Confusion About Vocation

[CountrySteve21]

Well, ever since I've considered myself Catholic(about two years ago) I've felt called to be a Priest, but I also have some concerns, like how do Priest/Friars, deal with the loneliness of not having a wife? I'm just really confused, I know I'm still in RCIA so I don't have to think too much on this, but I am going to be graduating high school soon and just am looking for what God wants me to do with my life, cause other than the wife thing, the Priest life sounds amazing, i know its a hard life, but the fact that you serve God makes it all the worth it, and i just want to live a life were I can serve God with my whole being.

[arfink]

You can serve God with your whole being in marriage as well. Discernment is tough, but you can do it.

For the moment I would really suggest you focus on RCIA first, since that's the most important thing and it should be your primary focus for right now.

[VeniJesuAmorMi]

Praised be Jesus Christ! Now and forever.

Your off to a wonderful start for sure! I went through RCIA 3 years ago. I would say also to focus on your time in RCIA; learning what you need to know and becoming well prepared to receive Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. What a blessing for you to have a desire to be a priest so I will certainly encourage you and pray for you.

I know that after RCIA most communites require you to be a practicing Catholic for at least a few years before being able to enter (it is probably the same for entering the seminary, but I'm not sure of the exact time of waiting.) This for very good reason, as you will have so much to learn and also to grow and mature in your relationship with Our Lord; especially through the Sacraments and being involved in your parish (maybe you would consider becoming an altar server.) Overall, growing in your faith, getting to know and love Our Lord more, and aquiring and strengthening virtue. This will be a very exciting time for you. Talking to your priest and having that spiritual guidance that you need during you discernment will be very important.

About the lonliness; you will find that if you do have the grace for becoming a priest and you give yourself completely to Our Lord He will fill every void that you have or may think you have. I know I'm speaking as a woman who loves Our Lord, but when you are in love with Him you really couldn't give yourself to anyone else. Trust, pray, and don't worry; His grace will provide for everything He will ask of you. Do you pray the rosary? Our Blessed Mother will help you with everything you need and She will show you what He wants.

God bless!

[i<3franciscans]

Really focus on getting through the RCIA right now. Then in time, if you still feel called to be a priest, talk to a priest about, he will give you the best advice.

Welcome to the family.

peace,
i<3fran.

[emmaberry101]

[quote name='CountrySteve21' timestamp='1350661416' post='2494830']
Well, ever since I've considered myself Catholic(about two years ago) I've felt called to be a Priest, but I also have some concerns, like how do Priest/Friars, deal with the loneliness of not having a wife? I'm just really confused, I know I'm still in RCIA so I don't have to think too much on this, but I am going to be graduating high school soon and just am looking for what God wants me to do with my life, cause other than the wife thing, the Priest life sounds amazing, i know its a hard life, but the fact that you serve God makes it all the worth it, and i just want to live a life were I can serve God with my whole being.
[/quote]

I don't know if I have seen you on VS before, but if not, welcome!! (And welcome to the Church in a couple months as well!)

Concerning loneliness, a wise Poor Clare once said (Sister Mary Paula-thanks Chiquitunga), "When you fall in love with Our Lord, it's like He takes up your whole heart, and you really couldn't marry anyone else."

In essence, most people receive the grace of loving God [i]as God[/i] together with their spouse. Some people receive the grace of actually having God as their Spouse. This 'spousal' expression may not resonate with you as it does with women.. at least, this was the case with my seminarian friends. They viewed the Priesthood as a closer brotherhood with Christ, and the spousal aspect of the priesthood was geared more towards His Church. They did not identify with the 'Jesus is my Spouse' notion that discerning women are so fond of! Also, Our Lord promised those who gave up spouses, children, family, and homeland a hundredfold [i]even in the present life. [/i]"God will not be outdone in generosity," said Saint Teresa of Avila, and He really won't. If you are called to be a Priest, it will be hard. Giving up natural marriage an children is hard-but it's the good kind of hard. Who wants an easy life??
It all depends on what your vocation is, because if you think, "The Priesthood is so beautiful, so I will sacrifice my desires and become a Priest" without it being your vocation, you will end up miserable-even though you had noble intentions! The same goes for the married state. Where your vocation is, there is a hefty helping of grace, and you want to pray and seek that out very much in these next years. Ultimately, your vocation will bring you joy. Just pure joy. Not [i]happiness[/i], per se.. The Saints were the most joyous people, yet they embraced suffering that many of us shake just to hear of! Be confident in God's great love and providence, because He created you to be joyful in this life (not without suffering), and even more joyful in the next!

In short (not so short anymore!), like arfink said, full service of Christ is possible (demanded!) in every vocation, but Priests and religious are given a unique grace to embody that Spousal relationship of the Bridegroom and the Church in a radical way. While other vocations praise God indirectly (the mom running errands, the dad working overtime), the Priesthood and religious life is directly consecrated to God. Sister Bethany Madonna of the Sisters of Life said that, once she had taken her vows, every smallest act of her life was consecrated and offered directly for the greater glory of God. Her bathroom scrubbing was elevated to a supernatural level because her whole being -her every act- was consecrated specifically for God and no one else. Married people can live a life where every act is for God, but the two vocations are still different. Many people try to make them 'one and the same' and this not only discredits the beauty of religious life, but the beauty of marriage of well. So both states require a full giving of self, but there is no doubt that the Priesthood is a radical embodiment of this giving, and it was favored by Jesus and Saint Paul in the Scriptures.

Sorry, you probably know all of this already from RCIA, so forgive me if that is the case. You have a lot of time to discern, and my prayers as well!

Edited October 19, 2012 by emmaberry101

[CountrySteve21]

Thanks for the advice y'all (: