How do people know their "Calling"

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Montie_Claunch

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I remeber reading some time ago about a gentleman who asked for prayers for decernment in what he thought might be his “calling” to the preisthood. Now, I am wondering, How does one determen that he has a calling to the preist hood and not just flutters, indigestion, or any number of things? Just curious.
 
My own experience is that a “true calling” is unmistakeable.

If it ain’t there, you ain’t got it.

Alternatively, you may have a calling to respond to serve in some other way. Again, it is unmistakeable.

[On the other hand, you may “feel” some attraction to the religious life, but for some reason you may not have all the “assets” to discharge the office responsibly.]
Someone once asked me what right I had to do something. My reply was that I felt I had a responsibility to do it.

I can suggest two books: “Weeds Among the Wheat” by Thomas Green, SJ and “A Still Small Voice” by Benedict Groeschel, CFR.*
 
To begin, one seriously prays about it. Everyone who does not yet know their vocation should be praying about it and should be completely open to God’s plan for them.

Next, if a person feels even a little bit of a tug toward the priesthood, he should talk to the vocations director of his diocese. I know in my diocese we have a great retreat for anybody who is thinking about the priesthood.

After retreats, prayer, talking to priests/religious (especially vocations directors), one discerns an even deeper feeling that he called to the priesthood, he should begin the application process to join the seminary through an order or diocese. One thing that has helped many of the guys that are in seminary with me is the reminder that the seminary is not a “priest making factory.” No one here seriously knows that God wants him to be a priest–it is our uncertainty that makes us more open to God’s plan. In fact, after being in the seminary for over a yeat, I am actually less sure about what God wants me to do, and it’s an awesome, trusting feeling that I have!

So there is definitely a reason that God places feelings of priesthood in a person’s heart. The only way to know that reason is to ask Him.

–Timothy

P.S. You may private message me, e-mail me, or contact me via AIM if you would like to talk more about the call to be a priest, about the seminary, or about spiritual life in general. I’m no expert, but I’m a companion on the journey.

I’ve also written various things about my vocation story:
geocities.com/bluemit11/articles/seminary.html
geocities.com/bluemit11/articles/answerpanel2.html
geocities.com/bluemit11/articles/answerpanel6.html
geocities.com/bluemit11/articles/fulfillment.html
 
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