Parental Oppositions for Priesthood

[ToJesuswithMary]

I have the yearning and desire to be a priest, to be like Christ as a shepherd of His flock, because i really know for my self that i feel very comfortable to be in the Church ,to be with our Priest director and other priest and nun friends, to teach about the gospel virtues to my classmates , relatives who turn away from Jesus, and most especially to the poor and to be poor. I burn to defend our Church against any false accusations they stone against Her. I love the Church and Jesus and prayed a lot that one day , I’d die as martyr.

But i have a problem and that is my parents. One day I prayed to the Lord to help me convince them in the right time. But shortly after that prayer( after my pilgrimage to St. Benedict…) my parents found out about it and started to threat me . I can see they are doing all their best to keep me away from it . And since that day , they started to distance me from the Church. They told me its due to the influence of my friend priests, seminarians and nuns that i thought of being a priest , concluding that I do not have a vocation and should stop thinking about my “craziness” instead to help in the family’s business , which is in great crisis.

I do not blame them for that though , since they wee always at work and never gave time to know their son more and the changes ive undergone, that was already with Christ for a quite long time - in secret an theyre not that active in the Church especially my father.

My mother then started to get upset, weep and many other things and saying I disappointed her so much. I love my parents its just that I have to choose Jesus. I have to do many things to others rather than for our / my own benefit and luxury.

As of now, I am praying that my parents might finally be convinced about my progressing vocation. But as of now, it really seems impossible to change both their minds and my whole family’s mind . I am now in 4th year high school and I am waiting for the Lord to give me the right time to enter the seminary even if it is against my parent’s will . And if the time will come when the “signal” has come and i was still unable to convince them , then i have no other choice but to leave them in peace. I do not care if what might they do or their threats to me like total banishment and other , they could never stop me from helping the Church and Jesus.

please help me what else i could do. thank you for bearing with this long post.

 

[Saint_Macarius]

I have the yearning and desire to be a priest, to be like Christ as a shepherd of His flock, because i really know for my self that i feel very comfortable to be in the Church ,to be with our Priest director and other priest and nun friends, to teach about the gospel virtues to my classmates , relatives who turn away from Jesus, and most especially to the poor and to be poor. I burn to defend our Church against any false accusations they stone against Her. I love the Church and Jesus and prayed a lot that one day , I’d die as martyr.

But i have a problem and that is my parents. One day I prayed to the Lord to help me convince them in the right time. But shortly after that prayer( after my pilgrimage to St. Benedict…) my parents found out about it and started to threat me . I can see they are doing all their best to keep me away from it . And since that day , they started to distance me from the Church. They told me its due to the influence of my friend priests, seminarians and nuns that i thought of being a priest , concluding that I do not have a vocation and should stop thinking about my “craziness” instead to help in the family’s business , which is in great crisis.

I do not blame them for that though , since they wee always at work and never gave time to know their son more and the changes ive undergone, that was already with Christ for a quite long time - in secret an theyre not that active in the Church especially my father.

My mother then started to get upset, weep and many other things and saying I disappointed her so much. I love my parents its just that I have to choose Jesus. I have to do many things to others rather than for our / my own benefit and luxury.

As of now, I am praying that my parents might finally be convinced about my progressing vocation. But as of now, it really seems impossible to change both their minds and my whole family’s mind . I am now in 4th year high school and I am waiting for the Lord to give me the right time to enter the seminary even if it is against my parent’s will . And if the time will come when the “signal” has come and i was still unable to convince them , then i have no other choice but to leave them in peace. I do not care if what might they do or their threats to me like total banishment and other , they could never stop me from helping the Church and Jesus.

please help me what else i could do. thank you for bearing with this long post.

Please contact your vocations director and ask for advice. Sometimes they can help mediate a discussion on these issues with your parents. Best of luck.

 

[Scoobyshme]

I have the yearning and desire to be a priest, to be like Christ as a shepherd of His flock, because i really know for my self that i feel very comfortable to be in the Church ,to be with our Priest director and other priest and nun friends, to teach about the gospel virtues to my classmates , relatives who turn away from Jesus, and most especially to the poor and to be poor. I burn to defend our Church against any false accusations they stone against Her. I love the Church and Jesus and prayed a lot that one day , I’d die as martyr.

But i have a problem and that is my parents. One day I prayed to the Lord to help me convince them in the right time. But shortly after that prayer( after my pilgrimage to St. Benedict…) my parents found out about it and started to threat me . I can see they are doing all their best to keep me away from it . And since that day , they started to distance me from the Church. They told me its due to the influence of my friend priests, seminarians and nuns that i thought of being a priest , concluding that I do not have a vocation and should stop thinking about my “craziness” instead to help in the family’s business , which is in great crisis.

I do not blame them for that though , since they wee always at work and never gave time to know their son more and the changes ive undergone, that was already with Christ for a quite long time - in secret an theyre not that active in the Church especially my father.

My mother then started to get upset, weep and many other things and saying I disappointed her so much. I love my parents its just that I have to choose Jesus. I have to do many things to others rather than for our / my own benefit and luxury.

As of now, I am praying that my parents might finally be convinced about my progressing vocation. But as of now, it really seems impossible to change both their minds and my whole family’s mind . I am now in 4th year high school and I am waiting for the Lord to give me the right time to enter the seminary even if it is against my parent’s will . And if the time will come when the “signal” has come and i was still unable to convince them , then i have no other choice but to leave them in peace. I do not care if what might they do or their threats to me like total banishment and other , they could never stop me from helping the Church and Jesus.

please help me what else i could do. thank you for bearing with this long post.

I say bide your time for now, keep praying, and when you graduate, you must follow where you think Jesus wants you for your vocation. He said that we must leave mother, father, etc., and follow Him, or else we are not worthy.

Also, keep in mind that whenever we try to do God’s will, Satan will fight against us as hard as he can! He can use others to try to intimidate us or make us stray from the straight and narrow. Satan is always happy to compromise. His favorite color is gray, because it gives him room to “operate” and “negotiate!”

God bless!

 

[ToJesuswithMary]

Please contact your vocations director and ask for advice. Sometimes they can help mediate a discussion on these issues with your parents. Best of luck.

I hope so but i guess that is hopeless because right now, as what is said, i lied to them
on being a priest to temporarily disclose the topic. But i know for sure i still have the undying longing but still they are expecting me to be what the want me to be… all i am waiting now is the signal i was waiting from the Lord and St. Therese of the Child Jesus and to our Queen. Please help pray for me and others who have same cases as me.

 

[ToJesuswithMary]

I say bide your time for now, keep praying, and when you graduate, you must follow where you think Jesus wants you for your vocation. He said that we must leave mother, father, etc., and follow Him, or else we are not worthy.

Also, keep in mind that whenever we try to do God’s will, Satan will fight against us as hard as he can! He can use others to try to intimidate us or make us stray from the straight and narrow. Satan is always happy to compromise. His favorite color is gray, because it gives him room to “operate” and “negotiate!”

God bless!

thank you so much… and i will go to where the Lord brings me whatever may happen. For the Greater Glory of God!

 

[jeanne71350]

Hi there,

I’m a senior in high school, and I am in a very similar situation to yours. I feel called to be a religious sister, and due to many issues in the family, telling my parent is going to be a challenge. I came to the realization though that it’s nothing to worry myself over now. I can’t leave for a convent anytime soon. I’m at home at least for one more year. I just have to receive the Sacraments, pray and strengthen myself with God’s grace because I’ll need it when the time comes! Just wait upon the Lord. He will take care of you. I’ll pray for you. If you need to talk to someone, PM me.

-Jeanne

 

[lizaanne]

please help me what else i could do. thank you for bearing with this long post.

Just a couple of questions - how old are you? And, I apologize if I an in error, but your written English leads me to think you might not use English as your first language. Are you American?

I agree with others, just be patient and take your time. If you can’t leave now anyway there is no reason to be too upset. You can still go to Mass, and you can still pray. When the time comes to make the decision then you will know what to do. The Holy Spirit has a way of making the timing right for such things.

God bless you in your discernment - I will keep you in my prayers!

~Liza

 

[jet100]

I understand the heartache of rejection and troubles. I am almost 20years old and discerning to be catholic and a nun double for my poor mother.
She is a strict protestant from the south and hates all catholics and catholic ideas. She thinks its mary worshipers and pope lovers. I know i’m called for a religious vocation since I was a little girl. I have a strange vocation story…
Pray constantly and dont give up no matter what anybody tells you…

here is my vocation story its rather long.
discernmentofmyheart.blogspot.com/2010/05/my-vocation-story-to-church-and-my.html

 

[ToJesuswithMary]

Hi there,

I’m a senior in high school, and I am in a very similar situation to yours. I feel called to be a religious sister, and due to many issues in the family, telling my parent is going to be a challenge. I came to the realization though that it’s nothing to worry myself over now. I can’t leave for a convent anytime soon. I’m at home at least for one more year. I just have to receive the Sacraments, pray and strengthen myself with God’s grace because I’ll need it when the time comes! Just wait upon the Lord. He will take care of you. I’ll pray for you. If you need to talk to someone, PM me.

-Jeanne

Thank you so much. May both of us persevere from our exile. Let us pray to the Lord with Mary , the Little Flower and to all the saints…

 

[Scoobyshme]

I understand the heartache of rejection and troubles. I am almost 20years old and discerning to be catholic and a nun double for my poor mother.
She is a strict protestant from the south and hates all catholics and catholic ideas. She thinks its mary worshipers and pope lovers. I know i’m called for a religious vocation since I was a little girl. I have a strange vocation story…
Pray constantly and dont give up no matter what anybody tells you…

here is my vocation story its rather long.
discernmentofmyheart.blogspot.com/2010/05/my-vocation-story-to-church-and-my.html

You may find it interesting, but my first cousin is a nun at St. Cecelia’s in Nashville (Dominicans). She grew up Protestant (Methodist?) and her father was a pastor of a Methodist Church, if I recall. When she took her vows, though, her parents showed up at the Mass in lieu of services at their own church in order to show their support!

If you think you’re called to a vocation as a nun, you couldn’t do much better than St. Cecelia’s. They have their spiritual heads on right, I assure you! We were there for three days, among 150 nuns there, and not one time did I see any sort of frown or grimace, or anything short of a glowing smile!

 

[jet100]

You may find it interesting, but my first cousin is a nun at St. Cecelia’s in Nashville (Dominicans). She grew up Protestant (Methodist?) and her father was a pastor of a Methodist Church, if I recall. When she took her vows, though, her parents showed up at the Mass in lieu of services at their own church in order to show their support!

If you think you’re called to a vocation as a nun, you couldn’t do much better than St. Cecelia’s. They have their spiritual heads on right, I assure you! We were there for three days, among 150 nuns there, and not one time did I see any sort of frown or grimace, or anything short of a glowing smile!

WOW! thank you! That is very inspiring for me. God bless

 

[georgewithfaith]

FOLLOW GOD’S WILL

Pray to God and spend time in Eucharistic Adoration. What your parents think does not matter as much as what God wills. If Jesus wills for you to be a priest or for the other poster in this thread to be a sister, then he will give you the grace to proceed even with the adversity of opposition from your parents.

Now there are certain religious orders that are progressive and you should stay clear of those. For the priesthood I recommend FSSP Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. More important, of course is to discern what order God wants you to join.

 

[JS_Cortez]

And don’t forget to pray for your parents. Even with the severity of their protests, every time I have heard about parents not wanting their sons to be priests its because:

1. they wanted grandchildren
2. they believe you’ll be alone if you become a priest
3. they believe you won’t have any one to care for you when you’re old
4. they’re afraid they won’t have someone to take care of them

So pray for them as well and entrust them to the Lord.

 

[ChantalM]

Hi everyone:

For me it’s the opposite to the OP. I’ve felt called to the religious life even since my discernment into Catholicism (I’m a convert as well). To boot, I believe I’ve been called to wear a headcovering full-time as well (the Lord and I have had long conversations about it, and I’ve been delaying). My parents, on the other hand, well, my mom is a Lutheran minister and at my conversion at Easter Vigil, they came, but I heard through the grapevine that she had a hissy fit. Be assured of my prayers, Jesus will tell you when the time is right.

Chantal