There are a few ways to look at this situation. You can use the time that you are paying it off to discern your vocation further. If God is calling you, then He will find a way to do this quickly, and He already knows that you have this debt anyway. Paying off a debt is a discipline akin to fasting, just as getting into debt can be akin to over-indulging (although perhaps not in your case), so it is good training. Therefore you could turn this into an opportunity and allow God to help you with this discipline, turning it into a spiritual experience. How little can you live on and have around you until it is paid off? Have you really considered how basic you could live for the love of God, ie using candles and blankets, strip washing instead of filling the bath, cutting down on food, living in a poor state and so forth? It would take an immense amount of prayer, but it can be a journey of being released from the captivity of this debt. Could someone in your church mentor and pray with you through such a journey?
Being in debt is overwhelming; so, even if you were not being called you may still be subconsciously seeking to resolve the situation in the easiest way possible. Are you being truthful to yourself? If you did not have this debt do you think that you would still be being called now?
You have to consider what you are taking into the church. ‘Be holy because I am holy’ . What are your own personal values towards debt, and what would Jesus say about it? Your worth to God maybe greater than any debt you own, and so it may be OK with Him. Only He and the church can answer this, and His answers come when we listen to Him.
What have you learned from this? Priesthood may require you to draw on what you have learned to manage a part of God’s household. Losing a job is beyond our control, as are other circumstances, but such circumstances arise all the time and how you manage, or plan to manage, them is going to be important to the church I should think. As priesthood is a vocation and not a job there is a case to argue that in the grander scale of things the money is a nothing and you are a good investment, even with a debt.
If you are from the UK then there is law that may enable you to have this debt wiped. You need to contact the CAB if that is the case. If you are not in UK then check that there aren’t similar laws in your country.
Debt consolidation is an expensive way out of debt. It seems attractive on a long term basis (because adding on years is the only way to reducing payments), but are you sure that you are not avoiding the discipline to pay it off in a shorter time? What would be God’s way? (discernment and wisdom???)
Obviously pray and pray about your situation and trust that God will provide for all your needs. Don’t dither though, God’s work comes with an urgency for a reason. Let the church know if you are being called, they are going to be able to guide you whilst you explore your way through this.
Just advice, I am no expert. There may be other options you can explore with the church to resolve this issue. I am sure they probably have a rule of thumb.
God bless you
