Feeling discouraged about my call

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mymamamary

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Dear Forum!!

I have said before that i feel like i want to be a Priest. I have given this thing ALOT of thought. In fact, i feel at the moment, too much. I think about Priesthood now everyday, everyday, and i feel the desire as well. I love Prayer, I love People and I love CHRIST and HIS Church first and foremost. It gets annoying though. I cant put Priesthood out of my head, or the desire out of my heart, my heart swells when i think of it. Like right now, i wish the LORD would do HIS WILL, by taking this call out of me or affirming the call. I cant stand waiting anyomore, i feel like the desire/itch will kill me :eek: . I feel like giving up, and not even applying to Seminary, although i feel if i didnt, i would reget something eternally.

St. Don Bosco always said “oh, if i could be a Priest, with desire” i feel like im in his shoes, (although i wish i was half as holy as him), i feel like saying the same things. I have prayed LORD LET THY WILL BE DONE, and the nudge wont leave. Its like an itch thats killing me!!

What interest could i serve if i became a Priest for myself?? I dont feel like there is any. To gain a prefix of “Fr.” before my name? I could get a PhD and Proffesor before my name if i wanted to be that proud, i couldnt absolve myself, i couldnt bless myself, and saying MASS only for myself would be pointless. What self seeking interests are there for Priests?? I dont feel any? if i wanted to be a Priest for myself, then why would i waste my time? i would go out and live like the heathens if i was that self seeking??

HELP ME!!! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
 
I hope what I said earlier didnt make you doubt it, I honestly feel the same. Im discerning and Im convinced I am probably going to be a priest, but at the same time I dont know if it is what I am meant to do. God wont ever make totally convinced, he wants us to discern to get closer to him. If he popped up during mass and told you “Hey man, be a priest” That wouldnt make you closer to him. But if you discovered his will while discerning, you’ll be way closer to him. Dont be scrupulous about it, theres a chance we all are making the wrong decisions, but we have to trust God in what hes allowing in our lives. There are probably some priests who werent meant to be priests, but God gives them a lot of graces to make them great priests.
 
MHT32 said:
I hope what I said earlier didnt make you doubt it, I honestly feel the same. Im discerning and Im convinced I am probably going to be a priest, but at the same time I dont know if it is what I am meant to do. God wont ever make totally convinced, he wants us to discern to get closer to him. If he popped up during mass and told you “Hey man, be a priest” That wouldnt make you closer to him. But if you discovered his will while discerning, you’ll be way closer to him. Dont be scrupulous about it, theres a chance we all are making the wrong decisions, but we have to trust God in what hes allowing in our lives. There are probably some priests who werent meant to be priests, but God gives them a lot of graces to make them great priests.
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-Can i be like those Priests then? 😃 👍 its not as if may not be called, but all the same?
 
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mymamamary:
-Can i be like those Priests then? 😃 👍 its not as if may not be called, but all the same?

I mean the people meant to be priests have special graces that lead them to the 'hood (Priesthood) It seems like you do, but dont panic about if you do or dont. If you feel like it is what you are called to do, go to seminary in a few years. If you are called, God WILL get you in the priesthood. He will guide you, just trust him 👍
 
Hi mymamamary. I can say I have felt like you at times… I think that God has partially revealed His plan for me early in my life (I am 15). Even though I cannot say I have been called specifically to the priesthood, I think all signs point to it. A quote I think of that reminds me of myself is by C.S. Lewis.
“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
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However, I would replace “Christianity” with something like “me becoming a priest.” Kind of corny, I know 😃 Haha… But really, there are times when I feel distraught and like God may not be calling me.
“Many are called, but few are chosen.”
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I would not say stop discerning. Even though sometimes I think I am doing this, I believe I am just discerning harder. It is in our weakest times that we become stronger. This has a lot to do with God’s plan for us. Even though we may feel like a lost sheep, our Shepard will guide us.

You are in my prayers bro. There are many pressures and temptations in the world that lead good men away from God’s call. Stay on the right path. You will be fine. God has never let anyone down. Peace 🙂
 
I advise praying a lot and daily mass. Getting to know God is a good way to learn his will. If you’re talking to Bishop Baker (Ive met him, hes Bishop of my Diocese) then you’re good. He should have good advice, just keep praying and discerning.
 
I agree with the above poster. Just have fun in high school, by saying this I don’t mean go out partying but do your school work and if you find a girl whom you would like to date then go ahead and date her. Keep the priesthood as a thought though throughout high school and pray about it. Try to go on good retreats, not those terrible high school ones where they camp out boys and girls in the hall or something. Contact your vocations director and tell him you are interested in the priesthood and whether you can go on a discernment retreat. When you hit senior year, if you are still interested then ask your pastor if you could shadow with him for a few days. I hope your pastor knows you are discerning? Most importantly pray that you keep faithful to the Church. As St. Padrio Pio said, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry”. God bless and if you are accepted by your diocese into the seminary then just go on until you hit a stop sign.
 
Being someone who’s been seriously discerning for several years now I can tell you that patience is key. You seem to post several times a day on here, everything from the highs of excitement to the lows of doubt, a lot of emotions and feelings and everything else. You need to make sure you’re meeting with your spiritual director every few weeks to sort these things out–and it might help to perhaps find another outlet for these thoughts. Keep a journal to express some of these thoughts, and bring them all before the Blessed Sacrament in prayer. Sometimes letting them out in a more reserved manner can help to reduce the power they might have to drag us through the highs and lows.

You remain in my prayers

-ACEGC
 
DaddyGirl said:
I don’t understand your discouragement and your “feeling like giving up”…

Why are you not applying to the seminary?
You certainly seem as tho you truly want to be a priest. What is stopping you?
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It isn’t an easy thing to discern. Hearing God’s call takes time. Just like anything that requires the virtue of patience, we display frustration. The best thing we can do is offer prayers for him, in the hopes God helps and strengthens him.

If you did not know, I was informed the OP is only 16. He never said he is “not applying.” he said he “feels like it.”

I think he still needs to discern more. It is very hard to hear the call of the Lord clearly. It can only be achieved like any other goal. Time and patience are the keys. Keep him in your prayers
 
Two things:
  1. Spiritual Director (if you can’t find one, PM me and I will try get back to you with someone from your area - although probably in late august as I have a 30 day retreat in a few days).
  2. Be a teenager! God wants you to be joyful, studious, friendly, healthy, etc. Even the child Jesus probably enjoyed the games in town - his mission was to take on our FULL humanity.
 
mymamamary said:
Dear Forum!!

I have said before that i feel like i want to be a Priest. I have given this thing ALOT of thought. In fact, i feel at the moment, too much. I think about Priesthood now everyday, everyday, and i feel the desire as well. I love Prayer, I love People and I love CHRIST and HIS Church first and foremost. It gets annoying though. I cant put Priesthood out of my head, or the desire out of my heart, my heart swells when i think of it. Like right now, i wish the LORD would do HIS WILL, by taking this call out of me or affirming the call. I cant stand waiting anyomore, i feel like the desire/itch will kill me :eek: . I feel like giving up, and not even applying to Seminary, although i feel if i didnt, i would reget something eternally.

St. Don Bosco always said “oh, if i could be a Priest, with desire” i feel like im in his shoes, (although i wish i was half as holy as him), i feel like saying the same things. I have prayed LORD LET THY WILL BE DONE, and the nudge wont leave. Its like an itch thats killing me!!

What interest could i serve if i became a Priest for myself?? I dont feel like there is any. To gain a prefix of “Fr.” before my name? I could get a PhD and Proffesor before my name if i wanted to be that proud, i couldnt absolve myself, i couldnt bless myself, and saying MASS only for myself would be pointless. What self seeking interests are there for Priests?? I dont feel any? if i wanted to be a Priest for myself, then why would i waste my time? i would go out and live like the heathens if i was that self seeking??

HELP ME!!! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
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My opinion: forget about priesthood. Go your own way. Do not think on that any more.
I tell you, IF, and it is a big IF God wants you there, you will be there. You will not THINK on being there. You will be there.

Now, go your way, find a girl, enjoy life and do not think anymore on priesthood and all the confusions that are in your head. Live ant let live.

NB-I was where you are now and so I am speaking from my experience.
 
HisIsTheCrown said:
My opinion: forget about priesthood. Go your own way. Do not think on that any more.
I tell you, IF, and it is a big IF God wants you there, you will be there. You will not THINK on being there. You will be there.

Now, go your way, find a girl, enjoy life and do not think anymore on priesthood and all the confusions that are in your head. Live ant let live.

NB-I was where you are now and so I am speaking from my experience.
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I would be cautious to follow such advice. It is probably right for some but such this forum is limited so one can’t figure out it is right for you (the OP) even if it was right for HisIsTheCrown. You really need to find a good spiritual director to answer this question - he will be able to know you better than we can through this forum.
 
MPSchneiderLC said:
I would be cautious to follow such advice. It is probably right for some but such this forum is limited so one can’t figure out it is right for you (the OP) even if it was right for HisIsTheCrown. You really need to find a good spiritual director to answer this question - he will be able to know you better than we can through this forum.
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Do you know whether I am a Spiritual Director?.
I did not say that this was my experience. I am speaking “from my experience”, which experience could not even be mine. What it is I think it is not to this Forum and I would never say “It is good for me, so, it is good for the OP”, which is pretty crazy.
Tell you, if the OP has a real vocation, God will sweep him from his feet, with or without Spiritual Director, with or without me. My advice is zero before the Power of God.
 
HisIsTheCrown said:
Do you know whether I am a Spiritual Director?.
I did not say that this was my experience. I am speaking “from my experience”, which experience could not even be mine. What it is I think it is not to this Forum and I would never say “It is good for me, so, it is good for the OP”, which is pretty crazy.
Tell you, if the OP has a real vocation, God will sweep him from his feet, with or without Spiritual Director, with or without me. My advice is zero before the Power of God.
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Sorry, if my other post sounded like a correction. My main pont was to get a spiritual director whom knows the individual deeper than either of us responding on a public forum. I have directed a number of young men thinking about the priesthood and your advice is proper for only a minority of cases from my experience.

I don’t think we are as far away as you may think. Here was my first post where I think my second point is what you want to say:
MPSchneiderLC said:
Two things:
  1. Spiritual Director (if you can’t find one, PM me and I will try get back to you with someone from your area - although probably in late august as I have a 30 day retreat in a few days).
  2. Be a teenager! God wants you to be joyful, studious, friendly, healthy, etc. Even the child Jesus probably enjoyed the games in town - his mission was to take on our FULL humanity.
Click to expand...
 
Im with all of those who encourage a spiritual director. Discerning a vocation does need a trained guide to help you wade thru all the feelings, and messages.

No one should try and discern a vocation to the priesthood or religious life without the aide of a good spiritual director.
 
DaddyGirl said:
I’m curious–how much louder is he supposed to hear it until he’s finished deciding? Is there a specified time period he’s supposed to go through before he makes a decision? Is he not allowed to decide yet that he wants to be a priest??
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Only he can answer those questions my friend…

We must keep him in our prayers.
 
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