Vocation To The Priesthood

[ATeutonicKnight]

Oh, so you would be one of the priests who walks around in a clerical cassock.
I think it’s great that there are people, like myself, who are discerning a priestly vocation.
I just don’t understand the fascination with the cassock.

The traditional Cassock looks cooler. Also, Saint John Bosco wore one. What more do you need to want to wear one?

Besides, I’m still thinking of the Religious Life as well. I’m currently looking at the Dominicans very closely as I love Saint Dominic and have always wanted to preach.

 

[PiousTemplar]

You wont be alone! I too do this often. Good luck and God bless!

~ Pius :knight1:

Same. I avoid all talk about it, my family would execute me (they are not Catholic) if they found out. I imagine myself saying Mass Extra-Ordinary form as an FSSP priest all too often. I have had many experiences of people mentioning the priesthood to me.

I’ll pray for your discernment and Teuton’s. God Bless and Good Luck!

 

[Francis93]

I’m 18 and discerning the vocation to the priesthood. Yes, I usually imagine myself saying the mass, consecrating the host, swinging the censer, administering the sacraments, wearing priestly vestments and a black cassock with tab collar. I also keep on saying the words of the priest on and on from the penitential rite to the Eucharistic prayers. I have already memorized the Latin versions of the Our Father, the Gloria, Dominus Vobiscum, and Sanctus Dominus. I have already demonstrated these to my brothers and my parents and they said that I was good and I have the potential.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

OK, so you say your are 15, but your profile says you were born in 1992, which if my arithmetic serves, makes you 19. Which is it?

You say you want to be a priest, yet you have nothing good to say about your own parish- There is nothing at all for you to be invloved in?
Lector? Altar server? Sing in the Choir? Volunteer with the Faith Formation program?
I find that very hard to believe that there are no opportunities for you in any of the parishes that you attend.

As far as you description of the sisters- you should be ashamed of yourself!! :tsktsk:
How dare you relate 2nd & 3rd hand information as TRUTH!!
Being how you are not even sure how old you are, and many of your immature rants & statments, why should anyone here take you seriously?
You don’t want to listen to anyone who has another point of view, and you have an answer and excuse of everything.

IMHO, not the characteristics of a good priest.

I have a friend who works closely with them who is a good Catholic and he says things that are far worse than what I’ve said. He plays the organ for them and visits them everyday. Also, you add my visits and experiences with them and other experiences of people I know with that, so yes, I can paint this sort of a picture. They don’t even wear Habits, which in the biographies I’ve read Saint Dominic held the Habit in high regard and wanted all in the Dominican order to wear one. To intentionally not wear them for feminist reasons is to undermine their very founder.

I respect these Sisters very much, and I always treat them charitably whenever I see them, even though they have basically stated to my mother before that home schooling wasn’t the right option and that we’re going to be horrible people for it.

No I don’t, as my parish doesn’t do anything at all so there’s nothing to volunteer for. I don’t attend my parish anyway. I attend another one. It doesn’t really do much either so I can’t volunteer for it.

 

[someguy14]

Zealous.

Poverty, chastity and obedience.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

No I don’t, as my parish doesn’t do anything at all so there’s nothing to volunteer for. I don’t attend my parish anyway. I attend another one. It doesn’t really do much either so I can’t volunteer for it.

Seeing that you do not have a spiritual director and you seem to wish to use CAF in that capacity, I am going to respond to this.

I find it highly unlikely that your parish has nothing to volunteer for. There are the jobs of sacristan, serving at the altar, and EMHC as well as music ministry.

You do not need to volunteer at your parish, you can volunteer at the Church you are attending. The priest of either/both your parish and the Church you are attending should know of your discernment and you should approach them about volunteering in some way.

How can one discern a vocation to the priesthood with out volunteering for service in the Church? The answer is easy, they can not.

I know of a number of men who were turned away from the application process (both for religious life and for diocesen priesthood) because they had never served in the Church in any way before they tried to apply. They were told to go back to their parish (or the Church they attend, when I say parish this is what I mean) and to work for a year before coming back to start the application process.

 

[Providence_Peep]

The traditional Cassock looks cooler. Also, Saint John Bosco wore one. What more do you need to want to wear one?

It wasn’t his cassock that made Saint John Bosco an exemplary priest.
I don’t know why some people want to romanticize pre-Vatican II, and quite honestly, I can’t help but wonder why there are priests who wear the cassock 24/7. Perhaps someone here can explain that.

 

[TrueLight]

It wasn’t his cassock that made Saint John Bosco an exemplary priest.
I don’t know why some people want to romanticize pre-Vatican II, and quite honestly, I can’t help but wonder why there are priests who wear the cassock 24/7. Perhaps someone here can explain that.

It’s a great witness for non-Catholics to realize that there are people who consecrate themselves to God by just looking at them. Same goes for monks and nuns/sisters.

 

[Providence_Peep]

It’s a great witness for non-Catholics to realize that there are people who consecrate themselves to God by just looking at them. Same goes for monks and nuns/sisters.

But there are priests who wear the cassock/collar constantly, and some who just wear the collar/black shirt/black pants. Just wondering why they don’t all wear the same thing. I’ve heard it said that some of the ones who wear the cassock/collar sleep and shower in them.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

It wasn’t his cassock that made Saint John Bosco an exemplary priest.
I don’t know why some people want to romanticize pre-Vatican II, and quite honestly, I can’t help but wonder why there are priests who wear the cassock 24/7. Perhaps someone here can explain that.

It’s a great witness for non-Catholics to realize that there are people who consecrate themselves to God by just looking at them. Same goes for monks and nuns/sisters.

I have said it before, we do not wear the habit as a witness for the laity. As for non-Catholics, I think the value is even less (or arguably non-existent) for them as they really have no clue as to what it is or what it means.

Having said that, the question asked was “wonder why there are priests who wear the cassock 24/7” and the same would go for habits for religious. If the main reason that it is worn (which I argue against) is for the witness value for the laity, then why must it be worn when the laity is not around to see it?

 

[Providence_Peep]

If the main reason that it is worn (which I argue against) is for the witness value for the laity, then why must it be worn when the laity is not around to see it?

Some have suggested it’s a sign of insecurity.

 

[Ocarm]

It’s a great witness for non-Catholics to realize that there are people who consecrate themselves to God by just looking at them. Same goes for monks and nuns/sisters.

In tandem with Brother David’s comments, which I would endorse fully, it’s perhaps worth pointing out here that typically ‘monks’ and ‘nuns’ are not often seen by lay people or other members of the church (if the really traditional lifestyles which so many people seem enthusiastic about are employed - things like grilles and walled gardens - these religious may not be seen at all). As Brother JR stated in another thread, many Catholics will go through their entire lives without ever meeting a ‘monk’ or a ‘nun’. That being so, what kind of witness is their clothing giving, when it remains beyond the vision of the large majority of the church?

Hint for anyone who is confused by what I’m saying:

The large majority of ‘monks’ and ‘nuns’ live a cloistered life and are hidden from public view, as it were. The religious men and women who are in plain sight - and who are rarely properly described as ‘monks’ or ‘nuns’ - often don’t wear religious dress because their founders and foundresses wanted it that way, and we shouldn’t project onto them needs which they chose not to address, such as a desire for public witness. And religious like Brother David and I who do wear habits generally don’t do so because it offers a witness, but because it’s established custom for us to do so.

I realise many people here are aware of the differences between e.g. monks and friars, or nuns and religious sisters. But if a meaningful debate is going to be held, and especially if people are going to express strong opinions regarding what religious should and shouldn’t do, it helps to use the right terminology. It helps both because it’s less confusing, and also because it indicates that your opinion is based on a solid knowledge of the subject matter. And that is meant as a friendly hint, not as a caustic rebuff. Honest.

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

Seeing that you do not have a spiritual director and you seem to wish to use CAF in that capacity, I am going to respond to this.

I find it highly unlikely that your parish has nothing to volunteer for. There are the jobs of sacristan, serving at the altar, and EMHC as well as music ministry.

You do not need to volunteer at your parish, you can volunteer at the Church you are attending. The priest of either/both your parish and the Church you are attending should know of your discernment and you should approach them about volunteering in some way.

How can one discern a vocation to the priesthood with out volunteering for service in the Church? The answer is easy, they can not.

I know of a number of men who were turned away from the application process (both for religious life and for diocesen priesthood) because they had never served in the Church in any way before they tried to apply. They were told to go back to their parish (or the Church they attend, when I say parish this is what I mean) and to work for a year before coming back to start the application process.

There’s literally nothing in my parish. There’s about ten Catholic families and about ten people go every week. There’s absolutely nothing. And all of the positions that I could fill have been filled by people who have done it for many years, and so in no circumstance would I be able to even become an Altar Server. I think if I explained this to the Bishop he would understand.

Also, we’re always on the run, so I wouldn’t be able to do anything in the first place. It would be way too difficult for the family to take up a position that people would actually expect me to work in. However, if it counts, I used to clean my church for many years on Fridays.

 

[MPSchneiderLC]

A. I am sure that there are ways **to serve **in the Church even if your parish appears to have no roles.

1. I am almost sure that your town has some kind of soup kitchen / food pantry (I found one in midwestern towns of a few thousand) or some other **service to the poor **even if it is ecumenical, that is still serving the body of Christ.
2. And there is nothing wrong with trying to start something yourself. When I was in High School, I got the Pastor’s permission to start a youth group - in the end it folded after a few meetings but taught me some lessons regarding serving. Or there are several really good pre-made Bible study programs that most pastors would be happy to allow in their parish if it meant no more work for them.
3. A third option would be something online. About 10 years back, a 16 year-old young man named Martin Ford from San Francisco started a website / e-zine called onerock. I used to go on regularly but stpped when I did novitiate and couldn’t find it when I looked a little while back. Hopefully, he is fulfilling his dream of becoming a Salesian.

B. As for a spiritual director and vocational events, here is what I would suggest. Handwrite a thank you note to your bishop. Thank him for meeting with you, tell him how you think he brings great hope to the diocese and then end with two small requests - the names a few SDs he would suggest and permission to go to diocesan vocation events even though you are technically a year too young. If you write with maturity (formal, proper grammar, redo the page if you need to cross something out), I think he will concede you such requests. (Most age limits on such events are to ensure maturity more than anything else.)

I hope all goes well in your discernment.

God bless!

In Christ,
Br Matthew, LC

 

[domandcarols]

Is anyone else discerning this great life? I know I am for sure. I constantly find myself imagining what it’s going to be like to be a Priest. I imagine myself consecrating the Host, doing Confessions, saying the Mass, or even just walking throughout my assigned Church in my Cathedral Cassock, Rosary beads in hand as I mouth my favorite devotion to Mary. Does anyone else have daydreams such as these? I find them occurring more and more as I get older, and as they do this the more I want to become one. I often find myself chanting “Three more years, three more years…” as the days go by. I know the moment I turn eighteen I’ll be in my car going the speed of light to the Cathedral to talk to the Bishop.

God bless you. I will be praying every day for you. We really need more men like this in the priesthood.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

There’s literally nothing in my parish. There’s about ten Catholic families and about ten people go every week. There’s absolutely nothing. And all of the positions that I could fill have been filled by people who have done it for many years, and so in no circumstance would I be able to even become an Altar Server. I think if I explained this to the Bishop he would understand.

Also, we’re always on the run, so I wouldn’t be able to do anything in the first place. It would be way too difficult for the family to take up a position that people would actually expect me to work in. However, if it counts, I used to clean my church for many years on Fridays.

Seems there is always an excuse.

I would not count on the bishop understanding. As I said, they may very well make you wait on the application process while working with you to get some sort of experience.

I also see that you missed a question asked by another user so I will repost it here as I am also interested in the answer as I have my suspicions as to what the answer is and I believe this plays into integrity.

OK, so you say your are 15, but your profile says you were born in 1992, which if my arithmetic serves, makes you 19. Which is it?

 

[system]

I am Fifteen years old, and I have wanted to be a priest since I was 8. I am an Eastern Catholic (Maronite) and belong to the Maronite Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn. I often imagine myself saying all of the introductory prayers in Aramaic, as well as the beautiful consecration in Aramaic (If you have never heard the Maronite consecration, I strongly suggest you look it up). And yes, I too often imagine myself using the insence . My Bishop is an amazing, caring, pious, humble, and holy man, who has devoted much time to my vocation, and will send me to college seminary right after Highschool. And yes, I ALWAYS find myself ahead of my time, always thinking about my vocation, and always rushing my time in highschool. It’s so awesome to see that there are people my age with a vocation out there. God Bless all of you guys, as well as the girls out there with a vocation to religious life!

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

A. I am sure that there are ways **to serve **in the Church even if your parish appears to have no roles.

1. I am almost sure that your town has some kind of soup kitchen / food pantry (I found one in midwestern towns of a few thousand) or some other **service to the poor **even if it is ecumenical, that is still serving the body of Christ.
2. And there is nothing wrong with trying to start something yourself. When I was in High School, I got the Pastor’s permission to start a youth group - in the end it folded after a few meetings but taught me some lessons regarding serving. Or there are several really good pre-made Bible study programs that most pastors would be happy to allow in their parish if it meant no more work for them.
3. A third option would be something online. About 10 years back, a 16 year-old young man named Martin Ford from San Francisco started a website / e-zine called onerock. I used to go on regularly but stpped when I did novitiate and couldn’t find it when I looked a little while back. Hopefully, he is fulfilling his dream of becoming a Salesian.

B. As for a spiritual director and vocational events, here is what I would suggest. Handwrite a thank you note to your bishop. Thank him for meeting with you, tell him how you think he brings great hope to the diocese and then end with two small requests - the names a few SDs he would suggest and permission to go to diocesan vocation events even though you are technically a year too young. If you write with maturity (formal, proper grammar, redo the page if you need to cross something out), I think he will concede you such requests. (Most age limits on such events are to ensure maturity more than anything else.)

I hope all goes well in your discernment.

God bless!

In Christ,
Br Matthew, LC

There’s nothing to do. About ten people go, and most of these people are old. These people are not really Catholics, either. They’re lukewarm Catholics. They probably couldn’t tell you if Catholics were Christian or not. Starting a group would be a cool thing, but there’s nothing to do. Especially since you can’t even go into the Church to pray, since the lady in charge doesn’t want it to get dirty and locks it.

However, I have been involved in the Mass before. I have brought up the host and the wine a few times before, which means that I have been involved in the Mass. It’s a very click-ish Church so even if I asked to be an altar server I wouldn’t be able to since they have kids that do it and probably wouldn’t let me.

And no, there is no soup kitchen. It’s a town of eight-hundred people. There’s the ministerial alliance, but seeing as how I’m no minister that wouldn’t be possible.

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

Seems there is always an excuse.

I would not count on the bishop understanding. As I said, they may very well make you wait on the application process while working with you to get some sort of experience.

I also see that you missed a question asked by another user so I will repost it here as I am also interested in the answer as I have my suspicions as to what the answer is and I believe this plays into integrity.

This is a real excuse. It’s a town of eight-hundred people. It’s a very small town. There’s nothing to do. No soup kitchen, no nothing. I have served in the Mass before, though. As stated previously I have brought up the wine and the host a few times before, but this probably wouldn’t count, as I’ve only done it four or five times.

I would have to move to a different parish, as this is just not possible in mine. I wouldn’t be surprised if they shut it down soon, since that has been happening a lot in our diocese.

This is because I’m not allowed to be on the site. I would love to give my actual age but ou have to be eighteen to be on here. However, it seems tons of people ignore this rule, as most of the people on here are between fifteen and seventeen, in my experience.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

There’s nothing to do. About ten people go, and most of these people are old. These people are not really Catholics, either. They’re lukewarm Catholics. They probably couldn’t tell you if Catholics were Christian or not. Starting a group would be a cool thing, but there’s nothing to do. Especially since you can’t even go into the Church to pray, since the lady in charge doesn’t want it to get dirty and locks it.

WOW! Do the people you attend Mass with know how you feel about them?!

However, I have been involved in the Mass before. I have brought up the host and the wine a few times before, which means that I have been involved in the Mass. It’s a very click-ish Church so even if I asked to be an altar server I wouldn’t be able to since they have kids that do it and probably wouldn’t let me.

Bringing up the gifts occaisionally would not mean “being involved”,
at all the parishes I attend a family is always asked to do this.
As far as being an altar server, how do you know until you ask?

And no, there is no soup kitchen. It’s a town of eight-hundred people. There’s the ministerial alliance, but seeing as how I’m no minister that wouldn’t be possible.

I don’t know, sounds like more excuses to me.

And, I am still waiting for an answer to my earlier question-
exactly how old are you?