i've just had a third person say i should be a priest

[pres2032]

My dad's been saying it for a while, then I heard my grandmother is convinced that's what i'll do and now the woman in charge of everything Catholic at my campus just asked if i ever thought of it and that i should pray about it.
I don't know, i really don't. i want to be a politican, or do something in politics, but this always seems to pop up. I'm single and always have been and i have thought about whether that was a sign and the woman i talked to tonight said the same thing.

I'M SO CONFUSED!!!!!!! HELP!!!!!

[scarlet_owl]

1. If it doesn't feel right, it's probably not the right path for you.

You have to do what is best for you. Trust God to illuminate your way.

[pres2032]

2. but i don't know what the right path for me is.

i'm pretty sure i want to do the Jesuit Volunteer Corp for at least a year, maybe 2. I was so sure i wanted to be in politics, but tonight just seemed to throw a big ol' monkeywrench in the whole thing.

[Maeve]

3. A year or two down the road will make a world of difference

And you really don't have to decide your whole life yet. Let it be; accept that you will know in time but it's not time now. At least you know that you want to serve others. The Volunteer Corp thing sounds like a good place to get some answers.


This from someone who had planned to be a cloistered nun--until I fell hard in love. Then I was going to be a journalist. I was a speech therapist, a religious educator, an at-home mom and now a storyteller and writer. (I wonder what I'll be next?)

[Beer Snob-50]

4. being a priest could help you achieve your goal of helping others

i assume you are going into politics for the purpose of helping others. maybe being a priest can help in that regard. pray on it. god will tell you.

[kwassa]

5. What is the process?

I've actually thought about it as I was receiving similar comments at one point in my life. So has my wife ... who went so far as to apply to Yale Divinity School and get accepted before changing her mind. She actually also interviewed with the local bishop about it, about discerning her call.

I assume you are Catholic? I don't know the process there.

In the Episcopal church, there is a whole discernment process for someone who is thinking about becoming a priest, done with a committee of people from the parish. There is also an advisory committee for seminarians serving at the church, also with a similar committee. I have served on one of these.

Some people go through years before they discern their call, some go through the process and change their mind.

[pres2032]

6. the process is pretty intense i hear.

you have to take an IQ test, a psychoanalysis test, go in front of a panel of priests and answer a whole bunch of questions and then you go to seminary for 4 years, become ordained a deacon to start the sacrament of Holy orders, then are ordained a priest to complete the process.

[kwassa]

12. Talk to priests about it

This process sounds very similar to the Episcopal process.

On the other hand, I have read that the Catholic church is pretty desperate for new priests, so I think employment opportunities are good. This is a strange time, with all the controversey around the Catholic church scandals.

And you have to decide about the celibacy issue. Of course, you could go Episcopalian and have that not be an issue.

As we say there, "All the pomp, and none of the guilt." The services are very much like Catholic.

[pres2032]

13. i definitely may

though if you read my post below, i'm really not sure if that's what's for me. I definitely need to do some serious thinking and praying about it though.

[pelagius]

16. One "calling" story...

...told to me was about a young man who went to his bishop (on the recommendation of his priest) to inquire about Holy Orders. The bishop talked with the young man and then said, "By all reports you'd make a fine priest. What's holding you back?"

"Oh," said the young man, "I haven't heard The Call."

"My dear boy," said the bishop amiably, "_I'm_ calling you right now. Consider yourself called!"

[Reverend_Smitty]

7. It's definitely a decision that shouldn't be taken lightly...

and it appears that you are giving it some serious thought. Only you can decide if you are called to do the work of God. I would suggest doing something that is like a test run. I'm not up on the volunteer corps thing but it seems like something you should try. Whatever you decide to do I sense that you are the type of person who genuinely wants to help others and whatever path you choose to follow you will do just that, it is a great quality you possess.

May I ask how old are you?

[pres2032]

9. i'm a senior in college

I think the one thing from God's plan for me that I've figured out is that i'm supposed to help people. Trying not to toot my own horn, but I do get a high when i volunteer. I really love doing it. I just don't know in what capacity God wants me to do that. I really love politics and absolutely loved working for a state senator over the summer. They have said many times that they would hire me if they had the funds from the gov't to do so.

With the volunteer corp, i first wanted to do the 2 year int'l thing, but am starting to lean more and more to the 1 year domestic program so i can be back in PA in 2006 for rendell's and my senator's reelection campaigns.

I really don't know if the priesthood fits in there. I think i was just thrown by it when that third person brought it up.

Trying not to sound arrogant or anything, but i really see myself as being the politican who comes in and changes everything for the good. I don't know, there are times when I really do think God has something special for me planned. I definitely need to pray about it of course.

[pelagius]

14. Jerry Brown...

...studied for the priesthood and later went into politics! There are many, many activist priests, as you no doubt know.

I'm curious -- do you ask people why they think you would be a good priest? What do they tell you?

Sometimes people think that a "calling" must come from on high -- you know, "And then a golden dove descended to my shoulder and I heard a voice of many waters, etc., etc." But Christ reveals Himself most often through other people.

One man I know entered seminary when he was 52, he described his call to Holy Orders as a constant nagging sensation that finally ceased when he gave himself over to whatever purpose the Lord saw fit.

[DemBones DemBones]

8. You know, some men go to seminary but are never ordained and that's

probably not a bad thing. I assume that they realized they weren't suited to the priesthood (or that their superiors realized it.) We've had a number of seminarians serve a few months at our parish and some went on to be ordained, while others left the seminary.

I think this "internship" or "parish experience" is required before finishing seminary but doing it earlier is a good idea, if possible. It's like student teaching, if you wait until senior year to work in a classroom, that's awfully late to change your major if you decide teaching is the last thing you really want to do. Of course, some priests do leave the priesthood permanently and others take leaves to discern whether to continue in their vocation, but I'm assuming you don't want to invest the time and work only to leave after a few years -- or to be miserable in your work.

Beyond that, I think you have to pray about this. Talk to some priests about it. But don't think you should be a priest because others think you should. Not being married is certainly a necessary qualification but not necessarily a sign you should be a priest.

As for your political desires, surely you know about church politics? :evilgrin:

[RevCheesehead]

10. The call comes from within, as well as from others.

For me, it was a long, slow awakening to what I already knew deep in my heart. But it took me a number of years to become comfortable with that idea, and even longer to admit that that was what I really wanted to do with my entire life.

I never told anyone I thought of being a minister (maybe it was the "women's issue," lack of role-models, whatever). But when I finally decided that this was something I wanted to do, I was amazed at the number of people who said "I always knew you would."

The funny thing was that while in high school, our youth pastor told me I needed to think about being a pastor. I told him flat out, "No way. You're wrong. I'm going to be a church musician." And I did that, for 10 years. But I kept having that gnawing feeling that music alone was not enough. One thing led to another, and now, here I am, about ready to celebrate 10 years in the ordained ministry.

In the United Methodist Church, we have exploratory courses for those who are inquiring about ministry. They are most helpful, since they often help one discern if they are called to the ordained ministry, or to the lay ministry.

As a preliminary step, ask your priest if you can come in and talk about your feelings. I'm sure he will be glad to help you through the process, or at least help you find someone who will do that.

[pelagius]

15. My then four-year-old daughter...

...told me one Sunday on the way home from church, "I want to be up front." I thought she meant in the car, but she said, "No, up front in church." Still slow on the uptake, I said, "Oh, yes, we'll sit closer to the front some Sunday." Giving me a pitying look, she said, "No, Daddy, up front where Jesus is."

We're Episcopalians and believe in the Real Presence in the Eucharist, so I knew she meant up by the altar.

"Ah," I said, "You'd like to help up front in church," preparing to explain to her about how she could be an acolyte in a few years, and so on.

"No, Daddy," she explained patiently, "I want to do what Father Barry does and give the people the gifts."

(In the Episcopal liturgy, the celebrant proclaims "The Gifts of God for the people of God" before distributing the Sacrament.)

At that point, I don't believe she had seen a woman priest, but I was grateful we were in a church where that was possible.

"Oh, you'd like to be a priest!"

"Yes, Daddy. And a ballerina."

So, if in about 20 years, you hear of an Episcopal priest-ballerina, you'll know who she is. :-)

[Stunster]

11. Going with the JVC thing

is a very good idea.

If you haven't got one already, get yourself a spiritual director.
Spiritual discernment is often helped by having someone experienced in the spiritual life with whom to discuss yours.

Also, you might want to begin thinking about different forms of priesthood. The two basic kinds are diocesan priests, and religious order priests. If you don't know what the differences are between them, you should talk with someone who knows.

If you feel more drawn to priesthood in a religious order, you may want to look at a number of different orders. But it sounds like the Jesuits would be a natural one for you to begin that exploration with.

If you feel drawn to politics, there are many examples of politically active priests---Fr Roy Bourgeois, founder of School of the Americas watchdog group springs to mind, Fr Dan Berrigan will be familiar to many older Catholics, but even a contemplative monk like Thomas Merton showed a great interest in political questions. And of course, many diocesan inner city priests are very active in social justice ministry.

But, my general sense is that there is more openness to and opportunity for social justice ministry of a more liberal stripe within religious orders than there is in the diocesan priesthood. The younger generation of diocesan priests include many highly conservative individuals.

It is possible that priesthood is not for you. It is possible that priesthood is for you. Be open to both possibilities. Be open to the possibility of falling in love and one day marrying. And to the possibility of dedicated lay ministry within the Church. And be open to becoming a priest. Discernment proceeds best from a stance of openness.

God speaks to us in our deepest and most persistent emotions. At the moment, you are still trying to see what your deepest and most persistent ones are.

You need to become a sort of deep-sea diver of the soul. What's down there, at the bottom of your spiritual ocean? Take your time in getting down there. Too rapid a descent leads to destructive pressure changes.