Preisthood

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creed227

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I am a convert to the Catholic faith almost 4 years now in Akron Ohio and I have had a lot on my heart about a calling to the church and priesthood. I have prayed a lot about this and my heart feels it is right but and mentioned it to my parish priest before but he said well don’t worry about that and took it as because I am convert and a sign that maybe I should not have these feelings. Also I am a Accountant and have my degree in Accounting and I know that is nothing to do with Theology. But I feel maybe also Priests are very high up and are cradle Catholics brought up in Catholic school and Catholic Colleges, so I just being a convert would not be allowed. So I have been praying now for God to just take all this priesthood vocations out of my heart and is there a way or prayer to ask Gog to put this out of my head and heart? I keep feeling these strong feeling calling me to the priesthood but maybe God as it wrong as I am not what is allowed from the church. I have never been married but am 44 years old. Can anyone help me with this dilemma as I love God with all my heart and want to serve him and others. Thank you for all your help!

God Bless!
 
God may really be calling you to the priesthood, and I don’t see why you shouldn’t be able to pursue that calling, barring any serious medical or mental problems. I don’t think you’re too old. Plenty of priests are converts to the Catholic faith and had gone from other careers to a religious vocation. If your local priest won’t support you on this journey, perhaps find one who does. I wish you well in your calling and your endeavors and I will pray for you.
 
Make an appointment with the Vocations Director of your Diocese.
He’ll take it from there as to your readiness, or intent, or anything else. You might look into the permanent Deaconate if they feel you are too old, but that’s not generally a worry.

After reading your other questions though, I do think you should study more, maybe get some good books on Catholicism to read, and in general educate yourself in the faith and THEN see if you still feel this calling. I’ll just bet he feels differently after you learn more about the faith.
God bless you.
 
The truth is that if God is calling you to the priesthood, then to the priesthood you will go!

However, prayer & patience are required. My guess your parish priest recognises that you have had the intense experience of conversion, and seeks to have you maybe a wee bit more settled in the faith before moving forward. Ask him?

Don’t worry about your age or your degree qualification. More important is your willingness to serve Christ & His Church.
 
You can be a convert and a priest! In fact, I sat through RCIA with my husband last year and one of the guest speakers was a priest who was also a convert, so I’ve met one! He had an incredible story! 🙂 We also have priests who were software developers, musicians, etc., until they heard the call a little later in life, so whatever you’re trained in doesn’t matter and may even be helpful down the road if you do become a priest. I’m sure a lot of parishes would benefit from a priest who is also an accountant! And you’re not too old.

I think if you believe God is really calling you to the priesthood, you just have to be persistent and don’t let anyone discourage you. You’ll have a lot of time to discern whether or not it’s a true calling in the coming years. I’d bring it up again with your parish priest. I know someone who’s a pastor now who heard the call in his 30’s, was put off time and time again, even through seminary, just because others didn’t believe it was a true calling…turns out it was!

Hoping the best for you! 🙂
 
Perhaps the priest you spoke with has a better idea of what is involved than you do, and he knows that you have a long way to go to to understand your faith. Your other threads give a sense that you have much to learn and much you are uncertain about. Perhaps he took this all into account.
 
Certainly the majority of priests begin seminary before the age of 44, but it is not extremely uncommon, I think, for priests to be ordained in their late 40s/early 50s. I don’t think you’re too old, and anyway, there are a couple seminaries which I know accept older candidates. I would speak not only with your parish priest, but perhaps other priests and especially your diocese’s vocation director, so that you have multiple people with whom you can discuss your options. And of course converts can become priests! Often, converts tend to take their Catholic faith more seriously than (many of) their “cradle” Catholic counterparts.

That you have a pretty strong desire and feel in your heart it is the right path could certainly be a sign you are being called to give it a try. Conversely, your priest that you spoke with that told you “not to worry” about it could also be right, although I don’t know how long ago that was - i.e., if it was right around the time of your conversion, or what. If it is still persisting, it could be time to bring up the topic with him again, and if he continues to say the same thing - that you don’t need to worry about it, or something along those lines - as I mentioned, I would speak with some other priests to get their take on it, as well as your vocations director. You shouldn’t dismiss something such as a perception of a possible call to priesthood just because one priest discourages it. Now, if many priests were to discourage you from it, then you might want to begin considering whether or not that is God speaking to you through the Church. Although I don’t know, there might be a lot of people who are against older vocations, for whatever reason, so you’ll need to know why it is that these people wouldn’t think you’re a good candidate.

In any case, keep on praying, and do anything you can (within reason) to be able to attend some daily Masses and do some Eucharistic Adoration. And of course you can receive graces every time you go to Confession as well. If you’re not involved in your current parish, then get involved, especially with the Liturgy if you can (lector, server, choir, whatever).

I often remember priests, seminarians, and those discerning vocations to priesthood and religious life in my prayers…but with a bias towards those discerning vocations to priesthood, since I am in the same boat right now. So you specifically will be in my prayers, at least the next couple times I have those intentions. 🙂
 
creed227 said:
I am a convert to the Catholic faith almost 4 years now in Akron Ohio and I have had a lot on my heart about a calling to the church and priesthood. I have prayed a lot about this and my heart feels it is right but and mentioned it to my parish priest before but he said well don’t worry about that and took it as because I am convert and a sign that maybe I should not have these feelings. Also I am a Accountant and have my degree in Accounting and I know that is nothing to do with Theology. But I feel maybe also Priests are very high up and are cradle Catholics brought up in Catholic school and Catholic Colleges, so I just being a convert would not be allowed. So I have been praying now for God to just take all this priesthood vocations out of my heart and is there a way or prayer to ask Gog to put this out of my head and heart? I keep feeling these strong feeling calling me to the priesthood but maybe God as it wrong as I am not what is allowed from the church. I have never been married but am 44 years old. Can anyone help me with this dilemma as I love God with all my heart and want to serve him and others. Thank you for all your help!

God Bless!
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We have guys in our 60s in seminary, it is never to old to become a priest.

We have converts in seminary too.
 
Irishmom2 said:
Perhaps the priest you spoke with has a better idea of what is involved than you do, and he knows that you have a long way to go to to understand your faith. Your other threads give a sense that you have much to learn and much you are uncertain about. Perhaps he took this all into account.
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THIS^^^.
It’s not about discouraging ANYONE from the priesthood.
It’s about encouraging people to get educated in what the Church teaches.
What does the Lord want? Holy AND well educated priests.
We have so many threads here from folks who think their priests are in error. I would think people would want men in the seminary that are properly formed.

It’s never too late to learn about the faith.
I also have a problem with guys who go through RCIA and right away people want them to become Deacons. Fast-forward 8 years, and folks will be complaining about how “protestant” their preaching is. :rolleyes:

I know people are going to jump on me, but seriously.
Education is always first. in any career or vocation.
That’s most likely what his confessor was referring to. I don’t read it as discouraging at all.
We are all praying for more vocations.
 
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