Confused about my vocation

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mymamamary

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Dear Forum

I am so confused about my vocation. I feel that the time is drawing closer to answer to what the LORD may be calling me to, which, I have felt/feel is towards Priesthood. However, I am in a predicament. I feel that the LORD is calling me, but HE isn’t giving a response as to where. Albeit, I must also say to be fair, I haven’t done EXTENSIVE prayer on the matter. I have mentioned it, but not persistently. This problem is bumming me out. Also, I want to ask a favor: Before everyone comes on here and starts saying “Get a spiritual director”, How’s about PM-ing me about finding one. I cannot yet drive, My area isn’t stocked with a Priest-A-Mile. So finding one is not easy for me. So I ask you to respect that before you start posting : Get a spiritual Director. I may sound snappy right now, because, I’m in a snappy mood right now. I could just break something right now… :banghead::banghead::banghead::takethat::takethat::takethat:
 
So, maybe He’s not calling you to choose right now, at this particular moment? Maybe you’re being drawn to deepen your discernment?
 
Any prayers…

I havent really taken this to prayer yet though 😊😊

I want out. I’ve had enough of the secular world. I’ve had enough of the mediocre mindset my fellow teenagers adopt. Have sex, drink booze and listen to some loud rap and hip-hop. 4 years of Public High School really toughen you up. I’ve had enough and want out of the secular world. I want to marry my spouse, Our LORD JESUS CHRIST, however, I don’t know where. I am not attracted to marriage, in any way. I have my temptations of course, but Im not attracted to girls to marry. I want the Church. This is a concious descion I am making.

However, I need help. No demeaning comments please. What I have said, I mean with my heart. I know, I have my sins, my faults and shortcomings. I have my huge mountains and battles still to fight, however, If you are my brothers and sisters in the LORD as you may claim to be, that should be all the more reason for you to pray for me. This I cannot do alone. Its too much. I need your help and prayers. Your advice. I dont want cheap consolation, I want prayers.
 
Have you had a chance to contact the vocation directors of different communities you may be interested in? The reason I ask is that I believe that some communities may offer an opportunity for a somewhat extended visit (weeks)–then, at that time, the vocation director would likely offer some spiritual direction.

Could you make plans to visit a community of special interest over the Christmas holidays, or over an upcoming break?

Or perhaps you could go to a retreat center for an extended, guided retreat. Jesuit/Ignatian retreat centers (there are some in Colorado, Texas, Louisiana) offer individualized, guided retreats for a week, several weeks, even a month. Retreats offered by other religious orders also offer individualized, guided retreats. You wouldn’t necessarily need to be interested in the religious order sponsoring the retreat–it’s just their job to guide you during it. Also, at least for the Jesuit retreats, you would have to be prepare to remain silent for most of the day. You would meet each day with a spiritual retreat director at set time(s), then pray, go to Mass, and meditate throughout the rest of the day.
 
daisybee said:
Have you had a chance to contact the vocation directors of different communities you may be interested in? The reason I ask is that I believe that some communities may offer an opportunity for a somewhat extended visit (weeks)–then, at that time, the vocation director would likely offer some spiritual direction.

Could you make plans to visit a community of special interest over the Christmas holidays, or over an upcoming break?

Or perhaps you could go to a retreat center for an extended, guided retreat. Jesuit/Ignatian retreat centers (there are some in Colorado, Texas, Louisiana) offer individualized, guided retreats for a week, several weeks, even a month. Retreats offered by other religious orders also offer individualized, guided retreats. You wouldn’t necessarily need to be interested in the religious order sponsoring the retreat–it’s just their job to guide you during it. Also, at least for the Jesuit retreats, you would have to be prepare to remain silent for most of the day.
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Again, No, most of them have the policy of “Not under 18”. I have visited 1 seminary so far. I want to visit the Seminary of my Home Diocese but I assume The Vocations Director is too busy, so I will have to pester him. The FSSP are in Nebraska, Im in ontario. The Institute of CHRIST THE KING, Soverign Priest and Canons Regular of St. John Cantius are in Chicago (Which would be much more manageable than nebraska). I am feeling real hopeless.
 
not to add cheesy consolation, but i feel im in the same exact position. I feel like im at a stand still with God. I no longer have an attraction to the secular life. I mean, I have an attraction to the secular life because i was running around in it through four years of public high school as well so im a little more inclined to sin, but I know am never going back.

Sometimes i feel a little bit of pressure to go and speak to a spiritual director because that seems like the only option.

I personally want to get a spiritual director, i want to go on a retreat to discern, and i want to fast and spend deep prayer to find out… but its difficult. I feel im waiting for one big moment where God shows me that i should prepare for the priesthood (although, I did have a very violent calling from God when I came back to the faith now that i think about it).

Anyways. Ill pray for you brother. Please do the same for me. Stay Up!
 
mymamamary said:
Again, No, most of them have the policy of “Not under 18”. I have visited 1 seminary so far. I want to visit the Seminary of my Home Diocese but I assume The Vocations Director is too busy, so I will have to pester him. The FSSP are in Nebraska, Im in ontario. The Institute of CHRIST THE KING, Soverign Priest and Canons Regular of St. John Cantius are in Chicago (Which would be much more manageable than nebraska). I am feeling real hopeless.
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It could be worthwhile to check with a Jesuit Retreat Center then. I know the one in Texas offers retreats to some high school students, although I don’t know whether they offer individualized, guided retreats to retreatants below 18 years. It couldn’t hurt to send e-mails and ask…also ask for any recommendations if they do not offer guided retreats to those below 18.

jesuit.org/ignatian-spirituality/parishes-and-retreat-centers/retreat-centers/
 
maxdouglas402 said:
not to add cheesy consolation, but i feel im in the same exact position. I feel like im at a stand still with God. I no longer have an attraction to the secular life. I mean, I have an attraction to the secular life because i was running around in it through four years of public high school as well so im a little more inclined to sin, but I know am never going back.

Sometimes i feel a little bit of pressure to go and speak to a spiritual director because that seems like the only option.

I personally want to get a spiritual director, i want to go on a retreat to discern, and i want to fast and spend deep prayer to find out… but its difficult. I feel im waiting for one big moment where God shows me that i should prepare for the priesthood (although, I did have a very violent calling from God when I came back to the faith now that i think about it).

Anyways. Ill pray for you brother. Please do the same for me. Stay Up!
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Not cheesy at all. Thank you for the prayers…

Fratere Tuus in CORDE JESU

Frenki Fehervari
 
mymamamary said:
Dear Forum

I am so confused about my vocation. I feel that the time is drawing closer to answer to what the LORD may be calling me to, which, I have felt/feel is towards Priesthood. However, I am in a predicament. I feel that the LORD is calling me, but HE isn’t giving a response as to where. Albeit, I must also say to be fair, I haven’t done EXTENSIVE prayer on the matter. I have mentioned it, but not persistently. This problem is bumming me out. Also, I want to ask a favor: Before everyone comes on here and starts saying “Get a spiritual director”, How’s about PM-ing me about finding one. I cannot yet drive, My area isn’t stocked with a Priest-A-Mile. So finding one is not easy for me. So I ask you to respect that before you start posting : Get a spiritual Director. I may sound snappy right now, because, I’m in a snappy mood right now. I could just break something right now… :banghead::banghead::banghead::takethat::takethat::takethat:
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I think God might be calling you to embrace the beautiful vocation of single life right now!

I truly believe that a person has to be comfortable with the state of life that they are in right now before they can move into a different one. Focus your efforts on embracing the vocation that God is giving you right now! I’m sure that there are many ways that you can work on sharing the faith in your own life right now that will simply make you that much better of a priest if that’s what God is calling you to be down the road. Either way, don’t worry about your vocation, God wants you in heaven more then you can imagine and your vocation is your key to getting their… He won’t let it pass you by accidentally (especially if you’re focusing your efforts on loving Him with your whole heart!)

I also recommend watching this video on God’s will, it’s quite good!

youtube.com/watch?v=pTXE6acKpBw&feature=autoplay&list=UUsUgCCaaOfESPA4REUfZ33g&playnext=1
 
I think what you’re feeling is normal. There’s not much I can say because I’m going through the same thing, just a little bit differently. I felt God call me deeply to religious life but then not give me a clue as to where, when, or what kind of order lol, nothing. And now I’m in my last year of highschool and need to make decisions about whether I go to college or not.
It’s a stressful time but I have to tell you at least this much: God has perfect timing.
Just keep your end of the bargain up, and He’ll keep His. Pray (even when it’s frustrating, and even when you go through weeks of fervent prayer and then all of a sudden ditch prayer completely, always come back and start it up again…), then, as far as finding spiritual director… hmmm… I personally don’t know how to go about finding one, but I’ve found that I have opened up to the most unexpected people and still gained much, so I’d say keep on the look out for someone you can see yourself opening up to but don’t stress too much.
Trust God above all things; He truly has perfect timing and will choose when to reveal things to you, so you can get frustrated all you want, but He’ll tell you when it’s time (His time- I learned that the hard way heehee), you just have to make sure that you’ve made yourself ready to listen when it happens.
You’ll be in my prayers and I hope you keep me in yours.
Dear God, mymamamary and I both want to serve you, please tell us how. Amen.
 
The lord has extended the offer to religious life to every christian. It is only after this offer is rejected that potential vocation to marriage is considered. Those with a particular religious vocation are those whose souls may be placed in peril by a life in the world. If you enter a order with an aim to the priesthood* then you can trust God and the direction your superiors and other proper councilors provide to determine whether this is what God is calling you too.

*Unlike the religious life which all are invited to and but only some are particularly called to or the married life which after the religious invitation is forgone only some are particularly called to and others are free to enter by the simple consent of the church and those to be married, the priesthood is always a particular vocation which only some by particular grace may enter.

I will post more but I’ve been doing -]hard manual labor/-] yard-work all day, so i’ll hold off on a longer post till I can trust myself to be coherent.
 
mymamamary said:
I want out. I’ve had enough of the secular world. I’ve had enough of the mediocre mindset my fellow teenagers adopt.

I’ve had enough and want out of the secular world.
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I don’t intend to be mean, but… “I want out” isn’t generally a good reason to want to become a priest. Priesthood isn’t for the priest – it’s for the people of God! It’s a vocation of service, ordered toward your bishop or superior, and dedicated to whatever role he needs you to fill. If you’re thinking of diocesan priesthood, you won’t be “out of the secular world” – you’ll be right in the midst of it, on behalf of your parishioners!
I want to marry my spouse, Our LORD JESUS CHRIST
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Now, if what you’re saying is your constant thought, perhaps what you’re expressing is a desire to be part of a cloistered, contemplative order of men? My personal opinion is that, if you’re not yet 18, then this is likely not the appropriate time for you to commit to this lifestyle.
I want to visit the Seminary of my Home Diocese but I assume The Vocations Director is too busy, so I will have to pester him.
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It’s his job to be pestered. Call or write to him. Schedule an appointment. See what discernment programs he has available for high-school-age men.
 
Inego_de_Loyola said:
The lord has extended the offer to religious life to every christian. It is only after this offer is rejected that potential vocation to marriage is considered.
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Hmm. I’d say “no”. The Church doesn’t give priority to ‘religious life’ over ‘marriage’ – no vocation is ‘better’ or ‘preferred’ or ‘first in line’. (Paul gives his own opinions about this – but is careful to say that it’s just his personal opinion.)
Unlike the religious life which all are invited to and but only some are particularly called to or the married life which after the religious invitation is forgone only some are particularly called to and others are free to enter by the simple consent of the church and those to be married, the priesthood is always a particular vocation which only some by particular grace may enter.
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:hypno: I think you meant to say “if you enter religious life, priesthood isn’t guaranteed. Your religious superior will decide whether to give you permission to enter formation for the priesthood.” … right?
 
Gorgias said:
Hmm. I’d say “no”. The Church doesn’t give priority to ‘religious life’ over ‘marriage’ – no vocation is ‘better’ or ‘preferred’ or ‘first in line’. (Paul gives his own opinions about this – but is careful to say that it’s just his personal opinion.)
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“If any one saith, that the marriage state is to be placed above the state of virginity, or of celibacy, and that it is not better and more blessed to remain in virginity, or in celibacy, than to be united in matrimony; let him be anathema.” Canon X of session XXIV of the coucil of Trent.
Dogma’d 😃
Seriously though for further study you might look up the Evangelical Counsels. Christ definitely intends the religious life for all but only requires it from some. Further reading: lxoa.wordpress.com/2010/09/01/a-catechism-on-vocations/
Gorgias said:
:hypno: I think you meant to say “if you enter religious life, priesthood isn’t guaranteed. Your religious superior will decide whether to give you permission to enter formation for the priesthood.” … right?
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More or less. Rereading it, I’m surprised I made as much sense as I did; I could barely keep my eyes open last night.

P.S. When St.Paul says says “but I speak not the Lord” In 1 Corinthians Chapter 7 the Church interprets that to mean that the Lord is not making any express command or ordinance, not to mean that this apostolic teaching is somehow excluded from the deposit of faith.
 
No you didn’t, I appreciate the (name removed by moderator)ut from everyone!!

Love You All and PAX CHRISTI!!👍👍:)😃
 
mymamamary said:
Any prayers…
I am not attracted to marriage, in any way. I have my temptations of course, but Im not attracted to girls to marry. I want the Church. This is a concious descion I am making.
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I feel as if that came from my own heart. I think I’m supposed to be a priest too. Ah, shoot. :confused:
 
tektonik said:
I feel as if that came from my own heart. I think I’m supposed to be a priest too. Ah, shoot. :confused:
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May OUR LORD Bless You most abundantly for this holy desire!!

maybe we could become Priests together??

May Our LORD make You a Saint for Holy Mother Church, and A Priest too!!! This I sincerly desire from the bottom of my heart!!! 👍👍👍:D:D:)
 
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