has anyone ever considered a life of the cloth?

[pres2032]

whether it be priesthood, pastor, deacon, brother, nun?

did you go through with it? if yes, how did you know that that was the right thing for you? if no, why not?

[merwin]

1. I think that poly-nylon lasts the longest

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Hemp, you have to go with hemp!

----------------------------------------------------------
Save our country one town, county, and state at a time!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm#why

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. When I was really little I thought I might consider being a

missionary.

-------------------------------------
Would Jesus love a liberal? You bet!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/

[jeff30997]

4. When I was a teen...

I had this fantasy about the flying nun.

[Cadence]

5. No Catholic school was hard enough!

I was always getting in trouble with the nuns.

[pres2032]

9. but i loved it

not so much grade school, but catholic high school was great. had an awsome time in the band, made great friends, and had the 4 best days of my life on the senior retreat.

[Cadence]

12. I only had catholic school until sixth grade....then it was

all downhill from there. I hated religion for an hour, but I received a much better education than when I entered public school.

[jonnyblitz]

14. all the kids I knew that went to Catholic school were

the funnest bunch of pot smoking hell raisers ever! I don't know why.. :shrug:

[Cadence]

Because we were all so repressed, we had to let loose

eventually! :smoke:

[jonnyblitz]

21. I love my catholic friends.

:) :thumbsup:

[PartyPooper]

6. "A life of the cloth" sounds like a life of ironing drudgery to me.

Sorry, I just couldn't resist.

:D

:hi:

[Dastard Stepchild]

7. I wanted to be a priest...

being female, that just wasn't going to happen. Had to give up on that dream. I was actually really miffed about it.

[roguevalley]

8. yes. But economics and helping support my family came first.

I think that's my church, doing right by my mom and dad.

[Wapsie B]

10. I've seen too many clergy members,

no matter what the sect suffer from depression. They're dealing with people's problems some days just like a shrink. That plus the fact that I've never been inspired to enter the ministry either personally or by any minister I've had.

[scarlet_owl]

11. I seriously thought about becoming a nun long ago.

But I have serious mental health issues that would have hindered such a lifestyle.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

13. I grew up as the daughter of a Lutheran pastor, so I saw the job from

close up, and when the ELCA voted to ordain women, my first reaction was, "Why would any woman want to be a pastor?"

Although I would probably enjoy going to seminary and learning about theology and ancient languages, I can't see myself doing all the administrative and counseling duties that clergy have to do in conjunction with running a parish.

[Reverend_Smitty]

15. The whole celibacy thing was a deal breaker

that and I never liked the idea that in the Catholic Church women couldn't be priests...so maybe if I was brought up in a different religion I would have considered it more. I am a deeply religious/spiritual person, but just not in the traditional lock in step Catholic Way

[pres2032]

16. neither am i lock step

i don't know. maybe this will pass and i'll continue my path to politics. i don't know...

[Kire]

17. yes, but I've only been to church a half a dozen times

several different denominations, too

so, my networking experience needs a lot of work


----

[Rabrrrrrr]

18. If you feel called, then pursue it

Talk to your pastor, talk to other pastors, or others who are doing the ministry that you feel you might be called to (could be ordained, or a lay ministry in the church, or chaplaincy, or a nun, or any one of a billion different ways).

Explore your own sense of being called, explore with others. If the others seem to think also that you are called, that's usually the kick in the pants part that lets you know that, yes, you're on an unstoppable track to dedicated service. A good track, but an unstoppable one. :-)

best wishes!

And remember, there are also many varied and also important forms of lay ministry and licensed ministry. It doesn't have to be the big step of orained ministry.

Unless you want to be Pope. Then you have to be ordained.

[blackcat77]

19. I got a few months into my studies to become a pastor

Then I made a shocking discovery -- the church I was in at the time was teaching an unbiblical doctrine. When I pointed this out, I was basically told to stop thinking and regurgitate the dogma like a good little bot. Well, that sort of thing isn't in my character so within a few months, I was not only out of classes but out of the church completely.

[Reverend_Smitty]

20. wow...

what was the doctrine? and what denomination was it? It was good that you were true to yourself though, ever consider another denomination or are you through with the church for good?

[Total Mass Retain]

22. No, but when we were kids, one of my younger brothers wanted

to be a martyr and was always trying to get stung by bees on purpose and other stuff.

[Az]

23. Yes, but unfortunately atheists don't have preists

I have thought about being a stand up philosopher though. :evilgrin:

[RevCheesehead]

24. yes.

if you want a serious, thoughtful response, I'll be glad to reply to your post in the "Christians and Progressive People of Faith" group. Here in the Lounge, it will probably provoke a flame-fest.
:evilgrin: no pun intended.

[pres2032]

25. i actually have it in the "Catholic and Orthodox" group

yeah, i'd love to have that convo.

[RevCheesehead]

26. OK, I'll respond sometime tomorrow.

It's 1:30 here, and I really need some sleep!

[pres2032]

27. ok!

yeah, it's 2:30 here and sleep is definitely starting to look good.

[UrbScotty]

28. Believe it or not, it has crossed my mind.

I've never really considered it deeply, though.

[pres2032]

31. yeah, i don't know how serious i am with it either

i've just been considering it because multiple people lately have told me or i've heard think i'm going to become a priest. i don't know what i want to do with my life.

[nuxvomica]

29. My parents wanted me to at one point

I was in 1st grade and had crayoned an elaborate picture of a saint I had dreamed up. I showed it to a nun and told her the story I invented of the saint's adventures. She was amused by it and sent me to other classrooms to display the picture and tell the fictional saint story. Later, the nuns contacted my parents because they had actually found the same saint in some old book and his story matched the one I had made up. After that, they dressed me in black quite frequently to get me used to it but it never took.

[pres2032]

30. wow, that's an amazing story

did you ever come across that saint later in life? that sounds like some kind of sign, maybe not priesthood, but something.

[nuxvomica]

38. I haven't thought about it in years

I don't recall the saint's name nor do I know what happened to the picture (though I suspect my mom still has it hidden away somewhere.) The whole incident just didn't seem as interesting to me as it did to the adults. I think it may have been a coincidence or I may have just been regurgiting some half-forgotten story told to me previously. Regardless, my curiosity is piqued now and I'll see if I can find the picture.

[HEAVYHEART]

32. Never

I went to all girl Catholic schools growing up and that was enough! lol. Although I'll admit, I used to fantasize about priests. hehehe..

I respect anyone who who chooses that life style. If it works for them, more power to them.

[Ellen Forradalom]

33. Art school for textiles

was the only life of the cloth I engaged in.

[madison2000]

34. I went to a presbyterian seminary and studied religion for many years

at the University of Chicago where I ws ABD. I enjoyed the studies very much, but it didn't turn into a teaching career for me, and I never felt called to the church. There was nothing about the theological teaching that turned me off, it was just realizing how "political" denominations and churces are, and what a hard life it can be. Some people thrive in a church atmosphere 7 days a week... its too much for me.

Now I am in computers!! I belong to a UCC church and like being a very educated layperson.

I have met many people along the way who definitely had a "calling", and if you do, you'll know it.

[Joe Power]

35. The nuns had me convinced

I prefer the path I took. Being called "Dad" beats being called "Father" in my book.

[HEAVYHEART]

36. Love it!

You said, "Being called "Dad" beats being called "Father" in my book."

That's the best post I've seen here today!:)

[Joe Power]

39. Glad you liked it

I didn't mean to disparage the clergy in any way, but I can't imagine my life without my kids.

[HEAVYHEART]

42. Oh I didn't take it as you disparaging the clergy at all

I took it as you putting your children as your number one priority in your life, and being happy as a dad. I'm a mother so I totally understand. :-)

[pres2032]

37. can't argue with that!

congratulations on being called "dad"!

[Joe Power]

40. Thanks!

I hear it about 500 times a day, it seems. ;)

[Thtwudbeme]

41. Yes, I am in school studying for Divinity School

I want to be an ordained Episcopal Priest.

I am 41--thought about it for years.

[pres2032]

44. i wish you the best of luck with it

you'll be in my prayers that you are ordained.

[Nikia]

43. Now that I'm married, I've thought that maybe I'd like to be a nun

My husband, understandingly, is hurt by this. I'm not Catholic either and have makor disagreements with Catholic theology, which might make me a bad candidate as well.
There is something appealing to me though about living with other women, united in a common cause; throwing off personal attatchment; living spiritually; renouncing worldly passions; not having personal wealth, but having one's needs taken care of anyway; not being seen as a sex object; and serving others. When I was younger, I never consider this for a couple of reasons: my mother and step father said that I would be a nun as sort of an insult suggesting that I would never find a man who would want to marry me, I dreamed of having a great career, I dreamed of having a great career, I dreamed of being a mother, and I wasn't Catholic or really wanted to be. Now I am convinced that I will never have a great career. I want to be a mother, but I don't know if we will ever have enough money to support children. My life as it is now, often seems meaningless.
I could become a Protestant minister, but I am not extroverted enough. I get nervous around large groups of people. I am also of the opinion that I don't really know enough about God for sure to tell hundreds of people what he wants for their life.

[Hubert Flottz]

45. I'm thinking about it!

I like Ladies of the Night, Fried Chicken, Wine, Guns and Ammo, Fine Cars, Fine Clothes and EASY money! I'd like to be SAVED from any real, hard work, EVER! What I Gotta' Do?