Behind every priest is a story of discernment—seeking God’s will and making it a reality. That is a work we are honored to participate in.
The High Calling program from the Avila Institute serves dioceses, bishops and future priests by educating and equipping young men who are candidates for seminary. By providing a year-long, intensive experience of preparation, prayer, and community, High Calling forms pre-seminarians to be authentic men, prayerful discerners, faithful sons of the Church, and true followers and imitators of Christ, the Great High Priest.
We offer classes by renowned professors, noted priests and ecclesial leaders, a priest mentorship program which offers one-on-one support, and the invaluable opportunity for soon-to-be seminarians to meet and interact in a supportive and encouraging environment, thus standing in the breach between the crisis in our culture and its failures and the demands of the seminary and the priesthood.
Flexible and fully online but always live and interactive, our courses accompany men before they enter seminary and as they encounter Christ in an exploration of our culture, the meaning of human existence, sexuality, self-mastery, the mystery of fatherhood and missionary discipleship. By encouraging men to reclaim their masculinity, reject the lies of the culture, and conform their lives to Christ, we help them answer His call, whatever that may be.
Teaching them the fundamentals of prayer and discernment is a key component in assisting them in hearing the voice of God and responding with generosity and courage.
Currently, we are serving 65 men in 28 dioceses around the country, with that number steadily climbing. Our virtual campus and online technology, (under the auspices of the Avila Institute, which has served thousands of students in Spiritual Theology since its 2013 founding) allow us to offer this formation at a fraction of the cost that a diocese would otherwise incur. As well, because we have world-class instructors, a proven platform, and enthusiastic endorsement from bishops, vocation directions, and seminarians, we are uniquely positioned to take up this most-needed mission in the Church today and are an increasingly attractive option for a growing number of bishops.
Ultimately, our goal is to see the Catholic priesthood transformed and strengthened—and thereby renewing the entire Church and ensuring its missionary activity and its sacramental life for future generations. As we witness the work the Holy Spirit is doing in the lives of the young men who come through our doors, we are filled with hope and joyful expectation for the future of the Catholic Church.
The Avila Institute sounds wonderful! This is the first I have heard of it.