Discerning my own vocation need tips and suggestions

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admaioranatus

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Hello people! I’m Pau, 15 years of age and I reside on the Philippines.

I’m open to those calls like being a religious, being married, being a single blessed.

Now, I’ve started to think for myself (of course with my prayers to God too) on what to take in life.

I have really no problems on entering the seminary (my parents are okay with it and all), but i’m not really sure if i’m called for it. I took a vocation activity hosted by seminarians but of course, its kinda biased.

Not also for the two, because I never had a very intimate relationship with a girl and all (perhaps I find myself too young for that and the fact that i’m 15 and im very young). So I’m not clear about it.

I need God’s help in this, but could you give some suggestions for example on how can I feel if I am for this. You know, activities on such it will help me discern well…

And if some of you say i’m too young for discerning, could you give things to do so when i’m old enough, i’ll know what God wants for me.

Thanks guys, I will be praying for you too.

pau

(My first thread at CA forums)
 
Hi Pau,
Welcome to the forums. May God bless you for being open! I would suggest finish schooling before really looking into the priesthood or anything like that. In the meantime, I would suggest talking with your priest as well as possibly getting in contact with the local vocation director and explaining that you are interested in testing your call to the various states of life. I am sure a priest/vocations director could give you some good activities to look into each aspect of life.
 
tkdnick said:
Hi Pau,
Welcome to the forums. May God bless you for being open! I would suggest finish schooling before really looking into the priesthood or anything like that. In the meantime, I would suggest talking with your priest as well as possibly getting in contact with the local vocation director and explaining that you are interested in testing your call to the various states of life. I am sure a priest/vocations director could give you some good activities to look into each aspect of life.
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Hey tkdnick,

Will do that. But what i’m looking for are things from your experience, (no, not like i don’t trust them, i want something from another point of view) I just want to know how you people discern or something. Its really on your vocation, I want to know how did you decide to take this kind of life so I myself can look for clues on it. Or you might suggest something for me.
 
Hi Pau!

I’m 17 and I have been discerning a call to the priesthood for a couple of years now. I would suggest that you try to find a Spiritual Director. This is a person that you can meet with regularly who guides you through your prayer life and helps you to enhance your virtues and work on your vices. You should be able to speak openly with a Spiritual Director. In your case (a young man discerning a vocation), I would suggest that a priest or a brother who you already have a close friendship with would be a big help.
 
admaioranatus said:
Hey tkdnick,

Will do that. But what i’m looking for are things from your experience, (no, not like i don’t trust them, i want something from another point of view) I just want to know how you people discern or something. Its really on your vocation, I want to know how did you decide to take this kind of life so I myself can look for clues on it. Or you might suggest something for me.
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Gotcha! I am basically at the same stage you are - being open to whatever call God has for me. I think the biggest thing I do is pray. Every day I pray for God’s will to be done and for Him to show me His will and give me the strength to follow it. I have also done some reading on personal vocation. That’s pretty much all I’ve done at this point.
 
Hi Caesar!

Ah, yes. Thanks for that suggestion, I really do need someone who can guide me and stuff.
 
tkdnick said:
Gotcha! I am basically at the same stage you are - being open to whatever call God has for me. I think the biggest thing I do is pray. Every day I pray for God’s will to be done and for Him to show me His will and give me the strength to follow it. I have also done some reading on personal vocation. That’s pretty much all I’ve done at this point.
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Yeah, maybe i’m just to fast and I want everything to come easily. 😛
Prayer it is! Thanks man!
 
admaioranatus said:
Yeah, maybe i’m just to fast and I want everything to come easily. 😛
Prayer it is! Thanks man!
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Easy? Ha! It certainly has not been an easy process for me.

Prayer is definitely a biggie in any kind of discernment.
 
Welcome to the club! 😃

Yes, I agree that 15 years old is quite young to think about relationship. So finish you education first (It is important!). Some people want to join seminary because they think they don’t need to study. But one of the brothers told me that it’s more difficult than engineering course (he studied engineering in uni) 😛

If your vocation to married life, ensure you’ll be able to get a good job (By doing well in your studies).

If you decide to discern for prieshood/religious life;
First I’d like to tell you that it is not and won’t be an easy path, especially when you start your vocation discernment. At first, it may seem easy, but, trust me, it won’t. There’ll be difficult time; you’d be frustrated (that’s what I’m feeling now) and confused where to go. There will be time where you may feel that God leaves you and you are all alone. However, God is with you all the time, and if you listen carefully, there’ll be signs and also answers for your prayers.

Find a good spiritual director (if you don’t have one). It is also quite difficult, because you must find someone whom you trust and able to spend time and guide you. Many priests are busy and may not have time for this. Well, pray that God will provide one. Currently, I’m still looking for one.

Be patient. You’re still young and it’ll be another few years before you can enter seminary (if you feel that’s where God is calling you). I know most young people are impatient (including myself!)

Reading is also one way to discern. Currently, I’m reading Fulton Sheen, “The Priest is not His Own”. It is a great book. 🙂

Hm… seems that I type out of point. 😛
 
Hello Pau,

It’s good to hear that you are discerning for the priesthood! I am a 2nd year seminarian and I can offer a few pieces of advice.

As far as your age, I don’t think it’s ever too young to discern, but be careful that you are discerning for yourself and not for others. If a lot of people know that you want to be a priest, sometimes it will make you feel you HAVE to be a priest. This is not the case. A friend of mine had a vocation at age 15 as well. He went through high school with all of his friends encouraging him to be a priest, and then he entered seminary. Well, he stayed for one semester then realized he had to seriously rethink his vocation, so he left the second semester to do that. This year, he returned to the seminary because he finally was discerning HIS vocation and not everyone else’s vocation. The point is: discernment does not mean you MUST be a priest. If you don’t feel called after honest discernment, then God has other plans for you, plans that only YOU can accomplish. Therefore, we must follow God’s plan for us, whether He wishes for us to be priests or not.

My discernment began when I was 17 (junior in high school), so I had a few years in high school to know what it’s like to have such a countercultural call in life. People would make comments like “Oh, so you won’t be able to have sex? Better do it now then while you still have the chance!” AHH! Well, you will most likely hear that from a few young people. Anyway, this might sound strange to you, but if the opportunity arises, I wouldn’t discourage you from having a girlfriend while you are in high school. If you like a girl, then its okay to go out with her (just be sure not to lose your virginity or innocence!). I say this because it will give you an opportunity to see the “alternative.” You may find that it will strengthen your vocation. Also, some of my seminarian friends struggle because they never had a girlfriend in high school. You may also find from a relationship that your vocation lies perhaps in the married life. In the end, it’s up to you what you want to do. I don’t know your innermost feelings, so I can’t offer advice one way or the other, all I can offer is my discussions with other seminarians. Most of them had high school relationships, but they gave them up because they saw that the priesthood is what God wanted them to discern, not marriage. If you don’t feel comfortable discerning and having a girlfriend, by all means, don’t put yourself in an uncomfortable scenario.

Last, I’ll leave you with some spiritual advice:

(1) Prayer: Never stop it. Always let it grow. No matter how much your prayer life grows, it will never stop growing. As you progress spiritually, your prayer will need to grow all the more. Therefore, while you discern, always remember that you cannot discern without prayer. Why, you can’t even know or love God without prayer!

(2) Make use of daily Mass if possible. It will allow you to become part of Christ through the Eucharist. It will give you the spiritual strength and nourshiment you need to avoid sin and grow in holiness.

(3) Attend weekly Eucharistic Adoration. I cannot attest to the amount of miracles coming from Eucharistic Adoration. The graces and blessings pouring forth from the Eucharist are infinite. Why wouldn’t we want to be close to such love? It will help give you the grace to discern properly.

(4) Make good friends. They will support and encourage you in your discernment.

I hope this helps. I’ll pray for you!

God’s blessings,

Scott
 
Skizzey said:
Hello Pau,

Last, I’ll leave you with some spiritual advice:

(1) Prayer: Never stop it. Always let it grow. No matter how much your prayer life grows, it will never stop growing. As you progress spiritually, your prayer will need to grow all the more. Therefore, while you discern, always remember that you cannot discern without prayer. Why, you can’t even know or love God without prayer!

(2) Make use of daily Mass if possible. It will allow you to become part of Christ through the Eucharist. It will give you the spiritual strength and nourshiment you need to avoid sin and grow in holiness.

(3) Attend weekly Eucharistic Adoration. I cannot attest to the amount of miracles coming from Eucharistic Adoration. The graces and blessings pouring forth from the Eucharist are infinite. Why wouldn’t we want to be close to such love? It will help give you the grace to discern properly.

(4) Make good friends. They will support and encourage you in your discernment.

I hope this helps. I’ll pray for you!

God’s blessings,

Scott
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Such great advice. Thanks. Well, i’ve been kinda busy because of our exams. Thank you.

I will also pray for you too.

Thanks also to others for being so nice here at CA. 👍
 
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