Are these normal desires for a father/husband?

[notredame_999]

I am currently trying to discern God’s will, deciding between marriage and priesthood. To be honest I don’t really agree with mandatory clerical celibacy but thats a seperate issue.

However, If I was fortunate to one day be a father and husband I would like to instill catholic values in my family. That would include perhaps nightly prayer and rosary, and statues and pictures of the virgin mary in my home. Maybe even a shrine in my house with the infant Jesus, Our lady of Fatima, and the image of Christ given by St. Faustina. If I had daughters, I would be very careful as to their dress when they get older- no super tight jeans and spaghetti strap halter tops. I also wouldn’t let them start dating until senior year of hs and even then I would like them to be supervised in my home.

Are these normal or radical desires for a catholic husband/ father?

 

[KBernadette]

I would say it’s absolutey normal, and correct. I have wondered in the past why God’s choice for me was marriage and many children, the answer I have received is that I have been given the grace to see and implement the proper things that make a good Catholic family. Many of which you listed. It’s not easy though!

 

[amgp]

Also, try to attend daily Mass as a family. Our family has been doing this for years (we homeschool our children), and it has been such a blessing.

Dating in high school is out of the question for our kids. There’s no point in finding “Mr. Right” until they’re ready for marriage (after college ).

 

[pablope]

I am currently trying to discern God’s will, deciding between marriage and priesthood. To be honest I don’t really agree with mandatory clerical celibacy but thats a seperate issue.

Are these normal or radical desires for a catholic husband/ father?

I suggest you undergo a period of discernment before deciding on the priesthood. Contact your local parish priest so that he can guide you. There is most likely a director of priestly vocations in your diocese and contacting them could be a start.

 

[streetpreacher]

notredame_999 God calls you, he doesn’t suggest, he calls, and it’s clear, you are called to marriage, not the priesthood, perhaps you could be a deacon, but not the priesthood, otherwise if you joined, you would always be thinking, “what if” along the family element, and clearly you are thinking and geared towards that element more so then the consecrated life.

 

[Edmundus1581]

If you do fall in love, and marry, just be sure that your wife-to-be also shares these desires, and is genuinely committed to them, and has practiced them in her own life for some time.

If she doesn’t, then wait for another who does. I’ve known people who’ve waited till their late thirties to find a Catholic spouse who truly shares their faith and dreams. And there are probably many who have waited longer, or remained single, rather than settle for second best.

I made the mistake of letting love blind me to what my (ex-)wife really wanted for our marriage. We shared our faith and prayers during courtship and engagement, but after marriage she changed, and increasingly opposed Catholicism in the home. And I don’t mean daily rosaries, and an icon in each room - I mean anything and everything to do with religion. She took a strong stance against the children being taught the faith. We had a verbal agreement before marriage that I would be the head of the house, but that agreement was worth nothing in the years that followed. I suspect that my ex was unusually capricious and bloody minded, to the point of having a personality disorder, but still, there’s a sample of one as a warning of what can go wrong.

 

[PAboy57]

it takes strong and good parents to raise children properly in this environment. good ideas.