Vocations

[willguy]

I think we're just speaking past each other. I thought you were saying that God calls us to do things that we are completely and entirely attracted to (meaning no fear or hesitiation). Thanx for clearing it up.

[DojoGrant]

willguy,

What diocese will you be studying for? I have a close friend studying for the Memphis, TN diocese at Franciscan Univ., and God willing, I'll be entering formation in a year and a half, after I finish up my degrees at MSU, for the Jackson, MS diocese.

Something that might help (cause it helped me) with discerning religious life vs. priesthood...the religious life vocation is first. If you are called to the religious life, that is your primary vocation, because when you join an order, you may or may not ever be a priest depending on what the order thinks is best for you. So, I think it's more of a calling to the religious life than to the religious life-priesthood. That's something our vocations director told us.

Also, seminary is itself a discernment process, so I wouldn't worry about not knowing 100% about your calling yet. You have embraced the initial calling, and you must be finding peace there or you would not have taken the steps you have. Follow God's call, and it comes to your ordination and you still feel that peace, you're in the right place. I think continued formation will continue to lead you down the path that the Holy Spirit has laid before you.

You and all who are discerning your vocations of all shapes and kinds are in my daily prayers!

[willguy]

St. Louis Archdiocese.

The way I see it, I have 8 (or maybe 9, I forget) years of school before becoming a priest. After 4, I transfer schools (from a college seminary to a theological school). I hope that at the end of the 4 years I will know which is best for me.

[DojoGrant]

I think the most I have is 7.5 years (1.5 more at MSU, plus 1-2 years philosophy, plus 4 years theology).

[Spiritual_Arsonist]

There are many wonderful posts on this thread, many of which I can relate to.

I am discerning a vocation with the Archdiocese of Detroit, as I was just at the seminary for a few days this past weekend.

My discernment process has been quite the ride. It has taken me to the Fraternity of Saint Peter, The Legionaries of Christ, and the Trinitarians. Last but not least is my Archdiocese of Detroit.

At first I thought that the parish life was for me. After seeing my Archdiocese was not as healthy as it could be, I turned to religous orders. I discerned with them, and all have been truly wonderful. But the front for the battle is truly in the parish life. I could join the Leginaries or FSSP, and the parish, school, or other institution would be in perfect order. But I cannot bear the many parishes who suffer because no one is there to teach them the faith.

I had a lot of time last week to spend before the Blessed Sacrament at the Seminary. It was wonderful. A mental image came to mind as I sat before the Lord: the image of Christ with one hand outstretched, pointing towards my heart. So this is the point, that we know where God wants us when we know we can give all of our life to him, and our Hearts. We must give our Hearts to the Lord.

[Theologian in Training]

When I seriously discerned a very contemplative Franciscan order, I ultimately came to the same insight as DojoGrant. At first, I would have thought it was my own reservations in becoming a religious, but then when I entered the seminary, I learned of many who were religious and became diocesan. In my own opinion I believe that God is looking for more people that are comfortable with the contemplative life, but can live that life in the midst of the world, as it were, and as thus find God a lot easier. I think it is more than coincidence that four people of the 70 in this seminary were at one time a religious.

We must the face the fact that, like it or not, the parish life is suffering, and it is need of good and holy men. What happens if, in an effort to avoid the difficulties in a diocese, everyone runs to a religious order? What happens to the parish priest, does the identity of a parish priest cease to exist?

Think about it, the parish priest has the opportunity to touch many more lives, if it is God's will, because he is not limited to a certain place or religious order. Granted, he is to be a priest of his diocese, but that does not mean he cannot help out in other dioceses.

In most religious orders, it seems as though they are preaching to the choir, as it were. Everyone is there because they want to be, they know why they are there, and they love being there. In the parish life, this is sadly not the case. The challenge then, is to bring a foreign message to a confused and, oftentimes, ignorant congregation. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not trying to imply that everyone is completely ignorant, nor am I trying to imply that they aren't intelligent. Rather, I am trying to imply that a lot of people have been robbed of the proper teaching, understanding, and as thus love of Christ in His Church. This was incredibly evident when I taught RCIA and realized that these grown men and women had no clue what I was talking about, nor had ever heard of something as simple as the Theological Virtues.

We need religious, don't get me wrong, we need their prayers, their support, and their work, which is sometimes hidden and oftentimes very powerful. However, we also need people that aren't afraid to be in the midst of the world, on the frontlines, as it were. People are starving for God, and if we don't have enough parish priests to maintain those parishes, then another parish will close, and another generation may be lost.

I believe God is intentionally calling certain religious out of their orders to fulfill what has been lacking in the diocesan priesthood.

This is my humble opinion, but one that seems to make more sense, each and every day I see or hear of those leaving the religious order to become diocesan. In fact, at the sake of making this post even longer, I just met a guy the other day who was part of a religous order for a few years which was dissolved by the bishop and who now feels as though he may be being called to this diocese as a diocesan priest.

God Wills what He wants, it is not our job to completely figure out that Will, as much as it is to be obedient to it, IMHO.

God Bless