Discerning the priesthood.

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mgads1130

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Hi everyone,
My name is Mark and I am currently having great difficultly discerning my vocation. I have been considering the priesthood for a little while now, however, everyday I change my mind and say well I don’t think I’m cut out for the priesthood. Or, I feel really guilty not becoming and deciding to get married so I change my mind back again. I feel I am also being pressured by others around me. I have prayed about this for quite some time now, but when I do I kinda get like in the moment and thats when I say I will become a priest, but then when I get back to reality, I realize how much I really would also want to live my life like the average person. I’m currently in my freshman year of college and staying out of trouble. Either way I go I want God to be my life, I want to live it, whether it be as a priest, or with a beautiful family and spouse. Please help, I am having mood swings because of the stress this is giving me.
Thanks for all the help guys I really appreciate it, God Bless!
 
Don’t worry. Discerning is not an easy process, and the fact that you keep having doubts just means that you taking it seriously 😉

Also, have you tried talking about it with your spiritual director, or with some other religious person who knows you personally?
 
Yes I actually work at my church and I see my priest every weekend and he just keeps saying do what you feel is right. I dont know what is right anymore. Like I really would want the priesthood kind of life, but the person I am I dont know if I could handle it. I like to celebrate Gods love in different ways like playing music and worshiping concerts. I just dont think its the right life for me but I have this guilty feeling now like He will be mad even though i know he wont be and I feel like people who I have told that I am interested will judge me for not doing it if I don’t

Thank you so much for your reply it means a lot.
 
mgads1130 said:
Yes I actually work at my church and I see my priest every weekend and he just keeps saying do what you feel is right. I dont know what is right anymore. Like I really would want the priesthood kind of life, but the person I am I dont know if I could handle it. I like to celebrate Gods love in different ways like playing music and worshiping concerts. I just dont think its the right life for me but I have this guilty feeling now like He will be mad even though i know he wont be and I feel like people who I have told that I am interested will judge me for not doing it if I don’t
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I am in a similar position. I volunteer probably 15-20 hours a week at my church and I also help teach the RCIA class. Last week the lesson was on vocations and I told them that I was discerning the priesthood. This was the first time I ever told anyone and I asked them not to tell my priest because I really don’t want to disappoint him if I am not called to that life.
 
mgads1130 said:
Yes I actually work at my church and I see my priest every weekend and he just keeps saying do what you feel is right. I dont know what is right anymore. Like I really would want the priesthood kind of life, but the person I am I dont know if I could handle it. I like to celebrate Gods love in different ways like playing music and worshiping concerts. I just dont think its the right life for me but I have this guilty feeling now like He will be mad even though i know he wont be and I feel like people who I have told that I am interested will judge me for not doing it if I don’t

Thank you so much for your reply it means a lot.
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Mgads…the road to the priesthodd is hard, and full of trials. What you are experiencing is not out of the ordinary. Doubts will surely be planted. My suggestion is to talk to the Vocation director of the diocese you are in, or contact a seminary spiritual or vocation director. Also, keep praying. I think the patron Saint of Priest is St John Vianney…so ask for his help.
 
Research Benedictine Abbey’s which provide retreates. Take a week of vacation and go to an Abbey for the retreat. Participate in the Gregorian Chant, the timing of their life, the prayer schedule and in that quiet, then ask yourself, is this for me.
 
Julian0404 said:
Research Benedictine Abbey’s which provide retreates. Take a week of vacation and go to an Abbey for the retreat. Participate in the Gregorian Chant, the timing of their life, the prayer schedule and in that quiet, then ask yourself, is this for me.
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This may be good advice at a later stage, but I think its a little premature here. Mark isn’t sure about a call to priesthood yet, so looking at the life of a monk may be complicating the issue - especially since priesthood isn’t synonymous with life in a monastery, which is a very different call. Being a friar myself - which is something else again! - I could advise him to look at my way of life, but this probably wouldn’t be helpful right now. 🙂

Mark, at this early stage seeking a spiritual director to help you both with making decisions about where life is taking you, and also about the confusion and difficult feelings you’re experiencing, would be best. You don’t commit yourself to anything by talking things over and although discernment is always difficult, you don’t have to do it alone. God wants you to be happy, not to suffer. He doesn’t promise that things are always going to be easy, but seeking His will for you isn’t something that you should have to agonise over when you’re still young.

Contact the vocations office in your diocese, or ask your parish priest where you could find a spiritual director. Saying that you want to find out what kind of life you’re called to is all you need to reveal at this stage: the details can come later.

Best wishes, and you’ll be in my prayers.
 
Thank you so much for all of your replies. I greatly appreciate hearing from those with experience and know what I am going through. I am visiting my diocese’s seminary soon and will be seeing what the life is like. I hope that seeing how the life is will help make my decision because that is what I am most nervous about. I can’t thank you all enough for all your help. No matter what I do in my life, I know I will always have people like you who are grateful and kind enough to take time out of your busy lives and help me. Thank you so much. God Bless you all!
 
Discerning the Will of God: An Ignatian Guide to Christian Decision
Timothy M. Gallagher OMV (Author)

amazon.com/gp/product/0824524896/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0664251463&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0WMA87NQ7NKEM79JMP24

Just finished reading this - great book on Ignatius Discernment. I would recommend this to anyone discerning a vocation weather it be married life, consecrated life, or a vocation to the Priesthood.

The book is relatively short (a weekend read) and approachable.
 
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