No Doubt in Your Vocation

  • Thread starter Thread starter discernmentinpr
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
D

discernmentinpr

Guest
Is is true that some people know from an early age that they definitely have a vocation to priesthood or religious life? I recently read that when Mother Teresa was just a young girl, age 12 I believe, she knew that she was called to be a religious sister. Is this possible that people can just know certain things?

I feel like I am in this situation. I know that I am called to the priesthood. I know that it is what I want to do. I have spiritual direction. I don’t feel like I will be complete until I am a priest.
 
discernment(name removed by moderator)r said:
Is is true that some people know from an early age that they definitely have a vocation to priesthood or religious life? I recently read that when Mother Teresa was just a young girl, age 12 I believe, she knew that she was called to be a religious sister. Is this possible that people can just know certain things?

I feel like I am in this situation. I know that I am called to the priesthood. I know that it is what I want to do. I have spiritual direction. I don’t feel like I will be complete until I am a priest.
Click to expand...
A friend of mine was about the same age as Mother Teresa was in your post (12) when he knew he wanted to be a priest.
 
I know that I want to become a priest.

However I’ll get back to you in 4-6 years.
 
I’ve noticed that many people become annoyed when someone says they have certainty about a vocation. I think this is sad.

While we must understand that the church discerns with us and we do not “have” a vocation in the strict sense unless the church sees it too, I think to deny that some people are given clarity is to deny the testimony of countless saints over the centuries.

Personally, I began to sense a call four years ago. Back then, some suggested I was imagining things because I had just experienced a powerful conversion to Christ and I might “cool off” after a while. Well, four years later I am still on fire! Only now I am getting involved with lay ministry wherever possible and people are approaching me to ask if I’ve ever discerned seminary.

It’s not about deserving or earning anything- all we deserve is hell. But I believe that as people began to observe me in ministry, they began to see what I had felt in my heart all along- that God is calling me to it.

The first time I raised the host in my hands (as a lay minister) and said “Behold the Lamb of God…,” I sensed I was closer to being who I was created to be than I had ever been before. I am most alive when I’m praying with people and giving them Jesus in Holy Communion.

God told Jeremiah that he called him and knew him before he was formed in the womb. Isn’t it possible that some guys hear the Lord more clearly?

In any case, may God richly bless you as you discern! 😉
 
I think I was about 8 when I felt called to the priesthood. It seems even more real due to the fact that there is no way I could have comprehended it all at that age (nor the age I am now). So I guess, I’ve had certainty in that sense.
However, recently, I have been feeling called to join an order as opposed to being a priest in a diocese, so if you would call it doubt, then yes, I have doubt. I have little doubt I will end up ordained. I am doubtful as to how and what role I will serve.

So in short, I would absolutely believe if someone had certainty at an early age. However, early certainty won’t necessarily remain.
 
I agree that the church has to see it too. When I was 10 I had my First Communion, I felt so close to God and I thought strongly of becoming a nun. It lasted for some years but sadly my friends and family didn’t like that idea, so I let it go and fell away from the church, specially in high school. Two months ago I had a life-changing experience, which brought me straight back to church. Just two weeks in my new life and I started feeling that call stronger than ever!!! Like Dodge Pursuit, I thought it could be cuz I just returned to the faith and my soul has fallen too hard for our Lord Jesus that I’m imagining him calling me to follow him. So I thought I’ll wait a year and see. But I keep feeling that pull and also seeing some signs. So I went to my church, they are thinking about helping me with it, plus since I’ve recently returned, I think they’d want me to keep attending Mass regularly for some time first. And I’m going every chance I get, sometimes everyday If possible. I feel the church is my home and I never wanna be away too long from it. I might become a Lay Woman, who knows? I’m still struggling to know exactly what God wants me to do.

So yes, it is possible God is calling, but the church has to help you on that too.

God bless you and help you to hear your calling more clearly. I pray everyday for increase of Vocation, and ask the Lord to help people like me to hear their calling better. I’ll mention you in my prayer. 🙂

Peace be with you.
 
I’ll be honest, it annoys me when I hear this from people. In a way i’m kind of jealous that when I was young as far as I recall I didn’t really have any calling for any sort of life though I probably would have said I wanted to be married. I never had the sense though that that’s what my calling was. Sometimes I just feel anymore like i just drift. I wish I had that sense that I knew what I wanted to do but for some reason i didn’t.

Granted I know part of my struggle was that I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to get married because I was ugly overweight and had a different personality and since I didn’t want to be a single weirdo I thought i’d go be a priest This was such a distorted view and I’m glad I outgrew it. However even today it seems like my vocation changes. I prayed so hard last year and also was part of a program that taught youth over the summer for my diocese and felt I was being called to marriage but just a few weeks ago in adoration I screamed out inside my mind “I want to be a priest” so it’s been throwing me for a loop because I thought I was called to marriage.

Anyway I guess to close this out I think it’s great when people know that young and if you do it is a great gift. Don’t run from it or ignore it.

God Bless

WildCatholic
 
Dodge_pursuit said:
God told Jeremiah that he called him and knew him before he was formed in the womb. Isn’t it possible that some guys hear the Lord more clearly?
Click to expand...
IMHO the short answer is yes… but (and it’s a big but).

Certainly everyone is at different stages in their vocational journey - even amongst seminarians. I would say though that certainty shouldn’t be confused with readiness - it’s important for anyone discerning a vocation to remain open to God’s will for them (remembering that this isn’t necessarily what they want for themselves). A large part of this is of course being open to direction and formation from those who’re tasked with these responsibilities. there’s also a risk of proceeding on to each successive step on the vocational journey simply because it’s the next thing.
 
SuS33 said:
I agree that the church has to see it too. When I was 10 I had my First Communion, I felt so close to God and I thought strongly of becoming a nun. It lasted for some years but sadly my friends and family didn’t like that idea, so I let it go and fell away from the church, specially in high school. Two months ago I had a life-changing experience, which brought me straight back to church. Just two weeks in my new life and I started feeling that call stronger than ever!!! Like Dodge Pursuit, I thought it could be cuz I just returned to the faith and my soul has fallen too hard for our Lord Jesus that I’m imagining him calling me to follow him. So I thought I’ll wait a year and see. But I keep feeling that pull and also seeing some signs. So I went to my church, they are thinking about helping me with it, plus since I’ve recently returned, I think they’d want me to keep attending Mass regularly for some time first. And I’m going every chance I get, sometimes everyday If possible. I feel the church is my home and I never wanna be away too long from it. I might become a Lay Woman, who knows? I’m still struggling to know exactly what God wants me to do.

So yes, it is possible God is calling, but the church has to help you on that too.

God bless you and help you to hear your calling more clearly. I pray everyday for increase of Vocation, and ask the Lord to help people like me to hear their calling better. I’ll mention you in my prayer. 🙂

Peace be with you.
Click to expand...
That’s beautiful.

You know, I often recall memories of being very young and having a sense of peace and God’s presence, especially in the church of my baptism. I will always wonder what would have happened had I not wandered into sin and darkness for many years and kept listening to God as I finished high school, went to college, etc. It’s not healthy to worry about “what if” and God can make the best of where we are (Romans 8!). But it reminds me of what a priest friend once said: God doesn’t forget that he called you and doesn’t “let you go” that easily!

God bless you.
 
I knew that I would eventually be a deacon since my alter boy days. It something I’d forget, but from time to time I would hear that call again. As my faith grew so did the call. I still have a few years before eligibility to be admitted, getting married last year and all.
 
I was like 9 when I first thought about it, but I didn’t take it seriously until I was 14.

Three years later now, I hope to enter Seminary next year when I finish High School!

God Bless.
 
Dodge_pursuit said:
That’s beautiful.

You know, I often recall memories of being very young and having a sense of peace and God’s presence, especially in the church of my baptism. I will always wonder what would have happened had I not wandered into sin and darkness for many years and kept listening to God as I finished high school, went to college, etc. It’s not healthy to worry about “what if” and God can make the best of where we are (Romans 8!). But it reminds me of what a priest friend once said: God doesn’t forget that he called you and doesn’t “let you go” that easily!

God bless you.
Click to expand...
I understand what you mean, idk about you, but for me the timing wasn’t right. as a kid I didn’t realize that. But as an adult I think where am now is a much better timing. So in a way I think that’s what God wanted for me. So look at your past as a mistake but a mistake you learned a lot from. Can you say that after God has forgiven you everything that you might stray again??? No way! We will fall of course, we are humans after all, but Jesus will help us get back up on our feet. 🙂

Peace be with you.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top