A little scared

[OnlyAmbrose]

Hello all,

Recently I had a spiritual experience which has left me nearly fully convinced that God wants me to be a priest. It’s a bit of a long story, so I won’t bore you with details, but suffice to say God made Himself pretty clear and frank with me.

Thing is, before this past weekend I’ve never considered being a priest. Well not seriously anyways, unless you count when I was eight and thought the robes were cool.

I’m 17 years old, going into my senior year in high school, and I’m in the middle of applying to the United States Naval Academy. I’ve had my future pretty much planned out for a long time now. Trouble is, the future I have laid out isn’t compatible with the priesthood.

I’ve talked with several priests and seminarians about this in these past few days, and they seem to agree that within the next year I’m going to reach a clear fork in the road.

Since my “epiphany”, I guess you could call it, I’ve gotten over the fact that my will doesn’t matter. A Steubenville retreat helped with that aspect. But all the same I’m a little scared. Over the course of like 3 days my entire view of the future has been turned on its head.

Not that there’s anything imminent that’s about to happen- I fully plan to pray for more discernment all this year. But I can’t really ignore God, so I’m fairly certain I’m on a different path than I had planned to be about a week ago.

If there are any priests or seminarians here, how did you make the decision to become a priest, and how did you deal with it? Prayers from all are appreciated as well.

 

[stbruno]

You sound like a very intelligent young man. Get yourself a spiritual director to help you in your discernment so you won’t seem like you are making this spiritual walk in your life alone. A spiritual director can be a priest or deacon who is trained in this area, or even a person who is not clergy, but may be a religious…a nun or a brother or lay person. You may have to have meetings with several to select one that works best for you.
Contact your diocese for a list of spiritual directors and make a couple calls.

Even if you choose to enter the Academy…and make the military your career, your call to the priesthood will not go away if it is a true calling. Many men are considered late vocations after serving as a professional for many years. Some were even military like Fr. John Corapi or St.Ignatius of Loyola who was injured by a cannonball, and during his recuperative time, only had religious books particularly a bible…which led him to be one of our greatest saints in history. Keep praying and I will add you to my list.

When you let God do the steering on that tandem bicycle and you do the peddling, He will take you to amazing places. God bless you!

PS, I denied my own vocation to the diaconate after fifteen years of marriage before I answered the call. I have been a deacon now for over 7 years, and I am still on fire for the Lord! You will be too!

 

[chicago]

Take things one step at a time. It isn’t like you make a definitive decision, “I’m going to be a priest!” and things absolutely play out and fall into place. Rather, it is a journey, a struggle, and potentially a joy. But it is also something which must be grown into over time. This is discernment. You’re in the initial stages. Find the next best step and make it. See where it leads and if the Lord continues to call you along that path.

 

[Liberanosamalo]

catholicmil.org/index.php

Go ahead with your application to the USNA. And good luck to you on that! God will help you with clarifying your choice. But check the above site out and pray and discern whether the chaplain corps would be a wonderful way for you to do both. The military desperately needs good chaplains.

God bless you for desiring to serve your country and your church.

 

[acadian]

Our diocese just ordained a priest at age 43 who has flown fighter jets for 16 years previous. He was discharged after 9-11 (one of very few who was allowed to leave) to pursue a religious vocation.

 

[ChristianVet]

I’m 17 years old, going into my senior year in high school, and I’m in the middle of applying to the United States Naval Academy. I’ve had my future pretty much planned out for a long time now. Trouble is, the future I have laid out isn’t compatible with the priesthood.

I’ve talked with several priests and seminarians about this in these past few days, and they seem to agree that within the next year I’m going to reach a clear fork in the road.

Hey Ambrose,

What about a priest within the military. They really are needed if you thought it might be possible to combine the two careers.

No one needs a priest more than the guy getting ready to go into battle.

Think about it. Could it be you? It would be a very heroic and saintly vocation. But give it some prayer and thought, God will let you know – one way or the other.

I’ll keep you in my prayers.

 

[Ray7088]

Greetings brother,

You’ve reached a real fork in the road. In my experience, Our Lord tends to give us these “epiphanies” at certain junctures in life, such as this year between high school and entering the Naval Academy. Personally, I received my wake-up call to discern the holy priesthood nearly two years ago at a retreat during my junior year of college.

My advice is that you fill out that application to the Naval Academy. You have another year to discern if the Lord is calling you to enter seminary right after high school OR after your study and service with the Navy (assuming that the Lord is calling you the priesthood). Find a priest you are comfortable with to be your spiritual director, so that you can meet with him and speak on a regular basis about your own faith life. Continue to grow in your faith in Christ and you won’t be steered wrong.

 

[Caesar]

Ambrose,

I went through (still going through, in some ways) the same experience you described. I’m 18 and in the last few years my life has turned upside-down. In my freshman year of High School I would have laughed at the idea of being a priest- I was indifferant to my faith and thought I had my entire life planned out. But now, four years later, I can’t imagine anything but being a priest. Discernment is not easy, and it requires prayer and faith to overcome doubt and fear.

I’ll remember you in my prayers,

Jon

 

[juliamca]

Good luck to you. Just rememer great people of the church were confussed as to what God wanted them to do. Moses , johna and the deciples themselves were never sure. Jesus himself was reluctant of what was ask of him. Just keep praying and God will show you the way. He might not want you now, but later in life.

 

[OnlyAmbrose]

Thanks to everyone for the advice and the prayers.

An odd set of events have occurred since I first made this thread, not the least of which is this:

For the first time in high school, two girls have started to show a real romantic interest in me. And now just after I’ve received something resembling an epiphany!

God does have a sense of humor.

 

[Caesar]

Thanks to everyone for the advice and the prayers.

An odd set of events have occurred since I first made this thread, not the least of which is this:

For the first time in high school, two girls have started to show a real romantic interest in me. And now just after I’ve received something resembling an epiphany!

God does have a sense of humor.

Once again, I can relate…

I had a similar experience, and as a good priest told me at the time, “God is testing you and Satan is tempting you: will your faith or will the world win your soul?”.

 

[shubr0om]

if you follow him, he’ll bring you home. priesthood has many professions, that’s a very great advantage. hope you the best.

 

[ChristianVet]

Thanks to everyone for the advice and the prayers.

An odd set of events have occurred since I first made this thread, not the least of which is this:

For the first time in high school, two girls have started to show a real romantic interest in me. And now just after I’ve received something resembling an epiphany!

God does have a sense of humor.

Ambrose, you’re only 18, right?

If this is the first time girls have responded to you romantically, maybe you should take at least the next several years before you make any concrete decisions regarding the priesthood, and pursue your college education.

God will not leave you, AND the Holy Spirit will not leave you alone – if you are truly called to the priesthood.

The Key is to stay tuned in. Keep in prayer, everyday. But do not be anxious, be at peace and remember that it is God that does the calling – we do the responding.

 

[Madaglan]

Originally Posted by OnlyAmbrose:

For the first time in high school, two girls have started to show a real romantic interest in me. And now just after I’ve received something resembling an epiphany!

God does have a sense of humor.

A revelation: maybe God is calling you to the Byzantine priesthood.

 

[OnlyAmbrose]

Ambrose, you’re only 18, right?

If this is the first time girls have responded to you romantically, maybe you should take at least the next several years before you make any concrete decisions regarding the priesthood, and pursue your college education.

God will not leave you, AND the Holy Spirit will not leave you alone – if you are truly called to the priesthood.

The Key is to stay tuned in. Keep in prayer, everyday. But do not be anxious, be at peace and remember that it is God that does the calling – we do the responding.

17, actually.

I was exaggerating when I said “first time”- well not exaggerating, I just wasn’t specific enough. This summer has had two incidents in which the girl was specifically interested in me, as opposed to vice versa. I’ve had a relationship, when I had just turned 16, but it involved me going after the girl which led to it instead of the other way around.

And now when the last thing I want is girls going after me, there are two who are showing the signs. Like I said, God has a sense of humor.