I have felt a calling to the priesthood for as long as I can remember. I feel very strongly that Christ has blessed me with the responsibility and I wish to heed the call. In exploring my college and career choices, I came across USNA and really fell in love. I like the idea of studying to serve my country, as well as God’s people.
My question is whether there is a possibility to study both as a midshipmen and a seminarian. Logistically, would it be possible to complete a major at the Academy and also college seminary somewhere close to Annapolis? My thought process is to study at the Academy and seminary simultaneously and complete seminary while a navy officer after the academy, then join the Navy Chaplain corp.
I admire both your goals, however, there is no possibility to do so. The USNA (and I’m a retired senior Naval officer, have “guest lectured” there many times, and know countless alumni very well) has very little curricular flexibility and fundamentally functions to produce serving officers for the Fleet and the Corps (not Chaplains). But, historically more than a few individuals have attended Navy, been commissioned, served their required commitment, left active duty but accepted a reserve commission, attended seminary, been ordained, AND THEN SERVED AS ACTIVE DUTY NAVY CHAPLAINS. That sequential process is the only viable way to accomplish both objectives you seek. I wish you the best of luck; this is a most worthwhile, laudatory, long-term calling.
Though this would not involve attending USNA, perhaps you could complete a major to prepare you for seminary studies at another college, while also participating in the NROTC program.
You might be able to go directly to seminary after USNA (if you are lucky… and good) but you cannot do them simultaneously.
Also, contact the Archdiocese for the Military Services. They probably can provide some guidance. http://www.milarch.org/site/c.dwJXKgOUJiIaG/b.6287817/k.290A/Archdiocese_for_the_Military_USA.htm
I get their newsletter, and last year they profiled an Air Force Academy graduate who attended seminary and became a chaplain. If I recall correctly, he went directly to seminary from the academy.
P.S. I just noticed that @zapfino already provided the link to the Archdiocese for the Military Services.
Oh well, two can’t hurt.
Shipmate, I don’t believe DoD pays for any divinity/seminary schools, due to “church and state” strictures. Nonsectarian postgraduate education and specialized training for serving Chaplains is funded (e.g., advanced grief counseling), but not initial “divinity degrees.” Moreover, while some Mids are permitted to attend Master’s programs immediately upon commissioning (Olmsted Scholars, et al), my experiences indicates this ALWAYS is in disciplines that directly apply to their impending service careers. Obviously, the OP’s inquiry focuses on a most-infrequent situation, and I easily could be incorrect. Warmest regards and v/r . . .
Thanks for pointing that out. I assumed that DoD would not pay, but my omission might have given @ts1234 the wrong impression.
Also, @ts1234 might want to understand that priests are rarely (perhaps never), to my knowledge, permanently assigned as military chaplains. Each priest normally remains permanently assigned to his home diocese, and is a chaplain only temporarily. Again, I recommend contacting the Archdiocese for the Military Services for details.
I also recommend that @ts1234 consider exploring a religious order such as the Jesuits or Dominicans. These orders have their own priests, and being in a monastic environment has some similarities to being in the military. Also, such orders have a worldwide presence, which gives a broader perspective than that of a parish priest.
I’m a West Point graduate and one of my colleagues is a Blue and Gold officer for Annapolis and a graduate. As noted there are some pretty big barriers to attending USNA and concurrently attending seminary courses. One suggestion would be for you to contact the Chaplain’s office at Annapolis and speak directly with a priest or rabbi or minister about how they got to where they are at today. What does happen though is Academy graduates after their initial service commision complete coursework in a seminary and begin what amounts to a second career.