From Seminarian to Diocesan Priest: Managing a Successful Transition

by J. Ronald Knott

The transition from Catholic seminary and into ministry can be somewhat problematic for some young priests - so problematic that statistically 10% - 15% of them leave ministry within their first five years. The book Is chocked full of accumulated wisdom and practical suggestions to help young priests manage their own successful transition. It is being used or recommended by several seminaries and vocation directors.

114 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2004

About the author

Rev. J. Ronald Knott, a priest of the Archdiocese of Louisville, is founding director of the Institute for Priests and Presbyterates at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology. After graduating from Saint Meinrad School of Theology with a Master of Divinity degree, Fr. Knott was ordained in 1970. He earned a Doctor of Ministry degree in parish revitalization from McCormick (Presbyterian) Seminary in Chicago.

Besides being the director of the Institute, he is a weekend campus minister at Bellarmine University in Louisville and writes a weekly column for his diocesan paper,The Record.

Fr. Knott is the author of Intentional Presbyterates: Claiming Our Common Sense of Purpose and From Seminarian to Diocesan Priest: Managing a Successful Transition. He has also published collections of his homilies and collections of his weekly columns. Fr. Knott has published articles in America, Church and Seminary Journal.

Reviews

[Peter]

A mix of advice you can't get through seminary without hearing, non sequiturs, cultural references that have become outdated over the past 20 years (e.g., multiple mentions of Fr. Andrew Greeley), and passive-aggressive critiques of unnamed priests Fr. Knott knows. Comparatively little of the text is actually about making the transition from seminary to parish life.

As someone making that transition as I read the book, I did not find it useful.

[P K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would recd to seminarians and priests.

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book scattered and poorly edited, making it a difficult read. There were some good points made which could have used a great deal more time spent on them to benefit the reader. As a result, this work feels more like an unfinished work, with some parts fleshed out appropriately and others left skeletal.