Z
Thread for all discerning priesthood and for those already studying for priests
- Status
+
R
REESE_HOWELL
Guest
I would like to thank you for stating this thread God has special plan in your life may the Holy Spirit lead you on this wonderful journeyHi everyone!
I think I’ll be in the next year discerning my call to priesthood and I would like to make a room here for everyone having similar intentions.
This thread is equally for those who have already found themselves to be called to lead a priestly life and are studying to become priests.
Hope we could share among us some good ideas, doubts, worries, enthusiasm and encouragement!
Welcome
Z
zemi
Guest
Thank you, Reese!
The same is true for you
What motivates you when thinking about it to become a priest?
R
REESE_HOWELL
Guest
to lead ,help ,heal,people towards God through God , and by God I just want God to use me to fullfill my purpose by helping others find thier way to the Kingdom of God
K
Kevin42
Guest
I just wanted to stop in and let everyone in this thread know that I am praying for you all. I pray that God will steady you and prepare you for the journey that he has planned for you.
A
AngelicDoctor
Guest
Hey all. FYI, I have been discerning the priesthood for some years now. I actually was a seminarian for 3 years with the Diocese of Rockford (2 years of major sem). I stepped out because I am wrestling with the possible call to religious life. My journey has been complicated… but in God’s time not mine. If anyone has any questions about seminary life, what its like, etc. …I might be able to give some of my 2 cents. Please pray for me in my discernment, I am staying at a Benedictine Monastery next week.
O
orgel_maestro
Guest
Hang in there Paweł
M
Mannyfit75
Guest
I like to share some of my views since I started discerning priesthood last Easter 06. I have noticed the temptation to sin is much greater now than it was before when I wasn’t discerning priesthood.Hi everyone!
I think I’ll be in the next year discerning my call to priesthood and I would like to make a room here for everyone having similar intentions.
This thread is equally for those who have already found themselves to be called to lead a priestly life and are studying to become priests.
Hope we could share among us some good ideas, doubts, worries, enthusiasm and encouragement!
Welcome
There are apparently forces at work here trying to derail my discernment. The need for praying more and mediation does help me. I have just started praying the vespers a few months ago. There are times when I put off prayer which doesn’t make me feel any better.
The night shift which I started to work has made completely difficulty to go to Mass, and the feeling of regrets burns in my soul. I will try at least to go when I return to FOB Victory. I’m currently in the Green Zone until 08 July. The only thing I regret the most is missing Mass.
A
archonnx
Guest
Hi Reese, I am wounder how is the studying with SOLT going? I am intrasted in a few orders and well im looking arund really. At the moment I am looking into Fathers or Mercy. Anyway, I was also thining about SOLT and I am jsut woundering how has been your experince. I am also thinking about how hard would you say is the schooling and how hard is it to be doing it in Rome?
To thouse who have been in Seminary, I was told by 2 good friends that Seminary, though is not some walk in the park, is not as hard as one may think. On the other hand one person (A priest) has said, Man it is really hard. I am woundering how has it been for thouse of you who have been their?
To thouse who have been in Seminary, I was told by 2 good friends that Seminary, though is not some walk in the park, is not as hard as one may think. On the other hand one person (A priest) has said, Man it is really hard. I am woundering how has it been for thouse of you who have been their?
Z
zemi
Guest
Could you briefly sketch out your daily schedule?
Z
zemi
Guest
Hi Mannyfit, I know that all very well - that the more you try in doing something good (for others/God), the more you can be discouraged/tempted.
Btw, I know you’re now in Iraq I think. What are you precisely doing there? Are you normally living there?
A
AngelicDoctor
Guest
Well, I am not in seminary any more (still discerning). However, I can tell you an example of a seminary schedule from my own experience. Now, mind you, my schedule was unique because I attended the North American College in Rome… which meant I attended the College (which was the seminary where we lived, ate, prayed) but commuted to the Pontifical University of St. Thomas [Dominican run] for theology classes.Could you briefly sketch out your daily schedule?
We had morning prayer (Liturgy of the Hours) starting around 6:30am. Then Holy Mass from about 6:50-7:20.
7:20-8am was open for breakfast. Classes began at 8:30am so you had 30 min. or more to get to the university either by walking or bus (about 3 miles–many guys opted to walk). Classes were 4 45 minute periods, generally, and went from 8:30-12:30 w/ little 15 min. breaks to go to the cafe or the chapel where we had Eucharistic adoration going on throughout the day.
We then would go back to the seminary college, have our big meal of the day (lunch) from about 1:15-2pm (some guys who arrived back early would pray a rosary in the chapel, alot of guys would pray during their walk to and from the university).
From 2-6:45 was time for studying, recreation, personal prayer, house jobs (such as sacristan duties, cleaning up, etc.), apostolate (working at a soup kitchen, or whatever), working out, napping, etc. They did have an optional holy hour from 5:30-6:30 if you wanted. 6:45 was Evening Prayer (Morning prayer, Evening prayer, and mass were mandatory). 7pm was dinner (usually leftovers from lunch… a quicker meal than lunch). After dinner you had more free time (for prayer, rest, whatever–same as afternoon)–We had “formation” classes once a week–2nd year students had preaching practicums, 3rd year students did other pastoral/liturgical training necessary for deacons, 1st year guys had general talks about various topics.
We had Sat. as a day off–we could travel, things were not mandatory, we could go to a mass outside the sem. Sunday also was more of a laid back free day… though some things were mandatory. Guys did all sorts of recreation–sports, running, soccer teams, tournaments, some guys did wood work, icons, etc. We had a lounge with foods and beers, some guys would watch movies in the lounge, etc.
Seminary in America would only be different in the sense of the day not starting as early (because they would have classes in house, no need to commute), and lunch would be casual, and dinner would be the bigger meal.
I loved seminary, great guys (course, you do not get along with everyone…but what a strength to discern and prepare with other men going for the same goal), great classes.
A
AngelicDoctor
Guest
By the way, I had classes with the SOLT guys… great guys! They had an even longer commute than the American diocesan guys. … their house is in Subiaco … about an hour commute one way… is that right? SOLT guys were good down-to-earth men of God. One thing that was great about studying in Rome is that if you were diocesan, you could still study with and interact with religious (both men and women)… and even a few lay students.
G
GandalfTheWhite
Guest
Well, I feel called to priesthood as well. I’ve decided to follow the call and I actually started a thread about it before discovering this one. As I mentioned there (I think), I still haven’t approached my priest because I made up my mind while on vacations. I’ll need to wait few month now, but I guess there isn’t really much I can do now.
Recently I told my mom about it. First she sounded like: “I’m not going to tell you to do it or not to do it” but then later she started persuading me to finish my education (meaning finish my BA degree and get a postgraduate degree). She basically looks at it from a very simple point of view and thinks that I should do it in case I decide that that’s not for me. She is Catholic, but she just doesn’t understand this. Today she even said that I would make her angry if I chose to give up on “finishing” my studies. Of course I don’t really like that option for obvious reasons. I have one more year before I graduate with an undergraduate degree. If I still feel that that’s what God wants and if my future spiritual director will have no objections, I see it as a waste to do 2-3 additional years “just please” my parents. I also don’t want to keep God waiting - I don’t think that that’s how loyalty to God works.
Today she also told my dad, who is completely irreligious. Well, he has pretty much the same opinion but much stronger. He got very said and she told me that he even lost his ‘meaning of life’. The sad thing about it is that I understand where he is comming from. He loves and worked very hard for me (even now faces lots of stess because of his dedication) - so I would get a good education etc. which he never obtained. I feel so sorry about him.
Well, I’m completelly lost now. I feel like a son who is running from their parents, which is of course not true. I still love them but I love God as well. I just don’t think that doing what they want me to do is the right thing to do. On the other hand, I think it would at least be a repayment for their care they have given me. I fell split. As I’m typing this I feel sad and lost. Have you had the same experience? What would you do? What have you done?
Recently I told my mom about it. First she sounded like: “I’m not going to tell you to do it or not to do it” but then later she started persuading me to finish my education (meaning finish my BA degree and get a postgraduate degree). She basically looks at it from a very simple point of view and thinks that I should do it in case I decide that that’s not for me. She is Catholic, but she just doesn’t understand this. Today she even said that I would make her angry if I chose to give up on “finishing” my studies. Of course I don’t really like that option for obvious reasons. I have one more year before I graduate with an undergraduate degree. If I still feel that that’s what God wants and if my future spiritual director will have no objections, I see it as a waste to do 2-3 additional years “just please” my parents. I also don’t want to keep God waiting - I don’t think that that’s how loyalty to God works.
Today she also told my dad, who is completely irreligious. Well, he has pretty much the same opinion but much stronger. He got very said and she told me that he even lost his ‘meaning of life’. The sad thing about it is that I understand where he is comming from. He loves and worked very hard for me (even now faces lots of stess because of his dedication) - so I would get a good education etc. which he never obtained. I feel so sorry about him.
Well, I’m completelly lost now. I feel like a son who is running from their parents, which is of course not true. I still love them but I love God as well. I just don’t think that doing what they want me to do is the right thing to do. On the other hand, I think it would at least be a repayment for their care they have given me. I fell split. As I’m typing this I feel sad and lost. Have you had the same experience? What would you do? What have you done?
Z
zemi
Guest
Hi. GandalfTheWhite.Well, I feel called to priesthood as well. I’ve decided to follow the call and I actually started a thread about it before discovering this one. As I mentioned there (I think), I still haven’t approached my priest because I made up my mind while on vacations. I’ll need to wait few month now, but I guess there isn’t really much I can do now.
Recently I told my mom about it. First she sounded like: “I’m not going to tell you to do it or not to do it” but then later she started persuading me to finish my education (meaning finish my BA degree and get a postgraduate degree). She basically looks at it from a very simple point of view and thinks that I should do it in case I decide that that’s not for me. She is Catholic, but she just doesn’t understand this. Today she even said that I would make her angry if I chose to give up on “finishing” my studies. Of course I don’t really like that option for obvious reasons. I have one more year before I graduate with an undergraduate degree. If I still feel that that’s what God wants and if my future spiritual director will have no objections, I see it as a waste to do 2-3 additional years “just please” my parents. I also don’t want to keep God waiting - I don’t think that that’s how loyalty to God works.
Today she also told my dad, who is completely irreligious. Well, he has pretty much the same opinion but much stronger. He got very said and she told me that he even lost his ‘meaning of life’. The sad thing about it is that I understand where he is comming from. He loves and worked very hard for me (even now faces lots of stess because of his dedication) - so I would get a good education etc. which he never obtained. I feel so sorry about him.
Well, I’m completelly lost now. I feel like a son who is running from their parents, which is of course not true. I still love them but I love God as well. I just don’t think that doing what they want me to do is the right thing to do. On the other hand, I think it would at least be a repayment for their care they have given me. I fell split. As I’m typing this I feel sad and lost. Have you had the same experience? What would you do? What have you done?
thanks for your great post. I’ve something in common with you. I’m 21 and I’ve got also 1 year left now to finish my BA studies. I’ve told nothing my parents because I’m just starting to discern.
However, I would like to do nothing the next academic year but discern. I mean - I would have a great job, I would be all the time in one Christian community, I would be doing apologetics all the time, writing articles, translating books in shop at CA, making subtitles to DVD’s like Christopher West’s stuff etc and I would got paid for that. I’ve talked about this with my favourite priest, he would give me the job. On the other hand, I’ve got a father, who would very much like I finish my school. I haven’t told them about the possible job. Yet I’ve talked with him i was considering studying abroad but I knew from what he was saying he really wanted me to finish that one year here.
My Mum - she’s overtly “religious” - mass, rosaries etc. And to be honest she would just looove to have a priest of me. Frankly, I dislike it very much to put it mildly. That “bias”, maybe you know what I mean
And as for my Dad and his wanting me to finish my school… I started to ask him questions when it came to this. Like:Dad: “It would be perhaps best if you finish your studies here and then go abroad if you want. That’s what I think”
Me: “Ok, thanks. Hm… you said it would be better. Why’s that?”
Dad: “Well…you’d have a degree of course!”
Me: “So what’s the big deal anyway? What’s it good for?”
Dad: "Are you serious? "
Me: “Quite yes What’s the degree good for?”
Dad: “Job. Other questions?”
Me: “Yes. Is having a job everything there is?”
Dad: “
… what do you want to hear”?Me: “An answer to that I guess”
Dad: “(smiling) Where are you heading at?”
Me: “I just want to look at if pursuing the degree is always the right thing”
etc…
My Dad put at least his thinking cap on I guess sometimes, though he usually smiles and doesn’t answer these kind of questions.
I’m now also in a big dilemma. I still don’t know then what I’ll be doing after summer. I hope that with God’s help, he will help me to find it out. But I think I know a bit how you feel like. I’ve now no idea what to do in Septembre/Octobre. I’ll be thinking and praying this summer. Hopefully…
Any thoughts?
G
GandalfTheWhite
Guest
It sounds that you have a solid plan. You might want to take the advantage of the summer break and use it to pray more than usual. I think it’s perhaps good that you haven’t told anyone because I’m starting to think that I made a mistake telling my mom. I think I should have waited a little. It’s just that I coud no longer keep silent and since I’m away with my parents I had no one else to talk to. And then my mother tells my dad (aparantly to prepare him for the shock before I decide for sure).Hi. GandalfTheWhite.
thanks for your great post. I’ve something in common with you. I’m 21 and I’ve got also 1 year left now to finish my BA studies. I’ve told nothing my parents because I’m just starting to discern.
However, I would like to do nothing the next academic year but discern. I mean - I would have a great job, I would be all the time in one Christian community, I would be doing apologetics all the time, writing articles, translating books in shop at CA, making subtitles to DVD’s like Christopher West’s stuff etc and I would got paid for that. I’ve talked about this with my favourite priest, he would give me the job. On the other hand, I’ve got a father, who would very much like I finish my school. I haven’t told them about the possible job. Yet I’ve talked with him i was considering studying abroad but I knew from what he was saying he really wanted me to finish that one year here.
My Mum - she’s overtly “religious” - mass, rosaries etc. And to be honest she would just looove to have a priest of me. Frankly, I dislike it very much to put it mildly. That “bias”, maybe you know what I mean
Dad: “It would be perhaps best if you finish your studies here and then go abroad if you want. That’s what I think”
Me: “Ok, thanks. Hm… you said it would be better. Why’s that?”
Dad: “Well…you’d have a degree of course!”
Me: “So what’s the big deal anyway? What’s it good for?”
Dad: "Are you serious? "
Me: “Quite yes What’s the degree good for?”
Dad: “Job. Other questions?”
Me: “Yes. Is having a job everything there is?”
Dad: “
Me: “An answer to that I guess”
Dad: “(smiling) Where are you heading at?”
Me: “I just want to look at if pursuing the degree is always the right thing”
etc…
My Dad put at least his thinking cap on I guess sometimes, though he usually smiles and doesn’t answer these kind of questions.
I’m now also in a big dilemma. I still don’t know then what I’ll be doing after summer. I hope that with God’s help, he will help me to find it out. But I think I know a bit how you feel like. I’ve now no idea what to do in Septembre/Octobre. I’ll be thinking and praying this summer. Hopefully…
Any thoughts?
Oh well, the debate today got really emotional (my mother crying and my father was sooo sad that he coudn’t even say anything). I think it’s today that I realized that what he was doing was just for me to give me a solid background.
Oh my, I feel like running away from here to escape all this. I just can’t bear all this because I feel like I’m destroying all my parent’s hope and happiness. On the other hand there is God, whom I told that I would do whatever he wants me to do.
I thought I would be stong enaugh to resist if my parents would be persuading me…but I can no longer bear this. I can’t bear watching their saddness!
Z
zemi
Guest
I’m sorry for this, my friend, I’m sorry for how you feelIt sounds that you have a solid plan. You might want to take the advantage of the summer break and use it to pray more than usual. I think it’s perhaps good that you haven’t told anyone because I’m starting to think that I made a mistake telling my mom. I think I should have waited a little. It’s just that I coud no longer keep silent and since I’m away with my parents I had no one else to talk to. And then my mother tells my dad (aparantly to prepare him for the shock before I decide for sure).
Oh well, the debate today got really emotional (my mother crying and my father was sooo sad that he coudn’t even say anything). I think it’s today that I realized that what he was doing was just for me to give me a solid background.
Oh my, I feel like running away from here to escape all this. I just can’t bear all this because I feel like I’m destroying all my parent’s hope and happiness. On the other hand there is God, whom I told that I would do whatever he wants me to do.
I thought I would be stong enaugh to resist if my parents would be persuading me…but I can no longer bear this. I can’t bear watching their saddness!
When you are feeling hard now remeber that Jesus told us that because if his name we would have some tough times come upon us… It seems like you’re having one of those times, my friend… don’t be put down! Tell Jesus instead every single detail about how you feel, tell him exactly how you feel. He wants it! Don’t use kind words if you don’t feel that way. Only be honest with him! He wants your honesty. Maybe he uses this situation to spend some more time with you…
I regret also a lot of things sometimes. But if I can tell you now… don’t think about the past. God knows how you feel…
If I can offer you something else besides a prayer, I would give you this to take a look at. Look at the materials that are here (greaat stuff!):
forum.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=158342
forum.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=159805
Thank you for posting how you feel!
Z
zemi
Guest
GandalfTheWhite,
I actually plead you… to look at those links I sent you…
God bless
I actually plead you… to look at those links I sent you…
God bless
G
GandalfTheWhite
Guest
Dear Zemi,I’m sorry for this, my friend, I’m sorry for how you feel
When you are feeling hard now remeber that Jesus told us that because if his name we would have some tough times come upon us… It seems like you’re having one of those times, my friend… don’t be put down! Tell Jesus instead every single detail about how you feel, tell him exactly how you feel. He wants it! Don’t use kind words if you don’t feel that way. Only be honest with him! He wants your honesty. Maybe he uses this situation to spend some more time with you…
I regret also a lot of things sometimes. But if I can tell you now… don’t think about the past. God knows how you feel…
If I can offer you something else besides a prayer, I would give you this to take a look at. Look at the materials that are here (greaat stuff!):
forum.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=158342
forum.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=159805
Thank you for posting how you feel!
thank you for these kind words. I think that I often don’t think about this when I’m going through hard times. I already took a look at the Grain of Coffee PowerPoint presentation and I think it was very encouraging. It reminded me of the Mustard Seed Parable, though it’s pretty differnt. I will take a loot at the videos later today.
S Pánom Bohom
,~G
Z
zemi
Guest
You’re very welcome. We’re here for each other. That’s what this thread is for. Tommorow, I can be down in the dumps, you knowDear Zemi,
thank you for these kind words. I think that I often don’t think about this when I’m going through hard times. I already took a look at the Grain of Coffee PowerPoint presentation and I think it was very encouraging. It reminded me of the Mustard Seed Parable, though it’s pretty differnt. I will take a loot at the videos later today.
S Pánom Bohom
~G
Please, keep us updated on your situation!Thank you for the Slovak greeting!
- Status