Vocation for a traditional catholic

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strugglingalong

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I posted elsewhere but am posting here too because I want to get a particularly traditional view on my question. Basically I am about to turn 31 and working at a job that pays my bills well but is not fulfilling for me. I hate getting up every day. I really think God has so much more for me and that if/when I am in God’s will there’d be joy and peace and fulfillment even though it’d still have suffering and pains of its own. Anyway, for awhile now I’ve given up considering the priesthood or religious life because: (a) I incurred a large student loan debt studying theology (in excess of $50,000), (b) habitual mortal sins of impurity and (c) now my age since a lot of orders and diocese set a limit at age 35. But yet I still sense at times that I am called to something more, to give myself wholly to God in a special way. What do you think? Should I give up the idea of discerning? Are these signs that a priestly or religious vocation are not for me? Is the lack of fulfillment and joy in my job evidence of God having something more for me?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Again I know there is a Vocations area but I want to get advice from traditional Catholics!

Pax Christi tecum.
 
strugglingalong,

Just a small bit of advice from me- as a traditional Catholic you might be happier with religious life. I’m personally looking into the Dominicans right now. Furthermore, your age would be far less of an issue, as I believe most religious orders put the cap somewhere between 40 and 45. I don’t know how much you’re making, but that would at least give you more time to pay off your debt.

If that’s your calling, God will give you a way to fulfill it. Somewhere in one of his letters to the Corinthians Paul writes that God would never place an impossible task before us. That statement can be applied to sins of impurity as well.

Keep praying about it! I find the Joyful mysteries to be great for discernment, especially the Annunciation.
 
OnlyAmbrose,

I had visited the Dominicans and I liked them. The problem there is they want an undergraduate degree with no debt. I didn’t know their age limit was so high. Are you sure the Dominicans take someone 40 or 45? I do know I spoke to a Carmelite order who said 35 was the limit on age.

I agree that God will make a way for us to fulfill His will. I think for awhile now I’ve just sort of despaired a lot and given up that God could have anything for me. For some reason I am realizing more and more that maybe He does.

Another issue is the TLM. I love the traditional liturgy and would have a difficult time as a priest having to offer the Novus Ordo.

That’s great that you’re open to God’s will. Follow it wherever He may lead you. It’s the best thing.

Pax Christi tecum.
 
Hmmmm, well if you would be uncomfortable celebrating the Novus Ordo you would probably have to consider a less apostolic order. At least in my experiences with the apostolic religious, most of the priests say Mass at various parishes in the area, and certainly most of them celebrate the Novus Ordo. If you don’t want to ever celebrate the NO, obviously the diocesan priesthood wouldn’t work. I can’t really help you past that because I’ve never looked into more monastic and cloistered orders…

Though I would consider loosening that view. As much as we may prefer TLM to the OF, the OF is what most of the faithful are familiar with now, and it seems like it wouldn’t be altogether charitable to refuse to say Mass just because it’s the OF. I’m sure you’d have opportunities to offer both.

At least one of the orders I was looking into was 40 to 45. Maybe it was the Augustinians. 🤷
 
OnlyAmbrose,

Yes I would offer the Novus Ordo if I had to do so but I’d prefer the TLM. I understand having to offer the Novus Ordo but I guess if I could choose, I’d choose not to do so.

Pax Christi tecum.
 
OSA is the Augustinians. From what I can gather they’re a smaller order at the moment, at least their Western Province is.

osa-west.org/

I’m primarily looking into the Western Dominicans right now because I’m going to college in a few months and will be a short walk away from a Dominican school of theology. I’ve actually heard from the Norbertines where I live that the Western Dominicans are holy men indeed, but I fortunately get to see for myself because of my college’s proximity to them 🙂
 
OnlyAmbrose said:
OSA is the Augustinians. From what I can gather they’re a smaller order at the moment, at least their Western Province is.

osa-west.org/

I’m primarily looking into the Western Dominicans right now because I’m going to college in a few months and will be a short walk away from a Dominican school of theology. I’ve actually heard from the Norbertines where I live that the Western Dominicans are holy men indeed, but I fortunately get to see for myself because of my college’s proximity to them 🙂
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Good, then I hope the Western Dominican province is a good one! The Dominicans are such a beautiful religious order. What a blessing to be called to join them!

Pax Christi tecum.
 
strugglingalong said:
Another issue is the TLM. I love the traditional liturgy and would have a difficult time as a priest having to offer the Novus Ordo.
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The Church does NOT need yet another difficult priest! Why would you even consider being a priest if you don’t want to celebrate the Ordinary Form of the Mass?
 
Timothysis said:
The Church does NOT need yet another difficult priest! Why would you even consider being a priest if you don’t want to celebrate the Ordinary Form of the Mass?
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Better to have another “difficult” priest than another “follow your conscience” priest. :rolleyes:

He’s already said that he would celebrate the OF, he would just rather celebrate TLM if given the option. 🙂
 
Timothysis said:
Personally, I don’t think we need either.
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Well, keep in mind that one is just being stubborn while the other is a heretic 😉

I wouldn’t mind having a priest who exclusively celebrates TLM in my diocese. There are three parishes in the area surrounding my home. Not one offers TLM. Two only have one priest period.
 
Timothysis,

When you look at the TLM versus the Novus Ordo, there are substantial differences. It isn’t as simple as their being interchangeable. The TLM has so much more reverence, beauty and the prayers are so much more fitting and explicit in the faith. There’s a big difference. Not to mention ad orientem and how Our Lord in Holy Communion is distributed. There are big reasons. If I could only offer the TLM, I would prefer that and want it. However if it came down to having to offer the Novus Ordo I would if necessary. I don’t think that is being difficult - it is clinging to a liturgy that the Church fostered for thousands of years, it is conviction and a belief that the Church ought to extend only what is best and most fitting to God and souls.

Pax Christi tecum.
 
strugglingalong said:
Timothysis,

When you look at the TLM versus the Novus Ordo, there are substantial differences. It isn’t as simple as their being interchangeable. The TLM has so much more reverence, beauty and the prayers are so much more fitting and explicit in the faith. There’s a big difference. Not to mention ad orientem and how Our Lord in Holy Communion is distributed. There are big reasons. If I could only offer the TLM, I would prefer that and want it. However if it came down to having to offer the Novus Ordo I would if necessary. I don’t think that is being difficult - it is clinging to a liturgy that the Church fostered for thousands of years, it is conviction and a belief that the Church ought to extend only what is best and most fitting to God and souls.

Pax Christi tecum.
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Actually, I see it as your wish to “play” priest. There is much more to being a priest than just saying Mass. Ask any priest today and see how much free time they have in their schedule.

And realize, that even the Holy Father says the Mass according to the Missal of Pope Paul VI, so it should probably be good enough for you, too. I get so very tired of hearing how the latin mass is “better” than the “novus ordo…”
 
I too have no desire whatsoever to say the Novus Ordo mass, yet have a deep and sincere desire to celebrate the Traditional mass.

I advise you to look at some traditionalist orders, who celebrate the older form only and have a solid orthodox and traditional formation.

There aren’t many orders but the two big ones are the FSSP and the ICRSS (institute of Christ the king).

Best of luck on your search, wherever you may be called, priesthood or not, know that it is God who is calling you.

I will be sure to say a prayer for your calling.
Timothysis said:
Actually, I see it as your wish to “play” priest. There is much more to being a priest than just saying Mass. Ask any priest today and see how much free time they have in their schedule.

And realize, that even the Holy Father says the Mass according to the Missal of Pope Paul VI, so it should probably be good enough for you, too. I get so very tired of hearing how the latin mass is “better” than the “novus ordo…”
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Can you be anymore condescending and uncharitable? Someone has expressed a desire to be a priest and this is the philth you spew out? Are you aware that we are experiencing a vocation crisis?

Now the mature response to him telling us that he has never expressed any desire to celebrate the NO, would be to advise him about someother options.** If someone shared a desire to say the Divine liturgy and not the Novus ordo, would you ridicule him like you did just now? No, you would probably tell him to look at the Eastern Chruches. Likewise, he could have a calling to one of the Church’s traditionalist orders.**

Honestly, you would hope that liturgical opinion wouldn’t get in the way of something as important as a vocation. Now I recall why I rarely post here, for petty little outbursts like this.
 
Freshman88 said:
I too have no desire whatsoever to say the Novus Ordo mass, yet have a deep and sincere desire to celebrate the Traditional mass.

I advise you to look at some traditionalist orders, who celebrate the older form only and have a solid orthodox and traditional formation.

There aren’t many orders but the two big ones are the FSSP and the ICRSS (institute of Christ the king).

Can you be anymore condescending and uncharitable? Someone has expressed a desire to be a priest and this is the philth you spew out? Are you aware that we are experiencing a vocation crisis?

Now the mature response to him telling us that he has never expressed any desire to celebrate the NO, would be to advise him about someother options.** If someone shared a desire to say the Divine liturgy and not the Novus ordo, would you ridicule him like you did just now? No, you would probably tell him to look at the Eastern Chruches. Likewise, he could have a calling to one of the Church’s traditionalist orders.**

Honestly, you would hope that liturgical opinion wouldn’t get in the way of something as important as a vocation. Now I recall why I rarely post here, for petty little outbursts like this.
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When I hear someone say that they have a desire to become a Catholic priest, but don’t really want to say the mass according to the Missal of Pope Paul VI, I really have to wonder about their sincerity.

I am aware that there is a vocation crisis. How does ordaining someone as priest who doesn’t really want to celebrate the Ordinary Form of Mass go about to relieving that crisis? How many Extra-Ordinary form masses are said for every Ordinary Form? Perhaps 1 in 500, or even 1 in 1000?

As I said before, the job of a catholic priest entails much more than saying mass; just ask the pastor of any average American parish. Do you think they just say mass every morning and take the rest of the day off?
Freshman88 said:
Honestly, you would hope that liturgical opinion wouldn’t get in the way of something as important as a vocation. Now I recall why I rarely post here, for petty little outbursts like this.
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But, my friend, a liturgical opinion has gotten in the way of a vocation, and that would be the original poster, not to mention you. Being a priest is a calling to serve others, not do only what you like or agree with, and that includes the celebration of the Mass. It’s not about “playing” priest.
 
How arrogant can you get?

I see there is no room for a traditionalist priest in your world. I guess all those traditional priests I’ve met, weren’t “sincere”, just “playing priest”. I guess that goes for all the Ukrainian Catholic priests i’ve met, there just playing “priest” because they are attracted to a different liturgy. And all the traditional priests and ukrainain catholic priests i’ve met have never shared a desire to say the NO.

And what is this tangent your talking about with regards to a priest having to say more than mass? What does it have to do with anything? No one has said anything to the contrary. In fact, one aspect of the Institute which attracts me greatly is their missionary work in Gabon, not too mention their spiritual patrons.

And how does this discussion translate into the vocation crisis? Easily, every vocation is priceless… well except traditionalist priests. :rolleyes:

Honestly, this is disgusting. If you could get off your high-horse for a second, you might realize that you are in wrong here - traditionalists orders and priests do in fact exist, and the traditionalist seminarians I know have an unfavorable opinion of the NO. Perhaps you should head over to the Tuscan hills to the Institute of Christ’s seminary, and inform them that they are full of inscincere priests because they refuse to say the NO. :rolleyes:​

Ignore Tim. If you do have a desire to say the Traditional mass, explore traditionalist orders, it may be your calling - God willing.
 
Tim,

There are those out here who believe that a great part of our current crisis in the Church is precisely caused by the New Mass. You may very well dismiss that accusation as ridiculous but the maxim of lex orandi lex credeni is that we believe as we pray. The New Mass is full of ambiguity and is objectively less fitting than the traditional liturgy. So much of the meaning of the Holy Sacrifice has been removed and it has in many ways been Protestantized. I am not saying the New Mass is heretical or invalid. It is valid which is why I would offer it if I had to do so but I am saying that it is not the most fitting and it does not form the faithful in the entirety of our Faith the way the traditional liturgy does.

This issue is not one of mere opinion or taste as if I am being stubborn to my own subjective desires. Nor am I alone in this opinion. Why is our Holy Father restoring reception of Holy Communion while kneeling and Gregorian Chant, two practices inherent in the traditional liturgy? That shows a great desire to return to traditional liturgical practices. I think ultimately the best form for the Roman rite is the traditional liturgy.

You mention that there is only perhaps one traditional liturgy to ever 1,000 New Mass. Exactly! That is why we need more priests who want to and who will offer the traditional liturgy, a liturgy that will encourage people more toward holiness and a liturgy focused more on God than man.

Yes a priest does more than just offer Holy Mass but shouldn’t Holy Mass be his heart? Shouldn’t the Holy Sacrifice be the heart and strength and foundation for else that he does? I say yes, it should be and that it should be the most fitting liturgy possible unto God foremost but also for the priest and the faithful.

Pax Christi tecum.
 
Freshman,

It is refreshing to read your posts. Thank you for your advice. Honestly I’ve not considered the traditional orders because I find that either (a) I am already too old as many of them want young men ages 18-25 ish and that (b) I think my problems with impurity would cause them to tell me to consider the married state, which I have in fact done for awhile now. I know if God wants me there He’ll make a way. Right now my emphasis is just on trying to listen to Him but I also know people can offer a lot of objective help. I’m starting to meet with a spiritual director and oddly enough he hasn’t told me yet to not consider the priesthood or religious life. I just want what God wants and I know I love the traditional liturgy and the whole of our traditional Faith.

Are you considering the ICK? What is your impression of them? I’m wondering now what their age requirements are…

Thank you again for your wise and encouraging words.

Pax Christi tecum.
 
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