I'll Tell You Why Not. You Tell Me Why...

[Namaste]

Okay,

I can tell you all the reasons why I shouldn't be a priest. I can tell you about how I don't want to. But it doesn't change the fact that God is always making me think about it.

Can someone please tell me why a 25 Roman Catholic SHOULD become a priest? I need to hear argument from the other side. And pray, not just for me, but for all of the eligable but unordained catholic men out there.

[Jesus_lol]

maybe because you should get married?
i dunno, if your dating life isnt going so well(just a guess), then choosing a life without it can seem like the easy way, but that isnt a good reason to choose anything much less something like becoming a priest.

[puellapaschalis]

One should be a priest because he is called by God to be a priest. Horrifically simple.

Only the figuring out is less simple...but seeing as it's never done truly alone...

[CatherineM]

Being a priest has pretty good job security.

[cmaD2006]

You should become a priest only as long as you feel as though the priesthood will lead you to sanctity ... (same with marriage, etc.)

I strongly believe that this is key ... sainthood (whether or not recognized by the Church is moot). Ask yourself "What will help me become a saint?" And I think that this may be a good indicator as to the path you should choose for yourself.

Do you want to be a saint? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to be a saint? Are you willing to allow God to do whatever He wants in your life in order to sanctify you? If you truly allow God to be in control and ask Him to guide your decisions you won't go wrong, and God willing you will become a saint in whatever state of life He guides you to.



Blessings, prayers, and peace,

[Brother Ed]

[quote name='Namaste' post='1827850' date='Apr 7 2009, 04:24 PM']Okay,
I can tell you all the reasons why I shouldn't be a priest. I can tell you about how I don't want to. But it doesn't change the fact that God is always making me think about it.

Can someone please tell me why a 25 Roman Catholic SHOULD become a priest? I need to hear argument from the other side. And pray, not just for me, but for all of the eligable but unordained catholic men out there.[/quote]


First of all, do you have a Spiritual Director.... he/she can guide you through your discernment process. If you feel God is calling you, talk this over with your SD... Keep praying and seek God's guidance. Some guys do apply to the seminary and after a year or two they do find out that this is not where God is calling them.... I can give you many reasons why one should be a priest.... but not wanting to... well, you may just be pushing God's call aside.. Again, talk to your Spiritual Director.

[Luigi]

Because:
1. You are (only slightly) older (and hopefully wiser?) than the average seminarian so
2. You have had (slightly) more life experience
3. And being a priest (I assume you mean secular? or active ordered?) is all about helping people living in the world deal with their life experience from a Christ-like perspective.

Because:
4. You are a good pray-er and can lead other people to pray(er) and support them in/with prayer;
5. You are a good reader of and student of the Word;
6. You are a good speaker who can preach/explain it to other people in such a way that they can incorporate it into their lives (see #3 above);
7. You are a servant who can administer the sacraments that punctuate and sanctify the lives of God's people.

Maybe because:
8. You are a good singer - not essential but it helps;
9. You are a good negotiator (parish committees!);
10. You are a good administrator (if you ever become a pastor.)

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, because we need you.

[AccountDeleted]

The Church needs good and holy priests. If you feel called to by God, then please at least investigate the possibility. Jeremiah felt "seduced" by God - he didn't particularly want the calling to be a prophet, but he also knew that he couldn't resist it. He said...

[i]You have seduced me, Yahweh, and I have let myself be seduced; you have overpowered me: you were the stronger. I am a laughing-stock all day long, they all make fun of me.

For whenever I speak, I have to howl and proclaim, 'Violence and ruin!' For me, Yahweh's word has been the cause of insult and derision all day long.

I would say to myself, 'I will not think about him, I will not speak in his name any more,' but then there seemed to be a fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones. The effort to restrain it wearied me, I could not do it. [/i] Jer 20:7-9

If I were a man, I would so want to be a priest - cherish the fact that you are even allowed the opportunity to discern such a thing. To be able to bring Our Lord to us in the Blessed Sacrament, and to offer the sacrament of Reconciliation! What great joys, what great blessings. The hands of a priest are truly blessed by God!

I know that marriage is also a beautiful Sacrament and brings the gift of children into the world, but oh to be a priest! I will pray for your discernment dear brother and if you do decide to follow this call, please write to me at the Monastery, and I will pray for you every day.

God bless you and keep you always!

Edited April 8, 2009 by nunsense

[Sister Rose Therese]

You know, I felt the same way about religious life. I really did not want to be a sister before I entered. But the idea would not go away and I had come to see that I would not be satisfied by anything else.
Since I have entered I have no regrets. I know that I would not have been really happy anywhere else.
Perhaps you need to take some time away, like a retreat, and really think about all those things that you don't want to give up. Do they really make you happy? Would they really satisfy you?
Here is something that might make you feel better. There was a survey, I'll have to look for it again, about which people were the happiest. It looked at all different kinds of jobs and what not. Guess who came out on top. Priests and ministers. So dispite all the sacrifices and what might seem like a lonely life, priests are pretty happy people.
You may not really see that until you take the plunge.
God bless

[Luigi]

BTW, if you do decide that the priesthood is for you and you are for the priesthood, you might consider the Jesuits. The mire I hink about it, the more your topic title reminds me of them.

[dauntingknight]

Maybe you are being called to be a monk.

[TotusTuusMaria]

[quote name='Namaste' post='1827850' date='Apr 7 2009, 04:24 PM']Okay,

I can tell you all the reasons why I shouldn't be a priest. I can tell you about how I don't want to. But it doesn't change the fact that God is always making me think about it.

Can someone please tell me why a 25 Roman Catholic SHOULD become a priest? I need to hear argument from the other side. And pray, not just for me, but for all of the eligable but unordained catholic men out there.[/quote]

1. Because God is calling you.

2. The Church needs you.

[i]"We need men to give up their lives for Jesus Christ. Now." - [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqtOvt7d490&feature=PlayList&p=FDF2EA12EB85873B&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=48"]Fishers of Men, Grassroots Films[/url][/i]

If you are being called, please respond to that call.

This coming year is the year of the priest. You will be in my prayers.
[i]
"Be not afraid." - Pope John Paul II[/i]

God bless you.

Edited April 9, 2009 by TotusTuusMaria

[laetitia crucis]

The fact that God is making you think about it [b]all the time[/b] -- this is sheer grace! -- says something significant.

Such a "temptation" or "inspiration" could simply NOT come from Satan. Only God gives that grace as it is a higher calling...something to think about definitely!

Have you ever done the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola? It's basically a silent retreat with meditations given, daily Mass and adoration, and a lot of time for prayer and discernment. There is also time for spiitual direction and confession. I would [i]highly[/i] recommend this.

[url="http://www.iveignatianexercises.org/"]The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola[/url]

You have my prayers.

[the lords sheep]

My brother in Christ,
I completely COMPLETELY understand how you're feeling.... I'm feeling a bit too about the religious life.
To be frank, you have every reason why not to go. But the one reason you would have to go is if God is calling you. As PP said, it's horrifically simple.
You know already, if you're honest with yourself, anything that I could tell you about the theology and practicality of the priesthood. You probably even have a vague idea of the blessings and sufferings that come with the office. You don't need me for that.
If God is calling you- and you will know if He is- abandon yourself to Him. Ask the Holy Spirit first to open your heart to the will of God, and secondly to give you counsel as to where God wants you. Beyond that, wait and pray.

Your sister in Christ,
Lauren

[Luigi]

"I'll Tell You Why Not. You Tell Me Why..."

"I can tell you all the reasons why I shouldn't be a priest. I can tell you about how I don't want to. But it doesn't change the fact that God is always making me think about it.

Can someone please tell me why a 25 Roman Catholic SHOULD become a priest? I need to hear argument from the other side."

I was re-reading this thread, and it occurred to me that you never did tell us why not. It may not be any of our business, and that's fine if that's the case. But your title suggests that you are going to tell us why you should not be a priest, but you never say so specifically.

Again, if you'd rather not, that's your choice, but if you want "to hear argument from the other side," we might be able to answer more cogently if we knew what your NOT reasons are - career? money? significant other? family opposition?

Not prying, just asking.