How does someone become a vicar in the UK?
To become a clergyman it is necessary to have a vocation – that is, to feel called by God. All candidates for the priesthood are tested rigorously and many are turned away by the selection board. Once candidates have been approved, they go for training at theological college, unless they read theology at university in the first place. It is no longer possible to become a clergyman when young — you are expected to have some experience of life. When you have completed your training and been ordained, you must spend at least two years learning the job as a curate before you can be considered to serve as a vicar in any parish, and many people spend more than two years in that position. You are committed to spending a lot of time in prayer and study each day as well as taking on an arduous workload. A lot of clergymen suffer from stress.
