Consider this remarkable statement: "The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of the Creator." CCC #1603 That's a strong statement. It makes it sound as if everyone is called to the vocation of marriage....
Archdiocese of Portland Vocations Blog
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The Priesthood—Vocation of last resort?

The many different roles of diocesan priests
“No two days are alike,” say many priests when speaking of their day-to-day work. Ask an older priest to reflect on the history of his priestly ministry, and the likelihood is that you’re in for an interesting story. Because priesthood is a vocation, not a job,...

Undecided is not a vocation
Nobody is called to do nothing with his life! God calls everyone to a specific vocation. And while discerning your vocation takes time, and can often be difficult, rest assured that God is not calling anyone to perpetual indecision. It might be easy to confuse...

Priest Hero: Fr. Vincent Capodanno
In 1966, when the bloody Vietnam War was raging, Fr. Vincent Capodanno volunteered for service as a United States Navy Chaplain serving with the U.S. Marines. His mission was to minister to soldiers on the battlefront—an assignment that cost him his life. Born...

Why you need a spiritual director
So you've been working hard to live as faithfully as you can, receiving the sacraments, and especially going to confession regularly. You are doing what is necessary, but you feel like there's another step you need to take - but you just can't quite take it....

Asking the right questions
“If you don’t change direction, you’ll end up where you’re heading.” – Chinese proverb Failure to Launch was the title of a popular movie a few years ago about a shiftless young man with no direction in life. The term “launch” in the movie’s title is used by...

Why do we say, “And with your spirit”?
What can the words of the Mass teach us about the priesthood? Plenty, says Msgr. James Maroney, a liturgical scholar who has traveled the country preparing priests to understand and celebrate Mass better. “The liturgy itself tells us who the priest is,” explains Msgr....

How to talk to the vocation director
If you wanted to be a journalist, it would make sense to talk to someone who works at a newspaper. If you wanted to be a chef, it would make sense to talk to someone who works at a restaurant. Just so, if you feel an attraction to the priesthood, sooner or...

Seminary 101
Many people, even many Catholics, have a vision of seminary as a very strict monastery. They imagine men walking around in hooded robes with folded hands, observing strict silence, and never smiling or laughing. But that is not even true of a monastery, much...

The Art of Self-Knowledge
“The unexamined life is not worth living,” Socrates famously said. He really meant it, too, as he also said that a man must “interrogate his own nature” and “work precisely” or else he will “miss what is good and become involved in what is bad.” Every...
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What do Priests Do?
Priests do far more than celebrate Mass and pray all day. The life of a priest is busy, demanding, challenging—and incredibly rewarding.

Why Celibacy?
Celibacy is always a top concern for men thinking about the priesthood, but rest assured that every priest had the same thought before he went to seminary.

Signs of a Priestly Vocation
If Jesus has placed a desire in your heart for priesthood, no matter what your age, don’t ignore it. Talk to a priest you admire about how you feel.
Priesthood Discernment Self-Test
Examining oneself using these twenty qualities or signs is a good way to begin one’s discernment of priesthood, but it should not be done in a vacuum.