For years, Jacob has thought about being a priest. Sometimes it has been just a passing thought. A few times, especially during Mass, it’s been a very strong attraction. And sometimes—especially when he is dating—the thought seems to be altogether absent. Jacob’s...
The way to perfect happiness is by giving up the pursuit of happiness. While this is not the conventional wisdom of the world, it is a staple of Christian spirituality. Ask most people you meet what makes them really happy and you'll probably get answers like...
"You can forget the past, but it will never forget you." When discerning your vocation, it's essential to deal with wounds from your past that may be keeping you from moving toward God's will for your life. Past events can be damaging even years after they...
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....
“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,...
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...
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...
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....
“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...
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....
Priests do far more than celebrate Mass and pray all day. The life of a priest is busy, demanding, challenging—and incredibly rewarding.
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.
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.
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.