Stuck. Any advice?

[strugglingalong]

As far as the habitual sin, I am in the same position as you. But the way I look at it is as long as I am attempting to stop, if feebly and often failing, then I am still on track to be a good priest. I know I must stop, as purity issues are not compatible with priesthood, but I also have faith that I will be able to conquer my personal demons.

And as far as that goes, I have seen many things that include the saying “God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called.”

Have you already been accepted by a diocese/order? If so have you discussed the habitual sins? If this question is too personal we could talk privately. I’m genuinely wondering how they view such things.

Pax Christi tecum.

 

[JesuXPIPassio]

Here’s my situation. I’m going on 31 years old and working at a job that pays the bills well but I just don’t think is what God has for me. I think He has so much more for me. It causes me so much frustration and depression with each day. It takes so much for me to make it through the day because, honestly, I just don’t care about the things that make up this job. I went to school for theology and incurred a large educational debt (over $50,000). I’ve stopped discerning priesthood or religious life because of the debt. In addition I’ve been battling some habitual mortal sins which are another reason I’ve stopped even considering the priesthood or religious life.

Yet the desire doesn’t go away. I wish I could find peace and hope and joy in my life now but as much as I try I just am miserable. I think I’d find great joy and satisfaction in religious life. I’m drawn to a more serious pursuit of God and to more discipline. I’m worried now, however, that between my age, debts and struggles with mortal sin I’ll never be able to enter either the priesthood or religious life - thus be miserable for the rest of the years of my life. 35 is a cut off year for many diocese and religious orders. I just want to give myself wholly to God and it seems like I can’t do that where I am now in the way I yearn for…

Any advice? Should I just keep not considering priesthood or religious life? Should I be open to it? Help!

Pax Christi tecum.

The first step you should take is to start discerning a vocation with a proper advisor. Do you wish to become a priest in an order or with the diocese? Find whomever the competent authority is and discuss your situation with them. It’s difficult for us here to really give you useful answers, since this is just all electronic, and typing can only say so much. So, it’s best if you find the vocations director or vicar for clergy and talk about it, including the thing with your debt.

If you become a priest of the diocese, though, as you know, diocesan priests don’t take vows of poverty. In my diocese, they get paid a bit over a thousand dollars a month. That could help pay toward your debt.

I wish I knew more about orders though; I have no idea if they’ll be able to cover the debt.

Then again, I guess as a member of an order, you might be able to take on secondary jobs to pay off your debts.

I’m hoping for the best for you. Solutions are always there for us, and it’s great that you’re looking for them.

 

[sumergoest]

Christ calls all of us to “take up our cross and follow Him”: The cross which we might have to carry will often be a different cross to the one we envisage carrying, but we are still called to carry it.
It may be the shear depressing drugery of our day to day jobs, it may be the eternal battle with impurity or it might be the cross of circumstances preventing us following what we think is the call of Christ.
The important thing is to accept the cross which Christ invites us to carry in the circumstance of our lives: To accept with a totality of self- giving love that His will, not mine, be done: To offer our moment by moment joys, pains, sufferings and disappointments in an offering of humble love to Christ.
If we read the lives of the Saints we see how often, by accepting with love the hardships which come our way, we can find a peace which the world can not give.
PS: Anyone who is human and is thus inclined towards the sin of impurity really should look into the greaest revelation of modern time which Pope John Paul II gave the world when he published The Theology of The Body.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Christ calls all of us to “take up our cross and follow Him”: The cross which we might have to carry will often be a different cross to the one we envisage carrying, but we are still called to carry it.
It may be the shear depressing drugery of our day to day jobs, it may be the eternal battle with impurity or it might be the cross of circumstances preventing us following what we think is the call of Christ.
The important thing is to accept the cross which Christ invites us to carry in the circumstance of our lives: To accept with a totality of self- giving love that His will, not mine, be done: To offer our moment by moment joys, pains, sufferings and disappointments in an offering of humble love to Christ.
If we read the lives of the Saints we see how often, by accepting with love the hardships which come our way, we can find a peace which the world can not give.
PS: Anyone who is human and is thus inclined towards the sin of impurity really should look into the greaest revelation of modern time which Pope John Paul II gave the world when he published The Theology of The Body.

Thank you very much for the above Post, which has been extremely helpful and indeed affirming for me.

might be the cross of circumstances preventing us following what we think is the call of Christ

That one cross that I hoped I would never have to carry lifelong is the very cross offered I think. I knew this in a remote and half hearted sort of way that I think deep down I was trying to avoid keeping it just below conscious realization. Reading your Post brought things more into focus and consciousness. Of course, one can never know what may lay ahead, but there is the ‘meanwhile’ to take to heart with gratitude and joy since The Lord always knows and acts for the very best always…
The ‘meanwhile’ that may prove to be the whole journey.

Thank you again…Barb

 

[Writer]

Here’s my situation. I’m going on 31 years old and working at a job that pays the bills well but I just don’t think is what God has for me. I think He has so much more for me. It causes me so much frustration and depression with each day. It takes so much for me to make it through the day because, honestly, I just don’t care about the things that make up this job. I went to school for theology and incurred a large educational debt (over $50,000). I’ve stopped discerning priesthood or religious life because of the debt. In addition I’ve been battling some habitual mortal sins which are another reason I’ve stopped even considering the priesthood or religious life.

Yet the desire doesn’t go away. I wish I could find peace and hope and joy in my life now but as much as I try I just am miserable. I think I’d find great joy and satisfaction in religious life. I’m drawn to a more serious pursuit of God and to more discipline. I’m worried now, however, that between my age, debts and struggles with mortal sin I’ll never be able to enter either the priesthood or religious life - thus be miserable for the rest of the years of my life. 35 is a cut off year for many diocese and religious orders. I just want to give myself wholly to God and it seems like I can’t do that where I am now in the way I yearn for…

Any advice? Should I just keep not considering priesthood or religious life? Should I be open to it? Help!

Pax Christi tecum.

Like others have said, I would encourage you to set things right in your life and, if possible, consider pursuing religious life. If that’s not possible, keep in mind that your job does not necessarily define who or what you are. Just because I’m a governmental auditor, for example, this is not how I consider or introduce myself outside of the work venue. If you need to continue working in a job you dislike, offer the frustration and pain you feel each day as a sacrifice to God. Unfortunately, with the expense of college tuition climbing sky high these days, people like you are saddled right out of the gate with huge debts which weigh one down. I sympathize, and I wish I could offer more insights…

 

[strugglingalong]

Like others have said, I would encourage you to set things right in your life and, if possible, consider pursuing religious life. If that’s not possible, keep in mind that your job does not necessarily define who or what you are. Just because I’m a governmental auditor, for example, this is not how I consider or introduce myself outside of the work venue. If you need to continue working in a job you dislike, offer the frustration and pain you feel each day as a sacrifice to God. Unfortunately, with the expense of college tuition climbing sky high these days, people like you are saddled right out of the gate with huge debts which weigh one down. I sympathize, and I wish I could offer more insights…

Thank you. I do know my job doesn’t define who I am but it is how I expend a lot of my energy throughout a week. It just seems like I want something more, to live for Someone Who is All, and to be wholly His own. I had these thoughts before but working in the world again has made me see what I want and what I think God may want. If He wants me to stay here, I pray for the grace to do it. I pray to be able to do it each day. But I don’t know that it is His will…we will see what He says. I agree with all you said though. Thank you for your words!

Pax Christi tecum.

 

[Poor_Clare_tobe]

God will not call you to a place that you can not go. So maybe those religious orders you want to join are not where you are called to be.

To say that a religious order is “a bit less faithful” is off in my mind. Every religious group will have the extremes. But over all I would say that the majority are more of a middle line. Some people take a hardline on everything when in reality there is much that we can disagree on and still be faithful to the Church and the Faith.

Also maybe you are called to join one of these groups to help return them to where you think they should be.

In my experience, the “younger” members in my community are of a more “conservative” bent.

sound advice brother… [Might I add that I enjoy your posts btw?**]
" Originally Posted by strugglingalong View Post
Here’s my situation. I’m going on 31 years old and working at a job that pays the bills well but I just don’t think is what God has for me. I think He has so much more for me. It causes me so much frustration and depression with each day. It takes so much for me to make it through the day because, honestly, I just don’t care about the things that make up this job. I went to school for theology and incurred a large educational debt (over $50,000). I’ve stopped discerning priesthood or religious life because of the debt. In addition I’ve been battling some habitual mortal sins which are another reason I’ve stopped even considering the priesthood or religious life". ..keep searching “stuggling along” cause if you are meant to enter religious life doors will open trust me on this… meet with your spiritual director… meet with the vocations director for your diocese and with any orders you might be considering… you might try looking at the veritas people here on how to get finances going in the right direction… who knows if you work while continuing studies the loans might be paid off more quickly… don’t give up hope… we have diocesan priests of older ages here by older I mean over 40 so keep looking… and blessings to you.*