Family Doesn't Believe Me

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AsStAnselmPrays

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I want to be a priest. My family “knows” that. However, they don’t believe me. Especially my father.

See, the Diocese of St. Petersburg invited people to go to the Seminary in Miami to learn about the priesthood and talk it over with God. My dad has restricted me from going, however. Why? Because he doesn’t believe me.

It’s really disheartening and discouraging to not have the support of ANY close relatives. My two aunts, and uncle, and my grandma…that’s about it. My brothers don’t believe me, my sister-in-law doesn’t, and my parents certainly don’t.

I’ve prayed about it constantly, and it never gets better…It takes time, I know, but I’m human, which means I’m impatient.

Is there anything I can do to help this situation?

Thanks,
AsStAnselmPrays
 
You sound young.

I don’t buy that your dad won’t let you go to the sseminary because he doesn’t believe you. There are other reasons, but that is not one of them.

It may be that he sees you as too young to make that decision right now.

It may be that he doesn’t want you to be a priest.

It may be any of a bunch of other reasons. But I don’t think it is because he doesn’t believe you.

If you have a vocation, then pray. Constantly. You have the rest of your life to persue this issue; if it ia truly a calling, it won’t go away easily. Continue on with your schooling, learn a bit of patience, and keep praying.
 
Are you familiar with the life of St. Therese? You may want to read about her. She desperately wanted to enter the convent at a young age, but was continually rejected by the bishop. She even went to visit the Pope to ask his permission, and was told to be patient until the time was right.

If you have a true calling, God will work in your life in His timing, in His way, and it will be better than anything you could imagine! Continue to pray and trust in Him.
 
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otm:
You sound young.

I don’t buy that your dad won’t let you go to the sseminary because he doesn’t believe you. There are other reasons, but that is not one of them.

It may be that he sees you as too young to make that decision right now.

It may be that he doesn’t want you to be a priest.

It may be any of a bunch of other reasons. But I don’t think it is because he doesn’t believe you.

If you have a vocation, then pray. Constantly. You have the rest of your life to persue this issue; if it ia truly a calling, it won’t go away easily. Continue on with your schooling, learn a bit of patience, and keep praying.
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He does sound young (i.e. inexperienced: Wisdom Comes With Age!). You have until at least 38 to become a Priest, so make sure you at least have a college degree with some world travel and then consider Priesthood again.
 
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otm:
You sound young.

I don’t buy that your dad won’t let you go to the sseminary because he doesn’t believe you. There are other reasons, but that is not one of them.

It may be that he sees you as too young to make that decision right now.

It may be that he doesn’t want you to be a priest.

It may be any of a bunch of other reasons. But I don’t think it is because he doesn’t believe you.

If you have a vocation, then pray. Constantly. You have the rest of your life to persue this issue; if it ia truly a calling, it won’t go away easily. Continue on with your schooling, learn a bit of patience, and keep praying.
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He does sound young (i.e. inexperienced: Wisdom Comes With Age!). You have until 38 to become a Priest (at least for the Order of Friars Minor), so make sure you at least have a college degree with some world travel and then consider Priesthood again.
 
I don’t care how young you are, if you have the calling then you know! Start by praying to St. Pio, he will help you!

Blessings,
Helen
 
+JMJ+

Seconding all the sentiments here. Pray, pray, pray, and pray. Offer everything up to the Lord. Visit the Blessed Sacrament, pray the Rosary, fast, read the lives of the saints. Priests much have patience. God’s timeline is not our timeline. If he is calling you and the time is not yet right, you can begin preparing through layers of prayers and devotion.
 
Kevin Walker:
He does sound young (i.e. inexperienced: Wisdom Comes With Age!). You have until 38 to become a Priest (at least for the Order of Friars Minor), so make sure you at least have a college degree with some world travel and then consider Priesthood again.
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Where do you get 38? I’m sure that I’ve heard of men older than that being ordained (e.g., widowers).

An acquaintance of my father’s entered the seminary after his wife died. I believe he was at least 50 years old. He ultimately decided to put off the priesthood for now because he felt that his grown children needed his attention. However, why would he have been admitted to the seminary if he were too old to be ordained?
 
If this is your TRUE calling (only LOTS of praying will tell you so), then you really need to have a heart to heart with him. Take him out to dinner (away from his house), and find out the reasons he’s holding you back. There is something that is pulling his sleeve, and you need to find out what it is.

However, if you don’t find out what it is, then you need to get patience. Being human=impatience, yes, but as a future priest, you should know that is a battle you will have to learn to deal with. How will you teach others to have patience if you don’t?

I don’t know your age, but I would highly suggest that you give it some time. If you are old enough, you would go to Miami without your father’s permission. However, I believe you need to have his support if you truly want this to happen. Talk, talk talk. Out of the house (which is his safehaven). Show him how you have been called. You will be asked later “how did you know you wanted to be a priest?”. Well, now is your time to soul-search, and make sure it’s the right one, and have it able to convince your dad.
 
If this is your TRUE calling (only LOTS of praying will tell you so), then you really need to have a heart to heart with him. Take him out to dinner (away from his house), and find out the reasons he’s holding you back. There is something that is pulling his sleeve, and you need to find out what it is.

However, if you don’t find out what it is, then you need to get patience. Being human=impatience, yes, but as a future priest, you should know that is a battle you will have to learn to deal with. How will you teach others to have patience if you don’t?

I don’t know your age, but I would highly suggest that you give it some time. If you are old enough, you would go to Miami without your father’s permission. However, I believe you need to have his support if you truly want this to happen. Talk, talk talk. Out of the house (which is his safehaven). Show him how you have been called. You will be asked later “how did you know you wanted to be a priest?”. Well, now is your time to soul-search, and make sure it’s the right one, and have it able to convince your dad.
 
Kevin Walker:
He does sound young (i.e. inexperienced: Wisdom Comes With Age!). You have until 38 to become a Priest (at least for the Order of Friars Minor), so make sure you at least have a college degree with some world travel and then consider Priesthood again.
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Thank the Lord that my vocation isn’t to the ORder of Friars Minor, and think that I was struggleing with waiting another 7-9 years…

Don’t try to please everyone AsStAnselmPrays, you are never going to, if this is what you think you are called to do then you have to put your foot down, let you parents know that you are serious, by the way how old are you, me being 19 few months from 20 can put my foot down alot easier then someone younger…
 
Tyler Smedley:
Thank the Lord that my vocation isn’t to the ORder of Friars Minor, and think that I was struggleing with waiting another 7-9 years…

Don’t try to please everyone AsStAnselmPrays, you are never going to, if this is what you think you are called to do then you have to put your foot down, let you parents know that you are serious, by the way how old are you, me being 19 few months from 20 can put my foot down alot easier then someone younger…
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Talk to your local priest. Find out what the requirements are. You may not be able to attend right away, but you can still serve God by serving the Church. In the mean time, check out the Singles for Christ or CFC-Youth ministries in your area.
 
Tyler Smedley:
Thank the Lord that my vocation isn’t to the ORder of Friars Minor, and think that I was struggleing with waiting another 7-9 years…

Don’t try to please everyone AsStAnselmPrays, you are never going to, if this is what you think you are called to do then you have to put your foot down, let you parents know that you are serious, by the way how old are you, me being 19 few months from 20 can put my foot down alot easier then someone younger…
Click to expand...
Talk to your local priest. Find out what the requirements are. You may not be able to attend right away, but you can still serve God by serving the Church. In the mean time, check out the Singles for Christ or CFC-Youth ministries in your area - they can help you stay spiritually strong.
 
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atsheeran:
Where do you get 38? I’m sure that I’ve heard of men older than that being ordained (e.g., widowers).

An acquaintance of my father’s entered the seminary after his wife died. I believe he was at least 50 years old. He ultimately decided to put off the priesthood for now because he felt that his grown children needed his attention. However, why would he have been admitted to the seminary if he were too old to be ordained?
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We recently had a young man at our parish serving his last “internship” before his ordination to the priesthood. His widowed father had been recently ordained to the priesthood and concelebrated his son’s ordination Mass. 🙂 I know that the father had several grown children so he must have at least been in his 50s when he entered seminary.

For the original poster: Ave Maria University in Florida has a “Pre-Theologate” program. In this program, young men who are discerning a vocation can pursue the major of their choice while still fulfilling pre-requisites for the seminary. This way if you discern that you do not have a vocation, you can transfer to regular student status and still leave with a bachelor’s degree. If you do have a vocation, you are ready to go into seminary. I heard an advertisement for this program on local Catholic radio and thought that it was a fantastic idea. Something like this might appease your family as well, as it’s not an immediate decision. If you do have a vocation and continue to pray and persevere through your undergrad years, your family will likely realize that you are serious and support you.

naples.avemaria.edu/pre-theologate/index.asp
 
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atsheeran:
Where do you get 38? I’m sure that I’ve heard of men older than that being ordained (e.g., widowers).

An acquaintance of my father’s entered the seminary after his wife died. I believe he was at least 50 years old. He ultimately decided to put off the priesthood for now because he felt that his grown children needed his attention. However, why would he have been admitted to the seminary if he were too old to be ordained?
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Hi,

It depends on the seminary. I know for a fact that the Franciscan Friars (Order of Friars Minor) age limit is 38 to become a member; I applied and was turned down.

Other Priestly orders vary in age, but I would prefer to be ordained in the Vocation of my choice.
 
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otm:
You sound young.

I don’t buy that your dad won’t let you go to the sseminary because he doesn’t believe you. There are other reasons, but that is not one of them.

It may be that he sees you as too young to make that decision right now.

It may be that he doesn’t want you to be a priest.

It may be any of a bunch of other reasons. But I don’t think it is because he doesn’t believe you.

If you have a vocation, then pray. Constantly. You have the rest of your life to persue this issue; if it ia truly a calling, it won’t go away easily. Continue on with your schooling, learn a bit of patience, and keep praying.
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im 16 and the fact that im young means nothing. heres wat i think: you are ignorant.

i bet if i talked 2 you i would completely embarrass you, and you know what that means

you were humiliated by a “young person”

You dont even know me so how can you say that i am making it up
 
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AsStAnselmPrays:
im 16 and the fact that im young means nothing. heres wat i think: you are ignorant.

i bet if i talked 2 you i would completely embarrass you, and you know what that means

you were humiliated by a “young person”

You dont even know me so how can you say that i am making it up
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If you are 16, then (like it or not) you are your father’s responsiblity until you are an adult.

If you are having trouble with the concept of obedience to him, how are you going to be obedient to God?

Feel free to call me ignorant too, but I think you need to do alot of maturing before you can make a decision about your vocation in life. Right now you need to work on humilty, obedience, charity and kindness.

If you truly want to be a priest (which I don’t doubt) then you will learn to be patient and wait until it is the right time.

Malia
 
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AsStAnselmPrays:
im 16 and the fact that im young means nothing. heres wat i think: you are ignorant.

i bet if i talked 2 you i would completely embarrass you, and you know what that means

you were humiliated by a “young person”

You dont even know me so how can you say that i am making it up
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If you are going to be a priest, you are going to need to work on charity and love. As a priest, you will be dealing with parishioners who you will find difficult. Not only will you have a difficult time once you are a priest, but you probably won’t be a priest if you don’t address these issues. Calling someone ignorant is uncharitable and uncalled for.
 
La Chiara:
If you are going to be a priest, you are going to need to work on charity and love. As a priest, you will be dealing with parishioners who you will find difficult. Not only will you have a difficult time once you are a priest, but you probably won’t be a priest if you don’t address these issues. Calling someone ignorant is uncharitable and uncalled for.
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'cause all of the warriors in the crusades were real charitable, right?
 
AsStAnselmPrays said:
'cause all of the warriors in the crusades were real charitable, right?
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So you are actually saying that whatever some other people who really screwed up did is ok for you to do? Maybe I am ignorant, but this really confuses me. I would assume that a boy discerning the priesthood would want to model his behavior after a good priest, or even a saint!

Malia
 
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