Vocation - recently converted

[hakahaka]

Hi,
I’m 19 years old and I was baptised and confirmed this year (1/2year baptised + 1 1/2 year preparation). I feel a strong call to Capuchin order and priesthood. Isn’t it too early?? Do I have any chance to be accepted?
Thanks for replies

 

[JerryZ]

Well many many Saints were drawn to Holy life early on so nope I do not believe it is “too soon”.
Also vocations are need to be properly discerned to make sure that it is truly what God wants from us.
I will pray for you and God Bless!

Peace

 

[anonymous_in_fl]

It is not too early to begin discerning and researching various religious orders, however most of them have a 2-3 year “waiting” period for new converts. This is to allow time for the new Catholic to settle in to faith and grow. I also had it explained to me that since there is a 3 year cycle of mass readings (Year A, Year B, Year C) this gives the new Catholic time to hear the entire Gospel preached by attending Sunday mass.

 

[R_C]

Hi,
I’m 19 years old and I was baptised and confirmed this year (1/2year baptised + 1 1/2 year preparation). I feel a strong call to Capuchin order and priesthood. Isn’t it too early?? Do I have any chance to be accepted?
Thanks for replies

Well, they may require at least 1 or 2 years of devout life before they allow admission into seminary or noviciate But no, it is not necessarily too early. The first thing to do is talk to your confessor for spiritual direction, and later probably you would contact the vocations director of the religious order and perhaps try a discernment retreat with them.

God bless you

 

[ChurchSoldier]

Definitely not to early. Keep focused on the direction God in drawing you. There will be many attempts by the enemy to knock you off the path.

1Peter 5:8-9: 8 Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith,

Good Luck!

 

[paperwight66]

Definitely not to early. Keep focused on the direction God in drawing you. There will be many attempts by the enemy to knock you off the path.

1Peter 5:8-9: 8 Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith,

Good Luck!

I’m sure you did not mean it, but to me it sounds like you are saying that the OP should keep to the idea of a vocation despite any contrary thoughts. They might not be the temptings of the Evil One!

The OP has to remain open to any promptings, and it could be that God doesn’t want him in Religious life, after all.

It’s very easy to get carried away when someone is so very young in the Faith.

Yes. of course be open to the idea of a vocation, but not to cling to it as if it’s definite.

 

[InThePew]

Hi,
I’m 19 years old and I was baptised and confirmed this year (1/2year baptised + 1 1/2 year preparation). I feel a strong call to Capuchin order and priesthood. Isn’t it too early?? Do I have any chance to be accepted?
Thanks for replies

I went to see the local Capuchins not too long back for confession and the friar hearing my confession tried to recruit me. I told him I was a diocesan seminarian but this didn’t deter him - can’t blame the man for trying I suppose!

Anyway, as anonymous in fl said a lot of orders (and dioceses) have a “waiting period” (“cooling off” period might be a better description) of about 2-3 years for recent converts. Having said that, the discernment / application process itself usually takes about a year or so from initial enquiry to admission. Granted this time frame can, in some cases be shorter, but it can also be longer. So it’s not too soon to get started, at least in so far as enquiries are concerned - make the initial contact with their vocations director and go from there.