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Rutherford2
Guest
If God calls you to become a priest, will He give you a sign? If not, did you asked for one? How can you be so sure that it was God and not your feelings?
How do you know that God is calling you to become a priest and not your own decision?
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UpUpAndAway
Guest
Vocational discernment does not occur in a vacuum. A man who thinks he is called to the priesthood would discuss the matter with at least one other person, such as his pastor, his spiritual director, and/or the vocations director of his diocese.
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UpUpAndAway
Guest
This is true of any vocation, so priesthood or dudeness not required to respond
I’m a girl too :girl:t2:
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Lee1
Guest
If God is calling you to become a priest you may find yourself extremely interested in the scriptures and theology and everything about the religion which you are drawn to and of course God.
I don’t think most people get a CALL so to speak, about anything, but they get an inkling which grows and remains constant within reason, ie it may fluctuate as we always experience fluctuations but nonetheless constant.
God works within us so mostly you may not be aware of His influence except by the fruits.
Incidentally, you should ask a priest about this specific question regarding becoming a priest of course. I can only offer my opinion about callings in general.
I don’t think most people get a CALL so to speak, about anything, but they get an inkling which grows and remains constant within reason, ie it may fluctuate as we always experience fluctuations but nonetheless constant.
God works within us so mostly you may not be aware of His influence except by the fruits.
Incidentally, you should ask a priest about this specific question regarding becoming a priest of course. I can only offer my opinion about callings in general.
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Rutherford2
Guest
That’s okay. I’ll wait for a real priest to answer my question. Thanks anyway.
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jvickers
Guest
Why not message @edward_george1? He is a priest, I believe.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
You go through a long process with a Vocations Director, Spiritual Director, called “Discernment” and this discernment continues all the way up until the day of Ordination as a Priest.
It is not like joining the Army where you go down to a recruiter, take a test and sign some papers then BOOM you are committed for X years.
It is not like joining the Army where you go down to a recruiter, take a test and sign some papers then BOOM you are committed for X years.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
Or google the name of his Diocese and “Office of Vocations”. He can then simply call the Vocations Office come Monday morning.
GospelOfMatthew
New member
Talk with a Priest, or your spiritual director and diocese’s vocational director. Growing up I played Priest in my living room, I have hundreds upon hundreds of religious material from books to statues to movies. Growing up multiple priests would tell me I will be a Priest one day and many parishioners said the same thing. I wrote homilies growing up and a Priest even read mine during mass as his homily once.
Last year when I was 19 I seriously considered applying to the Seminary and Priesthood. After months of prayer in multiple forms and discussing this with many people, I believed God was calling me in a different direction, to the married life. From that point, I haven’t thought of the priesthood since and I used to think of it daily. Now I am discerning a call to married life as a 20YO and growing in my own faith. That said, I do think about the Deaconate sometimes and I have a very immediate family member who is a Deacon and others who are lay secular religious.
If the urge lasts for years upon years it could be a true calling. This is why I seriously considered the Priesthood last year. But if the desire suddenly goes from 60 to 0 and you never think about it since, that’s also a sign. Granted, I’m studying for Bachelors in Political Science and Religious Studies and after hoping to go for a masters in Theology so no matter what my calling is, I very much am called to evangelize and work in some capacity of ministry I believe.
Last year when I was 19 I seriously considered applying to the Seminary and Priesthood. After months of prayer in multiple forms and discussing this with many people, I believed God was calling me in a different direction, to the married life. From that point, I haven’t thought of the priesthood since and I used to think of it daily. Now I am discerning a call to married life as a 20YO and growing in my own faith. That said, I do think about the Deaconate sometimes and I have a very immediate family member who is a Deacon and others who are lay secular religious.
If the urge lasts for years upon years it could be a true calling. This is why I seriously considered the Priesthood last year. But if the desire suddenly goes from 60 to 0 and you never think about it since, that’s also a sign. Granted, I’m studying for Bachelors in Political Science and Religious Studies and after hoping to go for a masters in Theology so no matter what my calling is, I very much am called to evangelize and work in some capacity of ministry I believe.
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InThePew
Guest
A call to priesthood isn’t like a light turning, and “road to Damascus” experiences like that of St Paul tend to be in short supply these days! Granted, that’s not to say that sudden conversion / call moments don’t happen although the tend to be a lot less dramatic than St Paul’s. For most people, as someone accurately (but unhelpfully) put it to me: “if you can describe a call, you haven’t got one”. At the same time, motivations, expectations and desires all play a part in helping answer your question; if you like the priesthood because it offers a secure job with a steady paycheck and good health benefits/retirement options then chances are you’re heading in the wrong direction. Likewise, if the appeal is based on being “in charge” or the centre of attention, then again something’s probably awry.
These probably don’t apply to you but it is worthwhile asking exactly what it is about priesthood that appeals to you on both spiritually and personally - this will help guide your discernment. As others have said, a call is a two way street - no one determines it by themselves, instead it requires confirmation from others and also testing. That’s what the seminary is for - to test your call and assist you in your ongoing discernment. So entering a seminary doesn’t mean you’re going to be a priest, nor does it commit you to anything significant and lasting (yes, it requires some initial commitments but nothing really binding - you can walk away at any time). Along the way, there are set milestones which require further reflection on your part and affirmation on the part of the seminary formation staff, all ultimately leading (God willing) to Holy Orders.
The main thing is simply to take it one step at a time - don’t try and get ahead of yourself. Of course you need to have a desire to follow where you believe God is leading you but you also need to remember that that might not be where you expect.
These probably don’t apply to you but it is worthwhile asking exactly what it is about priesthood that appeals to you on both spiritually and personally - this will help guide your discernment. As others have said, a call is a two way street - no one determines it by themselves, instead it requires confirmation from others and also testing. That’s what the seminary is for - to test your call and assist you in your ongoing discernment. So entering a seminary doesn’t mean you’re going to be a priest, nor does it commit you to anything significant and lasting (yes, it requires some initial commitments but nothing really binding - you can walk away at any time). Along the way, there are set milestones which require further reflection on your part and affirmation on the part of the seminary formation staff, all ultimately leading (God willing) to Holy Orders.
The main thing is simply to take it one step at a time - don’t try and get ahead of yourself. Of course you need to have a desire to follow where you believe God is leading you but you also need to remember that that might not be where you expect.
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JamalChristophr
Guest
Go and talk to Jesus about it…
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