We hear a lot about how important prayer is in the Christian life, and especially when discerning one’s vocation. It’s the the essential way we connect with God. So it’s obvious that prayer is important — but maybe it’s less obvious what prayer actually is. Understanding prayer...
Take a moment to consider some big questions: Did God make you for a definite purpose? Or can you be happy choosing any number of courses for your life? If God already knows your future, do you really have free will? If you were ordained a priest, would...
Celibacy isn't just about "not having sex." There's an aspect of celibacy that is more important for a man to consider when discerning the priesthood: the inclination to natural fatherhood. Healthy men usually have a natural inclination to want children. They are, after all, one of...
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...