"And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding." (Jeremiah 3:15)
There are four steps that any man must take when praying about becoming a priest. The first of these is to decide whether to become a diocesan or religious priest. A diocesan priest is bound to his bishop through his ordination to the priesthood. A religious priest is bound to his religious congregation and his superior through his ordination. A diocesan priest is the parish priest you see every weekend. A religious priest's focus depends on the religious order or congregation he belongs to.