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Advice for High Schoolers

:o)Katherine:o)

By :o)Katherine:o)
in Catholic Vocation Station

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:o)Katherine:o)

:o)Katherine:o)

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I have four high school guys that are curious about the priesthood and religious life and a high school girl that is curious about religious life. Some of them feel a strong calling and others are curious about it and want to know more. In our diocese there is never any vocation discernment events or meetings with the vocation director. One of our seminarians has agreed to meet with my teen guys this weekend to let them ask questions. Someone graciously donated the book To Save a Thousand Souls (guide for discerning diocesan priesthood) which will be given at the end of the meeting. I will be meeting with the teen girl while the seminarian meets with the guys.

Many teens across our diocese are turning to us adults that are discerning the religious life and priesthood for guidance as they are not getting it on the diocesan level or on the parish level (we as adults are not receiving the guidance either). We want to be as supportive as possible but do not want them to feel like we are being pushy about the topic. Basically to feel that they have the support they need and the freedom to ask questions about discernment in general, when the time comes if they feel called to the priesthood or religious life how they can visit the seminary/convent and about talking with a vocation director, etc.

  In September we have a big youth rally where youth from across the diocese are getting together for an event and some of the teens are wanting to put together a vocation table with resources and recommended websites.

My question for you is this:

What advice would you give to those in high school and/or what resources would you recommend?

Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated! :)

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julianneoflongbeach

julianneoflongbeach

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I would would just say, if you're going to hand out literature or recommend any that it be actual information and real books. Not any of that "spirituality for teens" or teen bibles or any of that croutons. The only thing I wanted as a teen was real information and the best I got was pandering and platitudes. Not good. :mad:

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Sponsa-Christi

Sponsa-Christi

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I actually wrote a high school level religion textbook titled: Vocations: Answering God's Call (published by St. Mary's Press in 2013 as part of their "Living in Christ" series). Obviously, I'm very biased in recommending this, but the book is written to give high school students a decent overview of the Church's teaching on the various vocations.  

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NadaTeTurbe

NadaTeTurbe

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Here are some books that helped me in discovering my vocation. They are not vocation-related, but helped me to create a spirit open to God call's. It's : St Francis of Sales Introduction to the Devout Life, and reading the life of Saint really helped me : St Francis of Assisi, St Vincent of Paul, St Dominic, St Ignace of Loyola, St Jean Bosco... 


 

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:o)Katherine:o)

:o)Katherine:o)

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I would would just say, if you're going to hand out literature or recommend any that it be actual information and real books. Not any of that "spirituality for teens" or teen bibles or any of that croutons. The only thing I wanted as a teen was real information and the best I got was pandering and platitudes. Not good. :mad:

JulianneofLongBeach, that is why I am reaching out on here for help because it was the same for me growing up. Do you have any books that you recommend?

 

I actually wrote a high school level religion textbook titled: Vocations: Answering God's Call (published by St. Mary's Press in 2013 as part of their "Living in Christ" series). Obviously, I'm very biased in recommending this, but the book is written to give high school students a decent overview of the Church's teaching on the various vocations.  

Thank you Sponsa-Christi! I will look into it for our diocese. We have a meeting next week and we are allowed to submit book and movie titles that we think would be good for our diocesan library. I will see if we can order it!

Here are some books that helped me in discovering my vocation. They are not vocation-related, but helped me to create a spirit open to God call's. It's : St Francis of Sales Introduction to the Devout Life, and reading the life of Saint really helped me : St Francis of Assisi, St Vincent of Paul, St Dominic, St Ignace of Loyola, St Jean Bosco... 


 

Thank you so much Nada! I completely forgot that I have extra copies of St. Francis de Sales Introduction to the Devout Life! I started reading it and have never been able to finish it because I keep re-reading the first part. I will be sure to bring my extra copies this weekend! :)

 

 

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:o)Katherine:o)

:o)Katherine:o)

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Get online with the Daughters of St. Paul - or call them.

They must have something that would suit.

Thanks Lugi! I actually discerned with the Daughters of St. Paul and still stay in touch with one or two of the sisters. This was a topic that came up many times on my visits and we still talk about from time to time. They have a book for the women called He Speaks to You by Sr. Helena Burns. 

 

 

 

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julianneoflongbeach

julianneoflongbeach

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I think a couple books by Scott Hahn, 'Many Are Called' in particular, would be good in helping with discernment. All his books in general are written simply but are packed with great theology with lots of scriptural and traditional background... If you didn't already know him.

I know many people have found reading St. Pope John Paul II's 'Theology of the Body' very helpful in discernment.

I personally found 'And You Are Christ's: The Charism of Virginity and the Celibate Life' by Thomas Dubay to be the most helpful book I read in understanding my own vocation.

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MarysLittleFlower

MarysLittleFlower

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'And You are Christ's' by Fr Thomas Dubay is great and was recommended to me by a postulant. It talks about WHO you are in a vocation not just what you do. I liked that. It talks about vocations of celibacy and virginity, and can be applied to men and women. 

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:o)Katherine:o)

:o)Katherine:o)

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Thank you all so much for your recommendations! Please keep them coming!

I am familiar with the imagine sisters movement and have a very comfy sweatshirt that I wear all the time in the winter from them! The girl has already seen the Light of Love film. I did order it a while back though to have on hand in the future. Which reminds me I ordered an extra copy for the diocese. I need to bring that by as well!

 

 

 

 

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TheresaThoma

TheresaThoma

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I would also suggest "And You are Christ's" it is a great short book but very good at explain what the charism of Virginity is. A good book for your young lady would be The Foundations of Religious Life, Revisiting the Vision. http://www.amazon.com/The-Foundations-Religious-Life-Revisiting/dp/1594711984It is put out by the CMSWR and written by 6 religious from 5 communities (Sisters of Life, Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Sisters of St Francis and the Martyr St George, Nashville Dominicans and Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist). A good book on prayer is "Time for God" by Fr Phillipe http://www.amazon.com/Time-God-Jacques-Philippe-ebook/dp/B003V8BSA4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1439662715&sr=1-1&keywords=Time+for+God and The Armchair Mystic http://www.amazon.com/Armchair-Mystic-Easing-Contemplative-Prayer-ebook/dp/B005GRATEY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1439662758&sr=1-1&keywords=the+armchair+mystic

I would also look into getting in touch with the Sisters of St Francis and the Martyr St George (http://www.altonfranciscans.org/apostolates/formation ) I met one of the Sisters that runs the Mater Redemptoris House of Formation. One thing she is really trying to work on is providing resources to other dioceses where there isn't that much information available to young discerners.

For the table at the youth rally I would get into contact with lots of different communities. I'm sure they would be more than willing to send you some information. Getting a your seminarian friend involved there too would be great as well.

My advice is to really get to know yourself spiritually. Find out what is essential to you and your preferences in your spiritual life. And remember those essentials and preferences may be different from your peers and even other discerners and thats OK! Also don't be afraid to contact communities, I contacted many communities when I first started discerning. They understand that just because you contact them once doesn't mean that you want to or will enter there.

 

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