Frassati Scholars Program

Pier Giorgio Frassati was a handsome, fun-loving, athletic, courageous and devout Catholic born into a prominent Italian family. He died too soon at just 24 but has since become the model for lay people - and future popes!
- all over the world.

The Frassati Scholars Program is reserved for seminarian candidates currently enrolled in a college program who intend to enter seminary upon graduation. The aim of this program is to provide discernment opportunities and structure a personalized program to discern one’s vocation for those men who are more seriously discerning a potential call to the priesthood. By participating in this program candidates will have the opportunity to join the diocesan seminarians on retreat and be included in other events with our seminarians throughout the year. Each candidate will also work with the vocation director in identifying a spiritual director that can be met with regularly.

Frassati scholars engage in a strong program of priestly formation on both group and individual levels. On a group level, scholars have the opportunity to join the diocesan seminarians on retreat, participate in discernment gatherings and are welcome to join the vocation director for daily mass at the Frassati House of discernment. Opportunities for group outings, conferences, adoration, and consecration to our Blessed Mother may also take place throughout the year and are dependent upon a candidate being home from college to participate. On an individual level, each scholars will be asked to meet monthly with a priest spiritual director, who will help chart the progress of their spiritual life as well as their discernment of a priestly vocation.

• Practicing a chaste lifestyle, which allows for dating to occur up to one year prior to the candidates potential date of entry into seminary.
• A healthy psychosexual development. A self-identity that is healthy, masculine, comfortable with himself and others, and open to growth.
• An acceptance of and adherence to the Church’s teachings on all matters.

• Actively engaged in their faith through regular reception of the sacraments, the presence of a consistent prayer life, and a desire to share their faith with others.
• Involved in a form of ministry to aid in their discernment, whether that be assisting at a local parish with religious education or the youth ministry program, serving at mass, or involved in any number of ministries at the parish or diocesan level.
• Committed to actively developing their prayer life.