Thinking about the priesthood or religious life.

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Tanais

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I just wanted to know how many people out there are considering serving the Church as a priest or monk or nun. I have thought about it from time to time, however one of the things that is really holding me back is my own unworthiness. I view the priesthood as a holy and dignified calling, i just wonder if I am worthy enough. I also wanted to know anyone out there considering the vocation?
 
I can’t vote, I’m discerning a vocation to the Permanent Diaconate.
 
My wife and three children present a practical problem with becoming a priest.

I do want to become a deacon in a few years, however.
 
Seriously considering the priesthood here. Its been an off and on again debate but over the past year alot of people have been very encouraging, still some doubts still remain. I think the best advice was given to me by a Jesuit priest who said “You don’t have to be certain to enter the seminary, part of the seminary is helping you decide if this is right for you.”
 
I was thinking about it briefly… if I knew what I know NOW, and was 10 years younger, I would enter seminary in an instant…however, I am older and have ZERO interest in going to school for 5-6 years. Maybe someday they’ll have a fasttrack program…but I talked to a priest about my unwillingness to go to school at my age for 5-6 years and he said then maybe I dont have the “calling” I know MUCH older men enter regardless of age…but for me…I aint interested in that amount of time. When the priest told me its needed to form men of good faith, I told him a solid argument can be made for many of those who went so many years of schooling and were rotten apples from the get go…and if the church required 5-6 of education 2000 years ago…we’d never be as far as we are today…and STILL the entire world hasnt heard the Gospel! Sometimes I wish it were much more simpler without all the red tape needed to serve God as a priest… in that respect, I have a healthy “slight” envy of protestants of good faith (though skewed) who just decide to be a minister and start doing it…simply cause of a love of God and spreading the word…like I said before…if I didnt know Jesus was in that Eucharist, what with all the problems in the Church, I would have started my own ministry by now.
 
My son was thinking about it seriously. One night, he stayed up all night and filled the front and back of sheet of paper with reasons the priesthood would be right for him. Some were light and sort of funny, such as he likes being the center of attention and he could get by with less math to deeper reasons such as wanting to help people, to build up our Church, and of course his love of God.

A few weeks after writing the paper, he decided it is not for him and that, in fact, it would be the last thing he would want to do. He acted terrified at the very thought.and told me he was even praying for it to not be his calling. He said he loves going out with his friends, he loves girls, he loves to dance.

I encouraged him to pray instead to understand and accept God’s will for him, whatever it might be, and he agreed to do so.

He loves our church and helps out when he can. Our priest is his spiritual director and my son trusts him completely.

I don’t know what he will ultimately decide. Which would I prefer? Would a Catholic mom want her son to be priest or to have grandchildren? I want him to serve God and to be happy and I feel sure he will be able to do so either as a lay person or as a deacon or priest.

I’ve asked especially St. Francis, St. Augustine, and St. Monica and of course our Blessed Mother to pray for him. Will you please pray for him also?

God bless you all and best wishes to any and all who are considering the priesthood.
 
I am thinking about becoming a religious Sister recently I have put alot of though into this, looking at different orders…perhaps daughters of Pauline…they are so cool…some of my earliest memories are of the My Friend magazine they publish.
Many people have said I would be a good nun. Many say I would be a good mom. My spiritual director sais I should wait and see where God leads me before I set my heart on anything particular. Fr. Greg, a Polish priest who is totally awsome, said, “You be nun, you see.” and once introduced me as the girl who will become a nun (of course he said this in Polish so I didn’t know what he was saying, but the other priest, Fr. Bogdyn, who was less experinced in English then Fr. Greg said the translation aloud)
Sometimes I really want to be a nun, sometimes I want to be a mom. I am very, very attracted to the religious life and could be happy praying and serving God alone all day, but in my heart I can also hear God telling me He has a great plan for me and Him alone may not be it…
On a shallower note it would totally tee off my parents if I became a nun:D

Meggie
 
I have considered the priesthood in the past. And there are times that I feel like I really want to be a priest. But it is just not my vocation.

I think that part of the reason that the priesthood appeals so much to me is the fact that I want to do something about all of the problems in the Church in the past 40 years or so. If I were a priest I can guarantee you there would be no liturgical abuse in my parish and I would teach and preach the Catholic faith.

Not too long ago I was discussing all of this with a Benedictine monk. He told me to marry a nice, Catholic girl and have lots of children and raise them in the faith. And that would be the best way for me to help bring about a true renewal in the Church.

Strangley enough I had recently come to realize that that is my vocation.

James
 
This is a great discussion! My reconsidering a vocation to the priesthood was how I found this forum. My initial thoughts were along the lines of: “Life is too short for it not to be full of Ora et Labora. prayer and prayerful, meaningful work. Is priesthood the most meaningful life I could live?”

Another question is, diocesan/parish priesthood or religious order priesthood? I think most orders have good charisms–if I am meant to be in one, how do I find it? Knowing and believing that it is God’s call, not my choice off a menu.
 
Faithful 2 Rome:
… in that respect, I have a healthy “slight” envy of protestants of good faith (though skewed) who just decide to be a minister and start doing it…simply cause of a love of God and spreading the word…
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I am personally grateful that the overwhelming majority – 98% plus – of priests I’ve ever encountered were godly, faithful and learned.

I’ve had my time listening to the radio preachers and the TV Evangelists, and I’ve listened to some real nut case theologies getting preached by people without any real foundation in theology.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Church and the prospective priest are best served by a 5-10 year process in education and discernment before final vows are taken. We’ve already seen the consequences when this discernment process was not rigorous resulting in multi-million settlement awards. However, in addition to that issue, I am also grateful that most people can get spiritual leadership from a priest and have some confidence that the priest has the appropriate background and training.

Another point about the rigorous process is the issue of surrendering one’s life and will. If one is truly called to surrender their entire life to God in the priesthood, then it shouldn’t matter what the day-to-day duties are. The years spent in seminary are simply doing the next right thing in God’s plan. They are to be accepted and offered joyfully.
 
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Fortiterinre:
Is priesthood the most meaningful life I could live?"
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Well, if you cannot answer that in the positive, then you shouldn’t proceed with Holy Orders. But Holy Orders are a long way away.

You do not need to have an firm answer to that question to begin the discernment process. If the “voice” calling you to the priesthood is there, I think you should listen. The very act of responding will help that “voice” to strengthen – or weaken – over time, ultimately leading you to your correct vocation. I believe many young men hear that “voice” faintly at first, and choose to ignore it.
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Fortiterinre:
Another question is, diocesan/parish priesthood or religious order priesthood? I think most orders have good charisms–if I am meant to be in one, how do I find it? Knowing and believing that it is God’s call, not my choice off a menu.
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The only way you can faithfully follow God’s call, in my opinion, it to take the effort to educate yourself. Spend some time reading about different religious orders and see if you are drawn to one or more. The ones that seem attractive, meet priests in that order and talk it over with them. Similarly, talk it over with priests from local parishes. The “light bulb” will eventually go off, and you’ll find yourself drawn in a specific direction.

I’ve said a prayer for you, and will keep you and others considering the priesthood in my prayers.
 
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Tanais:
I just wanted to know how many people out there are considering serving the Church as a priest or monk or nun. I have thought about it from time to time, however one of the things that is really holding me back is my own unworthiness. I view the priesthood as a holy and dignified calling, i just wonder if I am worthy enough. I also wanted to know anyone out there considering the vocation?
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Tanais, your as worthy as anybody else, it’s the evil one that is making you think this way, “the stone the builders reject shall be my corner stone” when I look a Pope John Paul and listen to people say that he is not able to carry on his duty, then these words come to mind.
Jesus didn’t pick 12 perfect men, one denied him, one sold him, so your as good as anybody else, but it is a big step and you need to pray a lot about it.
 
I’m honestly thinking about it. However, right now I’m in college studying business. Maybe when I’m done with business school in four years, I’ll go to seminary and after that I’ll have a nice business plan to start a traditional Church.

Seriously though, it’s something I have considered along with a business career or a career in the army. However, now I’m moving into politcs as I’m “running for election” as a Republican commiteeman for my local precinct. We only have one life, and it’s too short to do all that is possible.
 
I am 29 years serminarian from the Archdiocese of Seattle and I will be starting my pre-theology at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, California.My advice is that if guys consider to enter into holy order is to get an undergraduate degree from a non-seminary college and experience the outside life before making a comittment of entering into the seminary.

Bao
 
I would vote but, like the deacon candidates, I don’t have a category as I am a friar…although I hope to be a priest-friar.

To all who are considering a vocation, think about the Discalced Carmelites. (I’ve got to put in a plug…)

Meggie, there are several monasteries of Nuns in New York. If nothing else, you can ask the Sisters to pray for you and your family.
 
I do not feel called to be in the religous life, but I am exremely active in my church.

My prayers are with all of you who have decided to listen to the Lord’s call. Thank you and Bless you all!! :clapping:
 
I dont know, somtimes i feel a real strong call to do SOMTHING. i really get a real “calling” feeling when i hear homilies, but not so much at other times. i need to test the vocation, however one does that.
 
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rfk:
My wife and three children present a practical problem with becoming a priest.

I do want to become a deacon in a few years, however.
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Same here, but add five grandchildren. I have considered the deaconate, but have finally decided, after talking to my pastor, that I do not have a calling to any more than a faithful lay Catholic. (And, really, what could be better than to fill one’s true vocation.

John
 
Well at the Tridentine Latin Mass here in Dallas, we’ve already had two religious vocations in a few short years. One became a priest up at the FSSP seminary in Lincoln, NE and the other joined a convent in PA. Also, please seriously consider the FSSP seminary in Lincoln and the Clear Creek Monastery in northeast OK. Both are wonderful.
 
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