Holy Orders?

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creed227

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Hello,

I have a dilema and not sure what to do. I am a Catholic, a convert Catholic and attend my parish and sing in the choir and am member of a few committies in the parish. I have had alot of people tell me I would make a very good Priest. And have thought about it alot before that even, before I was even Catholic officially. I have a 4 year degree in Accounting and have mentioned it to my parish priest but I am not sure he thinks much about it as he kinda brushed it off. But I feel with my Accounting degree I would never be qualified to go to Seminary to become a priest. Plus I feel maybe I am too old being 43. I know others are younger who enter into the calling. But cant seem to get these feelings out of me. Dont know if its God giving them or just my own mind or something. I am just really confused and just not sure what to do.

Thanks

Christopher
 
I suggest that you speak to your Pastor about it, as each Diocese has contacts
for those considering/discerning the Priesthood and your Pastor could put you
in contact with them.

God Bless!
 
If your pastor is brushing you off and you still feel called, try contacting the Director of Vocations for your diocese. Akron is in the Diocese of Cleveland, so their contact info is right here:

clevelandclergyandreligious.com/vocations.php

I’ve known guys your age (and older) who have become priests. And I’ve known priests from all sorts of different backgrounds (business, computers, physics, etc., etc.). Priests come in all shapes and sizes. If anything, I would think your accounting background would be supremely beneficial. More and more, pastors are being required to also handle many administrative duties for which they are often not prepared. Your background would be a great asset, I would think.

Of course, ultimately, it is God who calls and the bishop who affirms the call. Keep praying. Be open to where God is moving you. And talk to your Vocations Director to receive some guidance.
 
A spiritual director can be very helpful in helping you discern where God may be calling you. Perhaps that’s a direction to explore.
 
Talk to the Diocesan Vocations Director. Our current pastor has a Bachelors of Arts in Management. I believe he entered seminary when he was 39 or 40. I also have known priests with degrees in Geology, Mechanical Engineering, and Fine Arts. I would say something like a a fifth to a quarter of our seminarians over the past couple years were over 35. For many of them they worked in secular jobs and just don’t feel like they were fulfilling God’s plan for them.
 
Each diocese have priests assigned as vocations directors and I feel certain you would benefit from meeting with yours. God calls us in different ways and the only way for you to know if He is calling is to take that step towards discerning. God bless your journey.
 
How long since you converted? Keep discerning and ask for help from the Diocesan Vocations Director, your spiritual director, and priests that know about this. Pray to the saints for their help and intercession. The accounting degree would be beneficial, no? I would bring it up to your parish preist again to let him know that you are serious and that you would like his (name removed by moderator)ut. And beware of the criticism you may face from others, yourself, and getting counsel from the wrong person. St.Bonaventure writing about the gift of the Holy Spirit “counsel,” writes this of a evil counselor.

18. The other evil counselor is he, who converts good things into evil. The Psalm: Since they have deflected evils upon you, they have thought counsels which could not stabilize; since you put them behind 43 etc… It is an evil thing, when someone says something, from which the counsel of Christ can be reputed evil; as when someone reproves the counsel of entering holy religion. Stupid, dangerous, pernicious and temarious is, that which Christ called converting good into evil. Of entering religion some say, that one shoe does not fit all feet; but religion imposes one rule upon all. If you say this, you are saying that Christ and the Apostles are stupid. He also says: No one, putting his hand to the plow of God and looking backwards, is fit for the Kingdom of God 44; and blessed Peter says: It is better to become acquainted with the way of justice than after acknowledging it to have turned backwards 45. – Dearest ones! I say: if one shoe can be made, according to which any foot can be fitted [informari], that shoe can be made for all. Anyone can fit himself to the rule of religion, because one way it is made for the youth, in another for the elderly, in another for the stong, in another for the weak. Whence (St.) Augustine says: “Let there be distribued to each one of you by your superior [praepositio] food and clothing, not equally to all, because not all equally fare well, but rather to each one, as there is need”. Whence in Ecclesiasticus: Put your feet into her chains and your neck into her torque [torques]. And for you her foot gear [compedes] will be as the protection of fortitude and the bases of virtue, and her torque as a stole of glory. For the ornament of life is in her, and in her chains the saving bindings 46. – You will say: “To give purgative medicine, not preparatory, this is foolish”. I say, that religion has purgative and preparative medicine, because one has despised himself before being able to be among those being received. – You say, that “there is danger in false brothers” 47. This is not said of religious, but of false brother Christians, not yet religious. – You will say: “Many fall”; and blessed Peter says: It was better that they did not become acquainted with the way of justice, than after acknowledging it, to have turned backwards 48. You ought not to fall with those falling, but stand with those standing.
 
43 may be older than the average age for entering a seminary but it is definitely not too old. As far as being an accountant you would hardly be the first; there are more people than you probably realise who enter the seminary after time spent working (myself included) including in professions such as accounting. God works with what he chooses - even accountants 😛

So when people tell you that you’d make a good priest take note of this - if you keep hearing it - especially from different and unconnected people - it may well be a sign!
 
“What everyone else said…”

Plus, take it from a man who heard a call at 42 and is married…

If you have the slightest hunch that God may be calling you, what do you have to lose in exploring it? Please pray like crazy and speak to your vocations director!

As others have said, 43 may be older than usual to begin discernment but it is in no way a road block (like being married).

Let the church tell you if you are not called. Don’t tell yourself you cannot be a priest.

Pray a decade of your rosary each day for discernment and be open to the Spirit.
 
Those skills in accounting would actually be a positive not a disadvantage.

For example if you were the pastor of a parish you would have the skills to balance a budget and work with finance.
 
adawgj said:
Those skills in accounting would actually be a positive not a disadvantage.

For example if you were the pastor of a parish you would have the skills to balance a budget and work with finance.
Click to expand...
Amen!

I recall some article I read a while back in which one priest said, if he knew what being a pastor would entail, he might have spent more time studying bookkeeping, plumbing and hotel management than Latin! I’m sure he was not completely serious but one could see where he was coming from, yes?

I was a newspaper reporter for a few years. I often think how that experience helps me to digest lots of information quickly and share it with others, of various education levels, in a way they can understand. This comes in handy in the lay ministries in which I participate- catechist and extraordinary minister of holy communion.

Pray like crazy and don’t worry.
 
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