After waking and showering, the morning usually consists of communal Morning Prayer, Mass, breakfast and classes.  After lunch, you might have additional classes, conferences, or meetings; otherwise, you have this time for recreation, exercise, socialization, prayer, and study.  The community gathers again in the chapel for Evening Prayer followed by dinner.  Then there might be conferences, meetings, or other community events in the evening; otherwise, it’s your time to use like the afternoons.

Each seminarian meets monthly with a Formation Advisor, a kind of professional mentor who helps you in your overall formation. The Formation Advisor is a member of the faculty or administration. Each seminarian also meets about every other week with a Spiritual Director who helps you deepen your relationship with Jesus, teaching you how to pray and discern.

Most seminarians also have a weekly pastoral assignment in a local parish, school, hospital, or other work of mercy.  For a few hours each week, seminarians minister to the people of God in these pastoral works.  Seminarians also have a “house job” requiring a few hours of work in the seminary each week.

You’ll attend Mass most weekends in the seminary.  Some seminaries have weekends where you can go to Mass at a nearby church of your choice.  

Seminarians are encouraged to build the habit of making a daily “Holy Hour,” an hour of quiet prayer and meditation in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.  This is a habit that is developed over time with the help of your Spiritual Director, not something that is expected on day one.

Seminarians are not required to go home for fall or spring breaks but are required to go home for Christmas and summer breaks. For summer break, all seminarians in their 3rd year of college and older are given a summer assignment. Summer assignments consist of a parish assignment, Spanish Immersion program in Guatemala, or attending the Institute for Priestly Formation at Creighton University depending on your year in seminary. 

Pretty much the same stuff you’d take to college: clothes, toiletries, things to decorate your room, personal belongings, a car if you have one, etc.  Seminarians also need a 4-volume set of the Liturgy of the Hours, since most seminaries pray daily morning and evening prayer together.  You might also need a cassock and surplice to serve in, depending on the seminary.  It’s customary that your home pastor and parish give you the Liturgy of the Hours, cassock and surplice as congratulatory gifts.