Selection & Assessment Tools

"For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?"

Luke 14 : 28

Selection & Assessment Tools 

Listed below are a collection of resources regarding Selection and Assessment Tools. Some are articles and some are manuals – but all of them will be useful to a Vocation Promoter.  Content will be added to this page so refer back for more later.

Articles on Psychological Assessment in Selection & Formation 

  • Psychological Assessment in Religious and Priestly Formation: This article – written in 2 parts – gives a comprehensive overview of using psychological assessment tools in religious and priestly life. It gives practical steps and guidelines for vocation promoters/formators to follow when applying these kinds of assessment options. Find Part 1 here and Part 2 here. The article has the added advantage of being written in an Indian context.
  • Psychological Assessment of Applicants: This issue of Horizon magazine tackles this topic from various angles and will give a comprehensive understanding of the whole process. 

NRVC Vocation Directors Manual  

The National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC) has put together a Manual that includes a section on the Assessment and Application Process. However, you need to be a paid member of NRVC to be able to access this content. Click here to see the list of contents and here to become a member of NRVC. If your congregation has a presence in the US, they may already be members of NRVC and you could use the same login to access the material. 

Church Documents

The documents below are primarily focused on the use of psychological assessment for priests & seminarians. However, the underlying principles will be applicable to all vocations.

  • Pastores Dabo Vobis (On the Formation of Priests in the Circumstances of the Present Day) – Pope John Paul II, March 1992
  • Guidelines for the Use of Psychology in the Admission and Formation of Candidates for the Priesthood – Congregation for Catholic Education, June 2008
  • Guidelines for the use of Psychology in Seminary Admissions – USCCB, April 2015

If you want more help in this area or contacts of professionals who can guide you on this, email us at info@evocation.org