What is your vocation or which vocation are you discerning

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I was discerning a call to religious life for about 6 years and then, because circumstances beyond my control (medical problems) prevented me from being accepted, I decided to look into Consecrated Single Life instead. I don’t feel called to marriage, so I will probably discern a Secular Order or Secular Institute. I feel a strong pull towards the Franciscans and did even when I was discerning religious life (I love the CFRs). I cannot find a spiritual director no matter how hard I try, so my discernment is on hold while I finish my Bachelor’s degree.
 
Hello all! I’m a little late to this thread. I’m an 18 year old high school senior. I can’t say I’m specifically discerning one vocation or another right now. I tried it and it was simply too hard, so really I’m just letting God pull me whichever direction he chooses and I will charge on with all of my will! I’ll pray for you guys and God bless. Feel free to follow me on twitter as well: @Catholic_Nick
 
I am a consecrated virgin so I didn’t pick anything on your poll because none applied. 🙂 A few other vocations you omitted: diaconate and diocesan hermits
 
Sarcelle said:
The men who got married and ignored the vocation to priesthood now have the vocation of marriage whereas single people who are not religious do not have any vocation.

Singleness is the default state we are born in.

The one question I have is that are people who neither consecrated religious or married, living in sin?
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If the live chastely, no, of course not.
 
Christus resurrexit alleluia, resurrexit vere alleluia!

Priesthood (defenitely - 100% sure) and maybe even Religious life…

In Christo,
Attempto
 
I am 17 and I am discerning the vocation to the priesthood.

Please pray for me and I will pray for you.
 
Vincent187 said:
Those willing to give spiritual direction seem to be few and far between. 🤷
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There are no known spiritual directors in my diocese except one that I was referred to by a Consecrated Virgin in another state. I tried contacting him several times but I was always told he was busy and he would get back to me. Of course, time went on and I realized he was never going to get back to me so I stopped emailing. Now, I have no other option but to wait. We don’t have a training program here for SDs and there is not a list of them available. It’s really troubling. My pastor won’t be my SD even though he was an SD for the seminarians from our parish. I used to have a priest as my SD but he wasn’t trained and I felt his lack of training was doing more harm than good so I ended our sessions. I really wish there were more options available. 😦
 
Sarcelle said:
The men who got married and ignored the vocation to priesthood now have the vocation of marriage whereas single people who are not religious do not have any vocation.

Singleness is the default state we are born in.

The one question I have is that are people who neither consecrated religious or married, living in sin?
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I believe you can be single and consecrated to Christ (you don’t have to be a religious to be consecrated to Christ).
 
TiggerS said:
Lived single celibate life (private vows to evangelical counsels) 30 years now - with spiritual direction by priest religious. I live a specific way of life with my own Rule of Life.
Home Mass for receiving and renewal of life private vows 8.9.14 Feast Nativity of Mary (with permission of Archbishop and Vicar General).
Previous vocation wife and mother (marriage annulled). Vocation to motherhood is lifelong.
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**Post #9 Marie5890 **
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I have never really seen the Church declare that singleness (outside of religious life) is an actual vocation. I know there are different views./ ****
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Many do not understand that Baptism is a vocation and call and any further call or vocation is a call how to live out that Baptismal call in some role or state in The Church. The Laity is a defined state in The Church in Canon Law and also especaially in the document "Decree on The Apostolate of The Laity . vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html and other documents out of Rome.
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The other states are the heirarchy/clerical state (priesthood) and consecrated life (religious, consecrated virgin, consecrated hermit and secular institutes).
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While the documents below do mention specifically those in the single lay state who have made private vows to the evangelical counsels (which are counsels for ALL the baptized), one does not HAVE to make private vows, but simply to live them out in their single celibate life. “The Spirit blows where He Will”.
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Dogmatic Constitution on The Church (Lumen Gentium)
vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html
".(215) However, this holiness of the Church is unceasingly manifested, and must be manifested, in the fruits of grace which the Spirit produces in the faithful; it is expressed in many ways in individuals, who in their walk of life, tend toward the perfection of charity, thus causing the edification of others; in a very special way this (holiness) appears in the practice of the counsels, customarily called “evangelical.” This practice of the counsels, under the impulsion of the Holy Spirit, undertaken by many Christians, either privately or in a Church-approved condition or state of life, gives and must give in the world an outstanding witness and example of this same holiness.
The Consecrated Life (Consecrata Vita)
vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_25031996_vita-consecrata_en.html
We are all aware of the treasure which the gift of the consecrated life in the variety of its charisms and institutions represents for the ecclesial community. Together let us thank God for the Religious Orders and Institutes devoted to contemplation or the works of the apostolate, for Societies of Apostolic Life, for Secular Institutes and for other groups of consecrated persons, as well as for all those individuals who, in their inmost hearts, dedicate themselves to God by a special consecration.
PRE VATICAN 2
On Consecrated Virginity (Sacra Virginitas)
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vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_25031954_sacra-virginitas_en.html
6. And while this perfect chastity is the subject of one of the three vows which constitute the religious state,[9] and is also required by the Latin Church of clerics in major orders[10] and demanded from members of Secular Institutes,[11] ***it also flourishes among many who are lay people in the full sense: men and women who are not constituted in a public state of perfection and yet by private promise or vow completely abstain from marriage and sexual pleasures, in order to serve their neighbor more freely and to be united with God more easily and more closely. ***
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Didn’t want to start a new thread, so I’ll ask here:

What are the main differences between a parish priest and a priest who is part of a religious society (Jesuits, for example)? Would the Jesuit priest be able to say mass every week? I like the idea of saying mass and really having an effect on normal people’s lives, but I don’t think I could stay at one parish for years and years. Would a society be the best option for me?

Also, I’ve felt a very strong attraction to the Franciscan friars. I realize that most friars are not priests, but what would be the process for becoming a friar as well as a priest? Thank you!
 
NextElement said:
Didn’t want to start a new thread, so I’ll ask here:

What are the main differences between a parish priest and a priest who is part of a religious society (Jesuits, for example)? Would the Jesuit priest be able to say mass every week? I like the idea of saying mass and really having an effect on normal people’s lives, but I don’t think I could stay at one parish for years and years. Would a society be the best option for me?

Also, I’ve felt a very strong attraction to the Fraciscan friars. I realize that most friars are not priests, but what would be the process for becoming a friar as well as a priest? Thank you!
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I would like to know the answer to your question as well.
 
Have always felt a pull towards marriage, but there are no prospects on the horizon and I am in my early thirties (and a woman). Have discerned religious (community) life. I’ve recently begun looking into consecrated virginity…I must grapple with my still-wish-to-be-married pride but perhaps God is calling me to be single in the world for Him. :gopray:

To the consecrated virgins out there-- would it be OK if I contacted you about your discernment process? Feel free to PM if you are willing to chat-- thank you and God bless!
 
In terms of what I would be doing in the workplace, God has graced me after three years of praying about it with a clear message: to work in software development 🙂

However, it is still very unclear whether God is calling me to be single, married, or a priest. I’m currently leaning towards marriage, but it has teetered back and forth many times.
 
Please do not forget there are other vocations: the permanent diaconate and religious orders.
 
I have been discerning a call to the married state for a long time, but as I learn to love Jesus more fully, I find myself drawn to him even more than I could ever be drawn to any earthly man. So for me it might end up being a consecrated virgin, but like some of the saints, God could end up having something else in mind. :rolleyes:
 
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