Frequent Vocation Questions

Below are common questions about vocations. If you have other questions, please contact our US Provincial Headquarters.

Are there any particular characteristics that would facilitate a vocation to the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest?

If you feel a strong call to serve Christ the King generously with your whole life, and you want to be a faithful son of Holy Mother Church and the fullness of Her grand tradition in all aspects of life, then you may be called to look deeper into a vocation with the Institute.

St. Benedict, one of our patrons

We want you to develop a filial devotion to the Blessed Mother under her title of the Immaculate Conception, which will help you to develop the purity, humility, and obedience that you need in your life as a priest or oblate. You should have a certain spiritual attraction for our three patron saints: St. Benedict, as the symbol of unity between faith and culture, liturgy and life; St. Thomas Aquinas, as the beacon of fidelity to the Church's doctrine and the papacy; and St. Francis de Sales, as the gentleman priest of an ever-growing love for those in material and spiritual distress.

As a priest or oblate in the Institute, you should cherish the fraternal community life, which is focused on the glory of God in the liturgy and on a truly selfless charity, beginning within the very houses of the Institute.

If you are eager to learn and grow in spirituality and in understanding of the treasures that the Church offers through Her liturgy, doctrine, and life in the world, and if you want to be docile to the rich graces flowing from obedience and humility in receiving these treasures from the wisdom of the Church, then Christ the King, the Eternal High Priest, may wait for you to become a future member of our Institute.

How is the Institute at the service of the Church's history and tradition?

The mission of the Church is to continue throughout history the teaching of the eternal truths taught by its divine Founder and handed down in an unbroken tradition from the Apostles and their legitimate successors. It is this unbroken tradition which, under the guidance of the Holy Ghost, guarantees our union with Jesus Christ who was, is, and always will be (Heb 13:8). The Institute desires to be in perfect continuity with this authentic, unbroken tradition. The founder and co-founder of the Institute, through their ecclesiastical studies in Genoa under the late Cardinal Giuseppe Siri and in Rome, where they served Cardinals and clergymen representing the great Roman school in its unbroken tradition, had the grace to be immersed in an unbroken stream of tradition. Thus, they do not seek to recreate Catholic tradition, but simply to pass it on to the members of the Institute. This is living tradition in its true sense tradidi vobis quod et accepi ("I pass on to you that which I have myself have received") (I Cor 11:23).

Does the Institute have its own seminary?

Yes. You may learn more on the International Seminary page.

Does the Institute of Christ the King have a formation house in the US?

Due to the ever-growing number of young American men that join the formation program as seminarians or oblates, the Institute has already implemented for the past several years now a special pre-seminary program which prepares these young men for entry into our International Seminary near Florence, Italy. This pre-seminary program is located at several of our apostolates throughout the United States. The American candidates for the oblatehood are also all trained in our American houses.

Must members of the Institute of Christ the King learn languages?

St. Thomas Aquinas, one of our patrons

Yes. Every candidate to the priesthood in the Institute must learn or know at least two languages other than his own. For those who speak English, these include Latin and French.

While it is certainly beneficial to know already at least some French and Latin before entering the Institute of Christ the King, this is not a necessary requirement, since our one year pre-seminary program offers training in both of these languages if needed. In the first year, together with the spirituality of the Institute and the experience of the community life, the focus is mainly upon the French language, which is taught by professional teachers. This year also includes study in the Latin language, which is continued throughout the seven years at the International Seminary of the Institute.

It is our experience that no one with a genuine vocation to the Institute of Christ the King has ever had difficulty with these requirements. The learning of an additional modern language is a great opportunity for a deeper understanding of Catholic culture, and we are proud to say that those coming from the United States are among our most proficient Latinists.

What are the requirements for entering the seminary or oblatehood?

St. Francis de Sales,
one of our patrons

The conditions for entering the formation program to the priesthood and oblatehood are the following:

• normally, prospective seminarians should be between the ages of 18 and 30, while prospective oblate candidates should be between 18 and 40
• high school diploma or equivalent, and/or working experience
• two-page resume, which includes date of birth, main schooling and working experiences, and a photograph to be submitted to our US Provincial Headquarters
• letters of recommendation from at least two priests

After these requirements have been fulfilled, prospective candidates  may email our U.S. Provincial Headquarters  in Chicago to contact the vocations director.

Can a lady become a member of the Institute?

The Institute has a female branch called the Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus. The Sisters' motherhouse is located about three miles from the motherhouse of the Institute in Gricigliano, near Florence, Italy. The fourteen sisters form a mixed community made up of French and Americans. This brings a great cultural richness to their life as sisters. They follow the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales, St. Jane Francis de Chantal, and St. Madeleine Sophie Barat. Their community life resembles very much the early inspiration of St. Francis de Sales for the Order of the Visitation.

Our sisters are not cloistered, but contemplation forms the principal part of their daily life. They chant Lauds, Vespers, and Compline, and assist at Holy Mass daily. In addition, the sisters have an hour of meditation before Mass as well as a holy hour of Eucharistic adoration in the evening. They are also called to be involved in apostolic endeavors. In the future, our sisters will serve the Lord by caring for liturgical vestments and altar linens, in addition to having a special apostolate for female youth.

Frequent Vocation Questions

Below are common questions about vocations. If you have other questions, please contact our U.S. Provincial Headquarters.

Are there any particular characteristics that would facilitate a vocation to the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest?

If you feel a strong call to serve Christ the King generously with your whole life, and you want to be a faithful son of Holy Mother Church and the fullness of Her grand tradition in all aspects of life, then you may be called to look deeper into a vocation with the Institute.

We want you to develop a filial devotion to the Blessed Mother under her title of the Immaculate Conception, which will help you to develop the purity, humility, and obedience that you need in your life as a priest or oblate. You should have a certain spiritual attraction for our three patron saints: St. Benedict, as the symbol of unity between faith and culture, liturgy and life; St. Thomas Aquinas, as the beacon of fidelity to the Church's doctrine and the papacy; and St. Francis de Sales, as the gentleman priest of an ever-growing love for those in material and spiritual distress.

As a priest or oblate in the Institute, you should cherish the fraternal community life, which is focused on the glory of God in the liturgy and on a truly selfless charity, beginning within the very houses of the Institute.

If you are eager to learn and grow in spirituality and in understanding of the treasures that the Church offers through Her liturgy, doctrine, and life in the world, and if you want to be docile to the rich graces flowing from obedience and humility in receiving these treasures from the wisdom of the Church, then Christ the King, the Eternal High Priest, may wait for you to become a future member of our Institute.

How is the Institute at the service of the Church's history and tradition?

The mission of the Church is to continue throughout history the teaching of the eternal truths taught by its divine Founder and handed down in an unbroken tradition from the Apostles and their legitimate successors. It is this unbroken tradition which, under the guidance of the Holy Ghost, guarantees our union with Jesus Christ who was, is, and always will be (Heb 13:8). The Institute desires to be in perfect continuity with this authentic, unbroken tradition.

The founder and co-founder of the Institute, through their ecclesiastical studies in Genoa under the late Cardinal Giuseppe Siri and in Rome, where they served Cardinals and clergymen representing the great Roman school in its unbroken tradition, had the grace to be immersed in an unbroken stream of tradition. Thus, they do not seek to recreate Catholic tradition, but simply to pass it on to the members of the Institute.

This is living tradition in its true sense: tradidi vobis quod et accepi ("I pass on to you that which I have myself have received") (I Cor 11:23).

Does the Institute have its own seminary?

Yes. You may learn more on the International Seminary page.

Does the Institute of Christ the King have a formation house in the United States?

Due to the ever-growing number of young American men that join the formation program as seminarians or oblates, the Institute has already implemented for the past several years now a special pre-seminary program which prepares these young men for entry into our International Seminary near Florence, Italy.

This pre-seminary program is located at several of our apostolates throughout the United States. The American candidates for the oblatehood are also all trained in our American houses.

Must members of the Institute of Christ the King learn languages?

Yes. Every candidate to the priesthood in the Institute must learn or know at least two languages other than his own. For those who speak English, these include Latin and French.

While it is certainly beneficial to know already at least some French and Latin before entering the Institute of Christ the King, this is not a necessary requirement, since our one year pre-seminary program offers training in both of these languages if needed. In the first year, together with the spirituality of the Institute and the experience of the community life, the focus is mainly upon the French language, which is taught by professional teachers. This year also includes study in the Latin language, which is continued throughout the seven years at the International Seminary of the Institute.

It is our experience that no one with a genuine vocation to the Institute of Christ the King has ever had difficulty with these requirements. The learning of an additional modern language is a great opportunity for a deeper understanding of Catholic culture, and we are proud to say that those coming from the United States are among our most proficient Latinists.

What are the requirements for entering the seminary or oblatehood?

The conditions for entering the formation program to the priesthood and oblatehood are the following:

• normally, prospective seminarians should be between the ages of 18 and 30, while prospective oblate candidates should be between 18 and 40
• high school diploma or equivalent, and/or working experience
• two-page resume, which includes date of birth, main schooling and working experiences, and a photograph to be submitted to our US Provincial Headquarters
• letters of recommendation from at least two priests

After these requirements have been fulfilled, prospective candidates  may email our U.S. Provincial Headquarters in Chicago to contact the vocations director.

Can a lady become a member of the Institute?

The Institute has a female branch called the Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus. The Sisters' motherhouse is located about three miles from the motherhouse of the Institute in Gricigliano, near Florence, Italy. The fourteen sisters form a mixed community made up of French and Americans. This brings a great cultural richness to their life as sisters. They follow the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales, St. Jane Francis de Chantal, and St. Madeleine Sophie Barat.

Our sisters are not cloistered, but contemplation forms the principal part of their daily life. They chant Lauds, Vespers, and Compline, and assist at Holy Mass daily. In addition, the sisters have an hour of meditation in the morning and adoration in the afternoon. They have the particular vocation to pray for the sanctification of priests, especially those of the Institute, and to support them in their apostolates.

To learn more, please visit their website.

Sister Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus

To support the work of the Institute of Christ the King, Divine Providence has brought about the formation of a community of contemplative nuns dedicated to reparation and adoration of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ Sovereign Priest. Leading a non-cloistered contemplative life, the sisters offer their daily prayers and sacrifices particularly for the priests of the Institute and the souls entrusted to them.

In June 2004, Ennio Cardinal Antonelli, Archbishop of Florence, vested the first three sisters with their habit. In Spring 2007, they already number nine sisters and four postulants, from France and the United States.

Spirituality

The sisters

Like the priests and oblates of the Institute, the Adorers of the Royal Heart hold three co-patrons as the guiding lights of their spirituality: St. Francis de Sales, St. Benedict, and St. Thomas Aquinas. From St. Francis de Sales' doctrine of Divine Love, the sisters draw the pattern of their vocation: to be in constant pursuit of growth in Love, which should always be founded on Truth.

The Benedictine aspect of their charism is reflected in the central place of the Church's Liturgy in their daily life. Holy Mass and the Divine Office celebrated in the classical Roman form, form the rhythm of each day. In St. Thomas Aquinas, the sisters find the clarity and structure of thought necessary for their formation and ever-deepening understanding of the mysteries of our Catholic Faith. Finally, it is through their principal patroness, the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of the Immaculate Conception, that they seek to conform their lives and their whole beings to the Royal Heart of Her Divine Son--thus their motto, In Corde Regis ("in the Heart of the King").

Their day is centered around prayer - Holy Mass and the Divine Office in the traditional Latin form, one hour of mental prayer and one hour of Eucharistic adoration in the evening, the Rosary, etc. Punctuating this rich life of prayer are periods of manual labor and intellectual training, including instruction in Gregorian Chant, Latin, Spirituality, Philosophy, and Theology, as well as the learning of crafts such as sewing, lace-making, and the care of liturgical vestments and altar linens.

Sisters during recreation

Convent

Bright Future

As the community expands, it is foreseen that foundations will be made alongside the apostolates of the Institute of Christ the King, where the sisters will be able to provide support for the apostolic work of our priests. It is foreseeable that the sisters will eventually make a foundation in the United States. There are at present two American sisters, and the amount of vocational inquiries from the United States is ever increasing.

Recently, the Sisters were given a building that will serve as their future convent. At present, it is in need of extensive repair. However, the Sisters are certain that with prayer, generous donors will come to realize the importance of their work.

Vocations

For inquiries about vocations to the Sisterhood, please contact the Institute's US Provincial Headquarters in Chicago.

Postulants with their fathers before Vestition Ceremony

Sisters' Letter

Letter from the sisters explaining their lifestyle in their own words:

Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ, Sovereign Priest, we are children of St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of divine Love. It is in his school that we desire to learn, by practice of the hidden virtues, to love and adore God in spirit and in truth, in response to the infinite and merciful Love that pours forth from the pierced Heart of the Sovereign Priest. It is to this Heart that we are consecrated - as our motto, In Corde Regis ("In the Heart of the King"), indicates - so that we may render glory to God and intercede most particularly for the priests of the Institute and the souls entrusted to them.

Sisters newly vested in their habit

Our spirituality is at the same time Salesian and Benedictine, according to the spirit of the Institute of Christ the King. The core of our spirituality is founded on the worship of God, to Whom supreme adoration is due. At the heart of the life of the Church, and consequently, of the Institute is a great love of the holy Liturgy, as our holy patron St. Benedict teaches us. Through the holy Liturgy we are led to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus, which is "the open window to the Divinity" (St. Francis de Sales). It is the Holy Liturgy which, as primary source of our spirituality, establishes the rhythm of daily life in our community.

 

In a house dedicated to Our Lady of Good Deliverance, in the heights of Gricigliano, commanding a magnificent view of the entire valley of the Sieci region, we lead during these early years, in essence, a non-cloistered contemplative life. A priest from the seminary comes to our chapel for Holy Mass every morning, and for daily Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the evening. Throughout the course of the day, prayer and the recitation of the Divine Office keep us likewise continually before God in adoration.

Sisters with the Superiors of the Institute

Building on the foundations established by the teachings of our third patron, St. Thomas Aquinas, we also benefit from time dedicated to study and intellectual formation. Through this life of adoration lived in the heart of the Church - life of prayer, study, and manual labor - we are ready to take on an apostolic way of life alongside the priests of the Institute, the nature of which Providence will reveal in due course.

As with the entire Institute, the Holy Virgin Our Mother, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, is our principal patroness. Her Heart takes us along the luminous road that leads to the Royal Heart of her Divine Son to Which we desire to conform ourselves. 

 

Click here to learn more about the Institute's Sisters Adorers

Seminary Life Growing in Spirituality

Study and Manual Work

The seminary building includes living quarters for the seminarians, as well as an enormous refectory and a large kitchen. However, in order to have more room for intellectual work and study, the superiors had to establish appropriate classrooms and a conference hall with up-to-date teaching equipment in another wing of the building.

Seminarians during their studies

The obligatory formation for all our candidates to the holy priesthood is comprised of a one-year course of Spirituality, a two-year course of Philosophy, and a four-year course of Theology. This academic program is taught by professors from Roman Universities, the Sorbonne, the IPC Philosophical Faculty in Paris, as well as by some of our own priests who have academic degrees. The oblates share in part of this formation over a five-year period with selected courses chosen for them by their superiors.

The olive harvest at our seminary

The intellectual formation of our seminarians is accompanied by a thoroughly human formation, which includes general culture, priestly manners, and an extensive amount of daily practical work in the house and around the outside grounds. This combination is very efficient for the complete education of mind and body which we want to give our seminarians. A purely intellectual formation is never sufficient for a priest. His personality would certainly remain insufficiently formed, if it did not include a profound prayer life and the humility to accept practical duties and fulfill them well.

A Community Life Style

A break for a game of soccer

For young men it is especially important to learn that everyone who lives in a family, whether it be a small or large community, has to take on responsibilities for others. At the same time, he also must learn to integrate his life into the discipline which serves as the foundation of true charity toward others. It is not always easy, and it will cost sacrifice and mortification of the will. However, in the end, through free obedience and hard work, it will give everyone joy and satisfaction.

Prayer Life

Without any doubt, the most important element in seminary life is daily contact with Our Lord through Holy Mass, the Divine Office, the Rosary, and personal meditation. The seminarians come to know not only the history and the rubrics of the Sacred Liturgy, but also its inner meaning and great power for their spiritual lives. Every single gesture of the Classical Liturgy has a profound signification. Every detail matters when it comes to our relationship with the Lord.

Seminarians gathered for prayer

The personal faith of our seminarians has to be measured by the objective holiness of the liturgical mysteries and by the unchangeable truth of the Catholic Faith. Subjective piety and objective grace have to form a unity linked by the celebration of the Traditional Latin Liturgy. Neither exterior formalism nor pietism can survive when a seminarian, under the guidance of the authority of the Church which is represented by his superiors, strives in his liturgical participation and his interior life to "do what the Church does." This authentic Roman Catholic harmony between the subjective and the objective, between nature and grace, between the human and the Divine is a fruit of obedience towards the tradition that the Lord Himself has given and guarantees to Holy Mother Church.

As our founder, Monsignor Gilles Wach, STD, frequently quotes, "We do not save the Church, the Church saves us." She does so because She follows the directions of our Lord Himself who has died for our redemption on the Cross and who has founded the Church as the instrument to prolong His salvation through the centuries. In its seminary, the Institute of Christ the King wishes to form faithful "administrators of the Holy Mysteries" who do nothing else than what Christ wants them to do for souls: bring them to Him through the sacraments of the Church.

Vocations Serve the Sovereign Priest

International Seminary

Take a virtual visit to the Institute of Christ the King's seminary in beautiful Gricigliano, Italy, just outside of Florence in Tuscany.

Seminary Life

Discover the life of a seminarian in the Institute of Christ the King, including spirituality, studies, and manual works, with a strong sense of community.

Clerical Oblates

The Institute of Christ the King relies heavily on oblates who give their talents and spirit to helping our priests in the Church's endeavor to bring souls to Christ the King.

Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus

The Sisters are a young and growing order of ladies who seek to give glory to God through prayer and helping the priests of the Institute.

Frequent Vocation Questions

Read the common questions and answers about vocations in the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.