My family wouldn't agree

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Graham24

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Hello everyone,

I come from a non-practicing catholic family, but i feel called by God to become a priest. I have a strong relationship with God, and just want to serve him. However, my father is a Baptist and so my mother is also a Baptist. The rest of my family are Baptist, and would hardly support my decision. Any advice for me?
 
Go for it anyway and remember Luke 14:25-27.

And talk to a Catholic vocations director.
 
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You should do as God calls you.

But like the above poster says discuss it with a vocations director or your priest/spiritual director in order to lead you on the path. Often there are groups or talks you can attend to help you decide or at least in the UK though I’m sure so in your country too.

As for your family, be gentle with them, pray for them and always be kind to them. Listen to them and treat their concerns with love and gentleness but do make up your own mind and do Gods will.

If you are in a country that’s on lockdown then perhaps you can speak to someone online or else read more about the discernment process. Also make sure to maintain a good spiritual life in the meantime. God bless you
 
You don’t say how old you are. It makes a big difference to what would be helpful advice to give…
 
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Don’t fight your family. Just do what you know to be right and be patient when they oppose you.
You said your family are ‘non-practicing Catholics’ .Then you said they are Baptists. Do you mean they used to be Catholics but left the Church?

How old are you? It makes a practical difference whether you’re an adult, a teen or pre-teen.
 
Bluebright said:
You should do as God calls you.

But like the above poster says discuss it with a vocations director or your priest/spiritual director in order to lead you on the path. Often there are groups or talks you can attend to help you decide or at least in the UK though I’m sure so in your country too.

As for your family, be gentle with them, pray for them and always be kind to them. Listen to them and treat their concerns with love and gentleness but do make up your own mind and do Gods will.

If you are in a country that’s on lockdown then perhaps you can speak to someone online or else read more about the discernment process. Also make sure to maintain a good spiritual life in the meantime. God bless you
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This.
Take some time to think about the vocation. Pray, study and have love for God and others. Be kind and patient, and firm in your faith.
God bless!
 
You said your parents are both Baptist. Did you already formally revert/convert to Catholicism? I am asking you this because after formal conversion there is a wait of a certain period of time before you are allowed to enter seminary.
 
I think it was Luther who said that it was neither right nor safe to go against your conscience. If you are truly being called to the Priesthood than it is wrong for you to resist. Pray about it. Pray for them.
 
Jimbo, with due respect, that assumes the person’s conscience is well-formed, or that it is formed at all - as might be the case if the OP is very young.

We should under no circumstances be telling ANYONE that it is “wrong to resist” the call of the priesthood, let alone someone who may be all of like 15. You’ve made it a sin to not become a priest!
 
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Yes they are a former Catholics but they left. I’m just years old and I’m living in a highly dominated Catholic Country
 
My parents are former Catholics and they used to baptize me in a Catholic Church when I was a baby
 
Did you complete the preparation to receive First Communion, Reconciliation and Confirmation too? If not, you need to go through RCIA and receive the Sacraments before considering joining the priesthood.
 
Due to their conversion… I didn’t undergo to those rites. And what is RCIA? I am not familiar with it
 
IT is becoming a Catholic as an adult. It is confirmation for adults. It also teaches you about the religon.
 
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Imagine that you want to became a car racer in F1. Before getting there you need first to be at the right age to drive, get a driver permit, learn about engines, practice in special circuits etc.
You have the desire to be a priest but first you need to take all the necessary steps to grow in your Faith. One way to grow in the Faith is receiving (some of) the Sacraments. You are already baptized but you need to prepare properly to receive Jesus in the bread and wine (Eucharist), to receive forgiveness of your sins (Reconciliation) and to affirm as an adult the choice of Faith that your parents made baptizing you as a baby (Confirmation). If you grew up in a Catholic family you would prepare for these Sacraments gradually, during your school years. People that come to the Catholic Faith later in life can learn about Church teachings and prepare to receive Sacraments going to a special class called in US RCIA.
Growing in the knowledge of the Catholic Faith and receiving these Sacraments will be the very first step to follow your vocation to priesthood.
 
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Until you are eighteen years old you must be obedient to your parents.

When you reach eighteen you can contact the Catholic Church and seek to complete your Catholic initiation. You will need to go through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). You will be confirmed and receive your first communion, usually at the Easter Vigil.

Once you have been practising the Catholic Faith for a few years you could then explore your vocation with the vocations director of the Catholic diocese in which you live at that time.

At a very rough guess we are talking about five years in to the future when you’ll be about 20 years. Twenty year olds and 15 year olds are very different. You may no longer feel you have a vocation at that time.

It would be a great joy if you did and sought to explore your vocation.

In the meantime you can use the internet to learn about the Catholic Church, pose questions here on CAF, and privately say prayers according to Catholic formulae.
 
Graham24 said:
I’m sorry for that! I’m just 15 years old
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Then, please continue to pray and see what happens once you are of age for the seminary.

NOTE: eventually, if you still feel called to be a priest, you will need to discuss it one day with your parents, but it doesn’t have to be now.

God bless & Godspeed
 
A valid point; well made. I wasn’t aware at the time that the OP was 15. My apologies.
 
Welcome Graham!

Keep studying; getting good grades;
Asking questions; and loving God, and you will do great!
 
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