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VOCATION DISCERNMENT:

Is God calling me to the Religious Life?

What does vocation discernment mean? In simple words, it means to determine the source of one’s feelings, inspirations and the spiritual manifestations that are taking place around the person for the purpose of determining if these result from a divine calling to the religious life.

 

To discern if one has a religious calling is a lengthy process. A priest is not ordained until many years of preparations. Any time prior to the date of ordination, a candidate to the priesthood who is still searching the divine will of God, or his spiritual director can come to the conclusion that the individual does not have a calling from God.

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Sometimes during his Christian life, every Catholic boy has to take the first step towards discerning if he has a priestly calling from God or not. He has to ask himself, “Is God calling me?” A basic way to begin the discernment process related to a calling to the priesthood is by answering the following questions:

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  • When you hear the Word of God, does it make you want to share it with others?

  • Do you find yourself more uplifted when you speak of spiritual things versus a full-time job in the world?

  • Do others enjoy your presence because they feel uplifted when hearing you speak of spiritual things?

  • ​When you participate in the celebration of the Holy Mass, do you sometimes wish you were the priest celebrating the Holy Mass?

  • Have you always wanted to become a priest but you have kept it a secret in your heart?

  • Are you afraid to tell your family and friends that you want to become a priest?

  • Do you feel unworthy of serving God as a priest?

  • Do you like to serve others?

  • Have others ever told you that you should become a priest?

  • Do you find that you are different from the others and have been told so?

  • Do you feel that while you are in the world, you are not of the world?

  • Are you detached from the worldly ways of fame, pleasures, wealth, believing that there is more to life than what can be gained?

  • Do you have a natural inclination towards doing charitable works?

  • Do you sometimes wish that Jesus would just appear to you and tell you what He wants from you?

  • Has your mind been preoccupied with the fact that you must now make a major decision regarding your future, either to serve God or not?

  • Do you feel guilt is eating away at you because you are not pursuing a calling to the priesthood?

If you have answered “yes” to a few (3 or more) of the above questions, you may have a calling to the priesthood or the religious life. With an increase number of “yes” as an answer (7 or more) to the questions, there is a greater likelihood that God is calling you to the religious life. 

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Come and See. Let us help you in discerning for your vocation. For more information, you can contact the Vocation Director or message him through the 'Contact Us' page of this website.

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​Taken from the 2004 edition of the La Semilla, the official publication of the Postulancy and Pre-Novitiate community of Seminario San Agustin Intramuros.

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