Vocation Director's Corner Archives

25 Nov POPE BENEDICT’S MESSAGE TO SEMINARIANS

Posted at 17:10h in Vocation Director's Corner by Kristina Valente

"It does makes sense to become a priest: the world needs priests, pastors, today, tomorrow and always, until the end of time." In an open letter on October 18, 2010, Pope Emeritus Benedict spoke from his heart to seminarians throughout the Church. Addressing the confusion and...

24 Oct THE HEART OF A PRIEST

Posted at 17:31h in Vocation Director's Corner by Kristina Valente

What does it take to be a priest? This is the remarkable true story of an American priest martyred for his ministry. Fr. Stanley Rother, a priest for the diocese of Oklahoma City, graduated from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary back in the 1970s. He was not...

22 Sep Be It Done Unto Me According to Your Word

Posted at 17:24h in Vocation Director's Corner by Kristina Valente

I’m my own man! I’m self-made, and I alone should determine my destiny! I will let nothing stand in the way of what I want. There is no other road to happiness! At least that’s what contemporary society would have us believe. But the Christian viewpoint is...

20 Aug Talking to Family and Friends About Interest in the Priesthood

Posted at 12:19h in Vocation Director's Corner by Kristina Valente

Maybe you’re considering the priesthood and you feel peaceful about following God’s call and applying for seminary. But what about your family and friends? What if they don’t understand? What if they reject your choice, or — even worse — you? It’s true that breaking the...

31 Jul Why Celibacy for Priests

Posted at 10:03h in Vocation Director's Corner by Kristina Valente

You might think that the issue of priestly celibacy is a “newer” matter in the Church. After all, the Roman Church has continually reiterated the law of priestly celibacy for most, if not all, of her history. So it seems that celibacy must have been...

20 Jun Be Not Afraid

Posted at 17:47h in Vocation Director's Corner by Kristina Valente

Perhaps priesthood has crossed your mind, but fear pushes the idea away: My friends would laugh if they heard I was thinking about the priesthood! My parents would be shocked. My mom wants grandkids. I'm scared to death of speaking in public. I'm nowhere near holy enough. I don't want to...

20 May Gaining Peace Through Prayer

Posted at 11:39h in Vocation Director's Corner by Kristina Valente

Is God calling me to be a priest? How can I know for sure? What's the best way to make a decision like this? As you contemplate what to do with your life, be confident that God has a specific plan for you, and that you...

28 Apr The Most Important Decision You’ll Ever Make

Posted at 17:18h in Vocation Director's Corner by Kristina Valente

If you were about to make one decision that would dramatically impact the rest of your life, how would you go about it? If you were contemplating a cross-country move, you’d probably learn everything you could about the new city. If you were choosing a career,...

31 Mar Ordination is Just the Beginning

Posted at 17:40h in Vocation Director's Corner by Kristina Valente

One of the most beautiful liturgies in the Catholic Church is when a man becomes a priest of Jesus Christ. At the Mass of Ordination, the men to be ordained kneel in front of the bishop one by one, and they place their folded hands between...

24 Feb St. Vincent de Paul

Posted at 12:42h in Vocation Director's Corner by Kristina Valente

Holy priests don’t always start out holy. Take the case of St. Vincent de Paul. His beginning was rough, but in time, Vincent became an exemplar of priestly virtue and holiness. Being from a poor family, his father had to sell the family’s oxen to send...