Struggling with discerning a call to Diocesan or Religious Order Priesthood

[lovealways]

I’ve been struggling over the last few years to discern if God may be calling me to be a diocesan priest or member of a religious order community. I feel called to be a priest but exactly how i am not sure. I would consider myself to be solidly catholic and looking to be faithful to the magesterium. Any suggestions on how to discern the calling between these two? i know the basic differences about the two but perhaps you may have a revelation that i could pray about that would more clearly differentiate the two choices to do God’s Holy Will. PEACE

 

[SisterSnowflake]

May God bless you as you search and discern!

My best advice is to actually go visit a few different religious communities…you will soon discover whether or not this is the life for you.

Do you sense more of a call to live in community with like-minded men, or do you prefer the more solitary life of a diocesan priest? Perhaps the answer to this one question will speak volumes for you.

I LOVE life in community. To me, I can’t imagine any greater joy than religious life.

Just my “two cents”!

 

[Rising_Suns]

My best advice is to actually go visit a few different religious communities…you will soon discover whether or not this is the life for you.

This is the best advise that anyone can give. Start visiting religious communities (more than one), and you will learn more than any advise on a message board.

My prayers are with you in your discernment.

Blessings.

 

[KCT]

I remember hearing a priest say, “A vocation is not a generic thing and the first one to find the guy ‘gets’ him.”

A good vocations director should listen to you and help direct you to the right place.

I know a Legionary who once suggested to a young man he might have a vocation to the Benedictines! He knew because he listened! He wasn’t out to ‘get the vocation’, he was out to help the young man figure out what God was asking.

 

[jdemnyan]

Another area you might want to consider is this-

Although considering the “vocation shortage” there is a high chance that you will ordained as a priest should you join a religious community, there is still no certainty that this would happen. The reason being for this is that one joins a religious community because he feels his vocation to the charism of the order and the communal aspect of religious life and not necessarily to holy orders. (For example, the Christian Brothers have no priests.) Ordination is conferred upon those members the Superior sees fit and for the benefit of the order at large.

If you feel that you are called to the priesthood first and foremost, you may want to consider diocesan priesthood as you, God-willing, would be ordained.

I’m not trying to sway you to either option, but I think this is something important to consider in your journey of discernment…

My prayers for you as I’m going through my own discernment.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Another area you might want to consider is this-

Although considering the “vocation shortage” there is a high chance that you will ordained as a priest should you join a religious community, there is still no certainty that this would happen. The reason being for this is that one joins a religious community because he feels his vocation to the charism of the order and the communal aspect of religious life and not necessarily to holy orders. (For example, the Christian Brothers have no priests.) Ordination is conferred upon those members the Superior sees fit and for the benefit of the order at large.

If you feel that you are called to the priesthood first and foremost, you may want to consider diocesan priesthood as you, God-willing, would be ordained.

I’m not trying to sway you to either option, but I think this is something important to consider in your journey of discernment…

My prayers for you as I’m going through my own discernment.

This is not as true as it once was. There are a large number of clerical orders/communities out there were everyone is ordained. While there are many with both priests and brothers, many of them work on the premise that every candidate is to be ordained unless the candidate expressly states they do not wish to be ordained or there is something lacking in the individual candidate that the superior decides that the individual will not be ordained. Which can change.

 

[lovealways]

Thanks JDEMNYAN. The advice you gave is most helpful. Although i also agree with the situation that most orders with priests and brothers these days are more likely to ordain priests - one should join a religious order based on discernment of the charism and the desire for community.

 

[jdemnyan]

No problem- glad to help!

I agree that chances are that you would be ordained if you with a religious community, it is just a matter of where your true vocation lies. But I think that you understand that…