Priesthood and bipolar disorder

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Vianney100

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Hi, I would like to ask you if I may be a priest, when I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I feel strong vocation from God. Provided my health condition is good would it be possible for me to be a priest ?
 
It’s obviously not the same thing you know, but I have OCD and spoke to the vocations director of my dioceses about becoming a Sister. He told me to just explain it and weather it made me have trouble with my daily duties. Sadly, my OCD has become increasingly more severe so I am not pursuing the religious life anymore because I can see how it would only hurt me mentally. Speak to your vocations director 🙂 He’ll help I’m sure.
 
Only your Diocesan Vocation Director can say for sure. but I wold urge you to pray about whether or not you can serve the Lord in other capacities, such as St. Vincent de Paul Ministry, Feeding the homeless Ministry, etc. If he doesn’t suggest seminary, there are loads of other options. Don’t worry, leave it to the Holy Spirit.
God uses all kinds of people.
 
Your health condition is good now, but it may not be at some future point in your life. For a vocations director to sign off on you, he’ll have to have a relative certainty that you will generally be able to fulfill the duties enjoined upon you throughout your career. Chronic illnesses, whether physical or mental, therefore often present a barrier.

I’d encourage you, though, to have words with your diocese’s vocations director, or that of the society or institute in which you find yourself interested, and to be very straightforward about your mental health history. If you can’t, then it’s better to know up front than to get too invested.
 
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