RSVP Guidelines
Guidelines and Eligibility Requirements
The following persons are eligible to receive RSVP funds:
Seminarians attending college seminaries (sometimes called minor seminaries).
Seminarians who have been accepted by a diocese and are currently in their “spirituality” year.
Seminarians attending major seminaries (normally four years) in preparation for priestly ordination.
Seminarians in their “pastoral’ year (most often when they are deacons).
Seminarians who belong to a religious institute and are currently in formation for the priesthood (religious seminarians often are called “Brother” even though they will eventually be ordained as priests).
- Men and women who are novices or postulants in religious orders or religious communities.
Those eligible for assistance include foreign seminarians studying in the United States or Canada; U.S. or Canadian seminarians studying overseas; seminarians from your home diocese currently attending a seminary in another diocese, state or country; and seminarians from other states or dioceses attending a seminary located in your jurisdiction.
Persons ineligible for RSVP funds are the following:
Priests or religious seeking assistance for continuing education.
Religious brothers not currently studying for the priesthood; and
- Candidates for the permanent diaconate.
Councils, assemblies and circles are encouraged to assist in other ways worthy individuals who do not qualify for RSVP assistance, but such aid should not come from funds intended for RSVP. There are different rules for the RSVP program in the United States and Canada than those in the Philippines. The rules for the other jurisdictions have yet to be defined.