Meet Fr. Joseph: Director of the Aspirancy Program
Candidacy Program
The candidacy program is a two-month summer program designed to discern whether God seems to be calling a man to be a priest with the Legionaries of Christ. Because community is so essential in the life of a Legionary of Christ, the candidates live together during this program in Cheshire, Connecticut.
They live like a Legionary: following a disciplined lifestyle and schedule, engaging in community life, attending courses, sports, and apostolate, and strengthening their prayer and sacramental life as a band of brothers seeking to follow God’s will.
Steps to enter the candidacy program:
- Request a Candidacy application (If the man and the Vocation Director agree)
- In-depth interview (if not completed earlier)
- Provide letters of recommendation
- Undergo criminal background check
- Complete medical exams
- If a call to enter the novitiate is discerned, a pre-seminary psychological exam and interview with the director of novices will be required.
Legionaries of Christ Novitiate
The novitiate is traditionally known among Legionaries as “the University where you study Christ.” It is a period marked by a particular separation from the world as the novice has limited access to internet and no cellphone or use of social media. This atmosphere allows him to hear the Lord speaking within his soul in order to discern his vocation as well as lay the foundation of a solid interior life, without which his future apostolate will be fruitless. The novice is systematically instructed in the spirituality of the Legionaries of Christ, the history of the Legion, human formation, and the theology of the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. After two years, the novitiate ends with the first profession of vows which he makes for 2 years.
Formation track
The Journey to the Priesthood
The candidacy program is a two-month summer program designed to discern whether God seems to be calling a man to be a priest with the Legionaries of Christ. Because community is so essential in the life of a Legionary of Christ, the candidates live together during this program in Cheshire, Connecticut.
They live like a Legionary: following a disciplined lifestyle and schedule, engaging in community life, attending courses, sports, and apostolate, and strengthening their prayer and sacramental life as a band of brothers seeking to follow God’s will.
The novitiate is traditionally known among Legionaries as “the University where you study Christ.” It is a period marked by a particular separation from the world as the novice has limited access to internet and no cellphone or use of social media. This atmosphere allows him to hear the Lord speaking within his soul in order to discern his vocation as well as lay the foundation of a solid interior life, without which his future apostolate will be fruitless. Novices study the spirituality of the Legionaries of Christ, the history of the Legion, human formation, and the theology of the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. After two years, the novitiate ends with the first profession of vows which he makes for 2 years.
Humanities is the time when a Legionary studies the heart of man in order to engage culture. He continues to deepen his response to Christ, who calls him to live in the world but not be of the world. The humanities program in Cheshire, Connecticut, lasts for two years and includes Legionaries from 6 novitiates from around the world (The United States, Mexico, Europe, Venezuela, Brazil, and Colombia). At the end of humanities, the Legionary renews his vows for another three years before heading to Rome for the study of philosophy.
To evangelize society, a Legionary dedicates three years to developing a deeper understanding of the person and his relationship with the world and with God through the study of philosophy. In a world where information is readily available, these studies help us interpret reality and find the proper balance between God, the world, and humankind. In a polarized world, a solid intellectual formation allows our men to ground dialogue in reality.
At the end of Philosophy, a Legionary renews his vows for four years.
After philosophy, a Legionary begins his time of apostolic internship. He re-lives the experience of the seventy-two disciples of being sent. He dedicates two years of his formation fully to the apostolate. During this time, he lives in a Legionary community, getting to know more closely and practically the life of a Legionary priest. He takes advantage of these years to consolidate habits and form his heart to be like Christ.
Returning to Rome, a Legionary studies theology, integrating the Word of God and teaching of the Church to deepen his experience of the history of salvation, which he will communicate to society during his priestly ministry. After experiencing the range of facets of Legionary life, he commits definitively to Christ through religious life, making his perpetual vows.
After about 12 years a Legionary receives the grace of ordination to the temporary diaconate. He will remain a deacon for around a year while he also serves teh mission in what will be his first assignment as a priest.
After 13 years of formation, a Legionary receives the grace of ordination to the diaconate and then to the priesthood and is finally able to celebrate the Eucharist and administer the sacrament of reconciliation. For a Legionary, arriving at ordination is not the end of the story but the beginning of a new chapter.
The candidacy program is a two-month summer program designed to discern whether God seems to be calling a man to be a priest with the Legionaries of Christ. Because community is so essential in the life of a Legionary of Christ, the candidates live together during this program in Cheshire, Connecticut.
They live like a Legionary: following a disciplined lifestyle and schedule, engaging in community life, attending courses, sports, and apostolate, and strengthening their prayer and sacramental life as a band of brothers seeking to follow God’s will.
The novitiate is traditionally known among Legionaries as “the University where you study Christ.” It is a period marked by a particular separation from the world as the novice has limited access to internet and no cellphone or use of social media. This atmosphere allows him to hear the Lord speaking within his soul in order to discern his vocation as well as lay the foundation of a solid interior life, without which his future apostolate will be fruitless. The novice is systematically instructed in the spirituality of the Legionaries of Christ, the history of the Legion, human formation, and the theology of the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. After two years, the novitiate ends with the first profession of vows which he makes for 2 years.
Humanities is the time when a Legionary studies the heart of man in order to engage culture. He continues to deepen his response to Christ, who calls him to live in the world but not be of the world. The humanities program in Cheshire, Connecticut, lasts for two years and includes Legionaries from 6 novitiates from around the world (The United States, Mexico, Europe, Venezuela, Brazil, and Colombia). At the end of humanities, the Legionary renews his vows for another three years before heading to Rome for the study of philosophy.
To evangelize society, a Legionary dedicates three years to developing a deeper understanding of the person and his relationship with the world and with God through the study of philosophy. In a world where information is readily available, these studies help us interpret reality and find the proper balance between God, the world, and humankind. In a polarized world, a solid intellectual formation allows our men to ground dialogue in reality.
At the end of Philosophy, a Legionary renews his vows for four years.
After philosophy, a Legionary begins his time of apostolic internship. He re-lives the experience of the seventy-two disciples of being sent. He dedicates two years of his formation fully to the apostolate. During this time, he lives in a Legionary community, getting to know more closely and practically the life of a Legionary priest. He takes advantage of these years to consolidate habits and form his heart to be like Christ.
Returning to Rome, a Legionary studies theology, integrating the Word of God and teaching of the Church to deepen his experience of the history of salvation, which he will communicate to society during his priestly ministry. After experiencing the range of facets of Legionary life, he commits definitively to Christ through religious life, making his perpetual vows.
After about 12 years a Legionary receives the grace of ordination to the temporary diaconate. He will remain a deacon for around a year while he also serves the mission in what will be his first assignment as a priest.
After 13 years of formation, a Legionary receives the grace of ordination to the diaconate and then to the priesthood and is finally able to celebrate the Eucharist and administer the sacrament of reconciliation. For a Legionary, arriving at ordination is not the end of the story but the beginning of a new chapter.
