Discernment For Boys

[Guest aussietom]

I am 20 and have been in religious life with the Missionaries of God's Love for about a year now, they are an Australian group of priests brothers and Sisters.
We are Charismatic, Eucharistic, Franciscan and Marian. I love formation but it is really difficult too, my greatest weaknesses have been exposed and I realise that I'm not here because of what I can do but for what I can't do
Aussie tom

[D0RK4JP2]

Gday Aussietom,

I met a postulant (or novice, wherever you're at), a few months ago in Brisbane from your order. Nice guy. He said exactly the same thing to me. Your clericals are really simple and humbling.

JMJ

[danchinn08]

[quote]when someone has a genuine vocation many times it is visible to others.
[/quote]

Alyosious posted this a long time ago. But now I can relate to it. This year at Christmas Eve Mass our new deacon said to me "Daniel have you ever thought of being a priest." And was like I knew this was coming because I love to volunteer and church and I always set up for Mass and clean up afterwards and I've thought of being a priest a lot before now. Then he said that ever since he met me he had dreamed about being at my first Mass as a priest. I feel that this was really a calling from God because I think God can give you callings from other people. This doesn't mean that every time someone tells you to be a priest or a sister that you should believe them but I think you will know when God is using someone else to tell give you a calling. But after our deacon said that I just was speechless.

I just wanted to see what you all think about God using other people to help your calling.

Thanks,
Dan

[daveybe]

[quote name='danchinn08' date='Jan 5 2005, 10:30 PM'] I just wanted to see what you all think about God using other people to help your calling. [/quote]
Absolutely. I strongly agree with your assessment. Not everything that others say is a message from God, but sometimes you can just [i]feel[/i] the divine origins of the message. Here's an example from my own discernment (i posted this elsewhere in this forum, sorry if it is a repeat for you).

At first, i told very few people about my vocation, but i did confide in a close friend. I told her "I'm attracted to this, but i'm also scared to death of it."
She was staring off into space and said "Fear does not come from God." That just about bowled me over, and when i asked why she said it, she couldn't explain it. It was like the words just came. Ever since, i've put a lot of stock in those words.

[danchinn08]

Sorry for my tardiness in replying. It's a busy week at my school. But our deacon has really been a major couse for my voaction. I feel like God has wanted to be a priest since like the end of my &th grade year. Then at the end of my 8th grade year he asked me if I wanted to be a altar server at his ordination mass at the Cathedral. Seeing him and 2 of his friends recieving the Book of Gospels, and laying postrate and recieving the Holy Spirit and seeing God in each ot their faces really made me know this is what I was supposed to do for God. It was really amazing.

[quote]It was like the words just came. Ever since, i've put a lot of stock in those words.[/quote]

My best friend and I have been talking about our vocations a lot. He doesn't know what God wants him to do and he's afraid that when God tells him he won't hear it or understand. And I just told him that if God wants you to do something he will help you out and he will tell you. He asked me how I God told me that I was supposed to be a priest and I told him that there really wasn't a time or a place it just kind of popped into my head with out ever thinking about it and I asked God if that's what I was supposed to and everything in my life seems to be pointing that way.

Pax,
Dan

[PedroX]

daveybe,

St. Paul writes: For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love and of power and of a strong mind.

peace...

[jezic]

wow interesting thread.

You are not alone. So many times i have wondered if God wants me to be a priest. I can think of thousands of things that have happened that lead me that direction and just as many that lead me away.

I don't know now. I decided a long while ago this was in his hands and even if i am not going to be a priest, well i am going to act like one. I mean that like i am going to try to serve other people before myself and the whole bit no matter where i am in life.

I think God might want me to a be a misson.

The one group mentioned above sounds interesting. Do they have a website??

thanks

God bless

*prayers for you all*

Jez

[Catholictothecore]

I'm 18, and discerning. There are only two things that I really...have a somewhat unfoggy vision of. One, I just have this...gut feeling that God is calling me to the priesthood. It's weird, becuase for so long in my life, i didn't know what being Catholic was all about. I'd "play the part." And than, my sister started discerning, and that got me thinking. I feel so often like I'm wasting my time, cuase I only seem to be going on a gut "feeling", something I'm wary of.

The second thing is that I'm deeply attracted to the Franciscans. Again, its weird, cause the only franciscan priest I've ever come in contact was...shall we say, less than orthadox. He once said that the Eucharist was never meant to be adored. As you can see, my parents are a little hesitent about them in the area i live in.

Pray 4 me, if you will. I'll pray for all you who are discerning as well.

Pax Christi
CttC

[danchinn08]

I've always been interesting in the Franciscan's too and I've never met a Franciscan priest. I think that when I just learned about St. Francis of Assisi that got me interested. Like how simple there life is. But i'd still have to say my favorite saint is St. Joan of Arc. and St. Cecila because she is the patroness of music.

[jezic]

[quote name='Catholictothecore' date='Jan 23 2005, 11:02 PM'] I'm 18, and discerning. There are only two things that I really...have a somewhat unfoggy vision of. One, I just have this...gut feeling that God is calling me to the priesthood. It's weird, becuase for so long in my life, i didn't know what being Catholic was all about. I'd "play the part." And than, my sister started discerning, and that got me thinking. I feel so often like I'm wasting my time, cuase I only seem to be going on a gut "feeling", something I'm wary of.

The second thing is that I'm deeply attracted to the Franciscans. Again, its weird, cause the only franciscan priest I've ever come in contact was...shall we say, less than orthadox. He once said that the Eucharist was never meant to be adored. As you can see, my parents are a little hesitent about them in the area i live in.

Pray 4 me, if you will. I'll pray for all you who are discerning as well.

Pax Christi
CttC [/quote]
i was the same way with playing the part stuff. If you have that gut feeling you should talk to a vocations director. That doesn't really mean you are committed to anything, you are just talking. They can help a lot with this stuff.

[friarMatt]

Danchinn08 and Jezic,

There is something utterly captivatating about the joy and love of St. Francis and the desire to live the Gospel life. He is still calling brothers to follow in his footsteps, myself included as unworthy a one as they come. One of the provinces of my order (the Conventual Franciscans) have a friary ourside of Chicago called Marytown, were we have perpetual adoration of the Eucharist, so we all are not like that one friar you met. I hope and pray this post helps even a little bit, feel free to drop an IM or a PM if you want to chat more, and know of my prayers as you continue to discern your call to holiness!

in Christ and Mary,
friar Matt

[Antonius]

I'm 18 and attending Fordham University in New York City. I've always, since I was in gradeschool, thought about being a priest. "I could do that. That seems fun, rewarding, meaningful." On the plus side, I've been told by sooo many people since as long as I can remember that I should be a priest or at least think about it. It gets to the point sometimes that I think to myself that I'll do almost anything so they can stop bothering me...

The truth is, I look at the saints and I can't help but admire them. I am in Mass or praying and I get overwhelmed by a feeling of God's presence. I get fed up in classes when it just doesn't seem rewarding.

Looking at the simple life of some orders seems so appealing. Some aspects seem easy, but it's certainly just as "hard" or even more than married life. To devote oneself to Christ and His Church completely and utterly.... While many worries of the world go away, many more come back. Instead of the physical world and the state, now you have to keep in mind people's souls and spiritual health. To take a stand against the violent winds of the world and be His instrument... wow.

I'm in college now and I'll probably major in film. After that... I don't know. If I don't meet my wife or feel called to a career in film I'll probably feel called to religious life. Therefore, I need to keep all things in mind now.

I'm attracted to the CFR, the Friars of the Charismatic Renewal. You know, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Fr. Stan Fortuna, and all those guys. They're based in the Bronx, not far from where I am. I want to at least visit them, see what they're like. The order was started by Capuchin monks, which is what St. Pio was.

To keep this short, I will end by saying that LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL. And even though I may not be sure of what He calls of me, I am certain that I want to follow His call, whatever and wherever it may be. I pray that we all build up the Church whereever we are and whatever vocation we follow.

[jezic]

[quote name='jezic' date='Jan 26 2005, 12:15 AM'] i was the same way with playing the part stuff. If you have that gut feeling you should talk to a vocations director. That doesn't really mean you are committed to anything, you are just talking. They can help a lot with this stuff. [/quote]
It does and it is nice to get a voice on here that actually knows.

Things keep spinning through my head.

I am kinda strange cause i had this bout with eastern philosophy and now it really has a big impact on a lot of stuff. The conflict it creates is it really makes monastic life look like something that was meant to be.

So many different directions to go, i don't know how anyone ever decided on anything .....

[MilesChristi]

[quote]I'm attracted to the CFR, the Friars of the Charismatic Renewal. You know, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Fr. Stan Fortuna, and all those guys. They're based in the Bronx, not far from where I am. I want to at least visit them, see what they're like.[/quote]

The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal are incredible.

I've been discerning a vocation to the priesthood for quite a while now, and over the past couple years I've begun to wonder if I might best serve the Lord and His people as a Franciscan. The thought of giving away all my property and living in poverty with only a habit, rope, and sandals to clothe myself gives me a excited, fluttery feeling in the stomach, for lack of a better expression. Feeding the poor, teaching the youth, evangelizing in the city streets, giving shelter to the homeless, and serving Christ in each person who comes to the door...it seems like such a beautiful, authentic way of living the Gospel.

I was very happy that I got to spend about twenty minutes talking with one of the CFR brothers while we walked together at the March for Life this year. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to head up to NY and spend some time with them in the future. Meanwhile, I continue to try to live the Gospel in the circumstances God has placed me. If I am indeed called to the order, I'm sure the Lord Jesus will guide me if I remain open to Him and receptive to the Holy Spirit through prayer.

[jezic]

what are the franciscan friars of the renewal?

That is kind of a strange question for me cause i heard a bunch of them speak. I just don't really know why they are called that or anything. Someone wanna take a shot at explaining?