For Starters >> How does one become a Priest?
God has a plan for you. He invites everyone to live in relationship with him. For some, this relationship is cultivated in marriage. For others, it is lived through the single life. And still for others, it is experienced through the consecrated religious life as a priest, religious brother or nun.
Those called to the priesthood have found the peace and joy that comes from discovering and doing the will of God. God has created each of us for a purpose and a mission to accomplish on earth.
Discovering God's plan happens through a process of
discernment. The following are steps to discovering this
plan:- Be Quiet in order to hear the Lord's voice calling. Take time to pray and meditate in silence about your vocation, especially in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
- Find a spiritual director -- somebody you can be open with -- who can help you to develop your relationship with God and to know yourself better.
- Get in touch with a Vocation Director. Speaking with a vocation director does not mean you must become a priest, but rather allows you to learn more about the priesthood. For the Archdiocese of New York, the Vocation Director is Fr. Luke Sweeney.
- Read up on religious and priestly life
- Participate in Come and See retreats
- Wait for the Lord. Discerning your vocation is a process. God's timing is always perfect -- but seldom seems soon enough!
