Getting a Vocation Director

[brycehecht]

Hello Everyone. As I am currently discerning a call to become either a secular priest or a religious brother I am in need of a vocation director. Should I go to the priest at my church or should I go to the diocesan vocation director? How should I tell my parents? Do you think it would be acceptable to contact the priest at my church without telling my parents first? Would he tell my parents without me knowing?

 

[pgnat1]

Hello Everyone. As I am currently discerning a call to become either a secular priest or a religious brother I am in need of a vocation director. Should I go to the priest at my church or should I go to the diocesan vocation director? How should I tell my parents? Do you think it would be acceptable to contact the priest at my church without telling my parents first? Would he tell my parents without me knowing?

Hi brycehecht, yes, if you believe that you may be called to a religious vocation, a spiritual director is important. You can go to either your parish priest(s) or your diocesan vocation director, whichever you feel most comfortable.

Yes, definitely tell your parents. I am assuming they are Catholic too, and parents play an important role in their children’s vocation. They can give you advice as well.

Why would you contact the priest without telling your parents? As long as they have no objections to your possible religious vocation, you should be open and let them know. I don’t know what the priest would do, but he would probably encourage you to bring up the idea of a possible vocation to your parents.

How old are you if you do not mind me asking? I am 16. Please check your PM’s. I sent you a message.

You are in my prayers.

 

[InThePew]

Parish priest then vocations director (not that the order really matters). As for your parents, there’s not “best” way to tell them - just pray about it and let God guide you. Talking to your parish priest without first talking to your parents isn’t wrong in itself but it would be a good idea to let him know that you haven’t told your parents (if he doesn’t’ ask about it himself) just in case he accidentally says something to them or in front of them. He won’t tell them if you haven’t and he won’t tell them for you (sorry)!

 

[kltherese]

I’m 18, discerning with a Religious Community and may enter with them at some point and become a Sister. I’m at the stage where I am on live-ins with the community and, as it happens, I work in Vocations when I am not doing my regular job in Retail.
I have a spiritual director, a Religious Priest, one of the Brothers of St. John. I prayed about spiritual direction for about a year beforehand and truly believe that God led me to my Spiritual Father. I asked him about spiritual direction in general, to find out more, and then asked him where people get spiritual directors (I was very general about it, so I made it seem like a discussion) but my Parish Priest (who is my Spiritual Father) knows me very well so picked up on the hint and offered, but then asked me to pray about it for a week or two and get back to him. One day I asked him to have a chat and we did and half way through, I said, “Father, please can I take you up on your offer”. That was it. He started asking me why I wanted a spiritual director and I told him that I wanted someone to walk with me on this journey and help me to see things more objectively (those weren’t my exact words, but it was something along the lines of that). I have been having spiritual direction for almost a year now and find it very helpful. On average I meet with my SD once a month, but if I have important decisions or am going on retreat or to a discernment event, I arrange to see him more often.
As for your parents - pray about it. When the time is right to tell them at an opportune moment, you will know. My family aren’t Catholic, so as it happens, despite my discernment since I was 13/14 years old at school, I haven’t said anything to them. I am not obliged to either, especially now that I live out and am financially independent and look after myself completely. I still see them and visit them and keep in touch, but I do not discuss my discernment with them as it is not a topic that will excite them (shall we say it like that such that I don’t want things to sound derogatory). Maybe mention to your parents that you are exploring God’s will in your life, and you don’t know where it will lead and would like their support and encouragement. Saying you want to be a Religious or Priest etc straight away might be too much and like dropping a bomb shell on them too soon and too quickly. Don’t forget, it’s hard for parents as it means they won’t have you around all the time and they love you as their child, so it’s a difficult thing to process, at least initially.
Btw, you might be interested in joining our Vocations Chat on facebook on Tues evenings between 8-9pm (UK GMT time): facebook.com/groups/vocations.chat
And if you would like to read my blog: The Vocation Operation: vocationoperation.blogspot.com
God Bless you and know you have my prayers,
KLT x