There are lots of charming Catholic women who want to get married to a good Catholic man. The problem is, when a man feels called to marriage, all these women go into hiding. But when a young man begins to discern a vocation to the...
Ask most seminarians, and they can remember the precise moment when they told their parents they felt called to the priesthood. Some received overwhelming support right away. Some encountered raised eyebrows. And some found themselves having to defend their decision against Mom or Dad's vehement opposition. Once...
“How I long for a poor Church for the poor!” Pope Francis voiced this urgent desire shortly after his election, and much of his papacy has been devoted to encouraging the Church to live Christian poverty. But what exactly is Christian poverty? The Holy Father questioned...
God is calling you to be a missionary. He is calling you to leave behind what may be familiar to you and boldly proclaim the Gospel to everyone you meet. But He may be calling you to do this without going anywhere! This is because every Catholic...
When people think of strength, of manliness, of courage, how likely is it that they think of the example of a saint? Holiness and virtue are frequently maligned by common opinion, but that certainly doesn't mean that a saint is weak, or ignorant, or that...
Sometimes God speaks to us most clearly when we do the wrong thing. This is especially true in vocation discernment. Of course, “the wrong thing” here doesn't refer to something that's morally wrong. Rather, we're talking about making a choice which isn't the direct path...
“Without question, I have spent more time helping Carla than any other person during my priesthood,” says Fr. Joe Hirsch, a priest from Wisconsin. “I remember the first time I saw her. I was working as a high school chaplain, and saw a timid 14-year-old girl...
As part of discerning your vocation, meditate on this powerful passage from British Archbishop Maurice Couve de Murville. If you are wondering what to do with your life, if you feel you want to do something really great with it, if you don’t want to fall into a...
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 experience is actually very...
"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 happen:...