Silvestrelli received his ordination to the priesthood on 22 December 1855 (as a diocesan priest rather than one in the religious life) from Bishop Giuseppe-Maria Molajoni. He then decided to re-enter the order and so sent another application before being accepted. On 1 April 1856 he entered the novitiate once again though this time at Morrovalle where he re-assumed the habit and the new religious name "Bernardo Maria di Gesù". It was here that he was the classmate of fellow novice Francesco Possenti. He made his final profession on 28 April 1857. Thereafter he pursued studies for preaching and once that was finished he was assigned first as the director of students at Morrovalle (1860-1864) and then as the Master of Novices at the Passionist convent of Scala Santa (adjacent to the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome) from January 1865 until 1869.