A Priest?

[Matt908]

I am having some difficulty right now trying to figure stuff out. sometimes I get very confused. I have been dating this girl, and we have been together for almost 2 years now. I love her to death. We have talked about getting married in a few years. I have always felt that being a priest would be awesome. Whenever I’m at mass, looking up at the host while the priest is turning it into the body and blood of Jesus, It’s just amazing. Words can’t describe how I feel everytime I see that happen, To know that Christ is right infront of you, it gives me chills. I don’t know what to do though. Everytime I think God is calling me I always think “It can’t be me, I’m not good enough and I’m too young.” I have talked to my Priest about it and he told me you are never to young to be called. But some days I don’t know if I am being called to be a priest, or get married, or join the military. It’s really hard for me. Being a Priest would be so awesome, to have Jesus come upon you and give you the power to make bread and wine into His body and blood, it’s amazing. Right now I’m just taking everything day by day, and seeing what gets thrown at me next. I’m am still young, I’m just 16 years old. I’m not shutting out the idea of me being a Priest, Instead I am accepting it and I am trying to prepare myself for anything that comes. I’m trying to live a life now that will set me up for the Priesthood, or married life or whatever God throws at me. Thanks to everyone that read this. If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it. Thank you, and Please pray for me.

 

[puzzleannie]

focus on your vocation at this moment in your life, which is that of son, friend and student. Concentrate on fulfilling your duties humbly, cheerfully, competently and with a sense of commitment, for the greater honor and glory of God. This is called building character and growing in virtue, attributes that will be necessary whatever your state in life. Your devotion to Christ in the Eucharist will also be your anchor in whatever vocation you follow, so build on that, and your spiritual life in general, through frequent reception of the sacraments. Also pray to the Holy Spirit to guide you, through the gifts you received in Confirmation, in discerning your vocation. Meanwhile prepare for life by being a good son, a good friend and a good student.

 

[jmcrae]

In some parts of the world, boys start Seminary at the age of 12, so no, you’re certainly not too young to be thinking of the priesthood.

Get in touch with the Vocations Director of your Diocese and find out when is the next Period of Discernment. Going to that doesn’t commit you to anything, but it would give you information about what to expect from Seminary training and let you know at least something about the life of a priest.

At the very least, it would let you know what courses you should be taking in high school in order to pursue this idea seriously.

 

[CatholismRox]

Matt, it sounds to me that you are decrearning a call to the priesthood. The only advice I could give is talk to your priest and pray about it.

 

[chicago]

In some parts of the world, boys start Seminary at the age of 12, so no, you’re certainly not too young to be thinking of the priesthood.

It used to be the case that the norm was for boys to enter minor seminary high schools after 8th grade. There are still a few of these left, in fact. (I attended one in the late 80s/early 90s and there’s at least one, if not more young teenage guys here who go attend the same).

Pope John Paul II wrote in his exhortation on priestly formation, Pastores Dabo Vobis:

As long experience shows, a priestly vocation tends to show itself in the pre-adolescent years or in the earliest years of youth.

Even in people who decide to enter the seminary later on it is not infrequent to find that God’s call had been perceived much earlier. The Church’s history gives constant witness of calls which the Lord directs to people of tender age. Saint Thomas, for example, explains Jesus’ special love for Saint John the Apostle “because of his tender age” and draws the following conclusion: “This explains that God loves in a special way those who give themselves to his service from their earliest youth”.

The Church looks after these seeds of vocations sown in the hearts of children, by means of the institution of Minor Seminaries, providing a careful though preliminary discernment and accompaniment. In a number of parts of the world, these Seminaries continue to carry out a valuable educational work, the aim of which is to protect and develop the seeds of a priestly vocation, so that the students may more easily recognize it and be in a better position to respond to it. The educational goal of such Seminaries tends to favour in a timely and gradual way the human, cultural and spiritual formation which will lead the young person to embark on the path of the Major Seminary with an adequate and solid foundation. <“To be prepared to follow Christ the Redeemer with generous souls and pure hearts”>: this is the purpose of the Minor Seminary as indicated by the Council in the Decree “Optatam Totius,” which thus outlines its educational aspect: the students “under the fatherly supervision of the superiors, the parents too playing their appropriate part, should lead lives suited to the age, mentality and development of young people. Their way of life should be fully in keeping with the standards of sound psychology and should include suitable experience of the ordinary affairs of daily life and contact with their own families”.

The Minor Seminary can also be in the Diocese a reference point for vocation work, with suitable forms of welcome and the offering of opportunities for information to adolescents who are looking into the possibility of a vocation or who, having already made up their mind to follow their vocation, have to delay entry into the Seminary for various family or educational reasons.

In those cases where it is not possible to run Minor Seminaries (which “in many regions seem necessary and very useful”), other “institutions” need to be provided, as for example for adolescents and young people.[200] While they lack the quality of permanence, such groups can offer a systematic guide, in a community context, with which to check the existence and development of vocations. While such young people live at home and take part in the activities of the Christian community which helps them along the path of formation, they should not be left alone. They need a particular group or community to refer to, and where they can find support to follow through the specific vocational journey which the gift of the Holy Spirit has initiated in them.

So, though you’re not likely to find a minor seminary to attend these days, no, you’re absolutely not too young to be called.

As far as being “good enough”, you don’t have to be perfect to be a priest. Most priests aren’t ideal examples, as it is. But Christ acts through them, nonetheless.

It seems that you are taking a good approach in “taking it one day at a time” and preparing yourself for whatever the Lord asks. Just continue down that path of following and discerning his will, wherever it may lead.