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Meet your Seminarians: Eric Baylot

Seminarian Eric Baylot is interviewed

At five in the morning, you can find Seminarians starting their day with prayer, mass, and catching up on homework. As the sun rises and the day begins, they follow their routine of attending classes, joining each other for meals, spiritual direction, and tending to their pastoral assignments. You may even catch them playing whiffle ball during their free time before dinner and evening prayer!

The days are long yet fulfilling, and Archdiocesan Seminarian Eric Baylot looks at these days in the Seminary with fondness. Now in his pastoral year at the Cathedral of Christ the King, he sees how vital this enrichment is and how it continues to mold him into the future priest he intends to become one day.

Seminarians celebrating mass

“[Seminary] is about forming well-rounded men to become priests. When you have good priests…the parishioners can spread the faith throughout the world. That doesn’t happen unless you have the priest who is well formed.”

—Eric Baylot, Archdiocesan Seminarian

Throughout their time at the Seminary, these devoted men go through different facets of formation to prepare for the Priesthood. They immerse themselves in human formation as they learn to be good and Godly men. While partaking in intellectual formation they immerse themselves in subjects including church history, philosophy, theology, and languages to extend their knowledge of the Catholic Church. During their time in spiritual formation, the Seminarians deepen their prayer life and relationships with the Saints, Holy Trinity, and Mary through different holy practices of the church.

Once they complete human, intellectual, and spiritual formation, they enter pastoral formation – a culmination of these formations they apply to their assigned church to serve the parish community.

Eric sees his growth as a leader in church exponentially throughout his seminarian formation. One of the parts he cherishes the most is sharing these unique experiences with his fellow Seminarian peers.

“It very much is a brotherhood. We are all very much a family and look out for each other and enjoy spending time with each other.”

—Eric Baylot, Archdiocesan Seminarian

Seminarians take a break from a group hike

When asked how we can support our current 30-plus Seminarians, Baylot encourages us to get to know the Seminarians at our local churches. Simple gestures such as saying hello to them after mass make their day as they love getting to know the people in our parish communities. 

One special way we can support our Seminarians is by writing them letters. Eric recalls receiving letters from people in our archdiocese and how they would always come at the right time. Sending the Seminarians encouragement during their rigorous academics and pastoral duties gives them the strength to keep pursuing Priesthood.  

Supporting our seminarians builds the foundation of the Catholic Church. It provides our current and future generations with well-rounded men of God to lead them victoriously to Heaven.  

The Office of Vocations supports the work of the Archdiocese of Atlanta through its commitment to fostering quality, faithful, and lasting vocations to the priesthood. They are a vital piece in ensuring the future of our faith. Seminarians are funded partly through contributions to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal.

To send letters to our Seminarians, please use this address: 

Office of Vocations
2401 Lake Park Drive S.E.
Smyrna, GA 30080