Q. What if I am in doubt about my vocation?
 
A. You should go to a good priest whom you know and ask him what he thinks. Ask him to be your regular confessor, and acquaint him candidly with all of your weaknesses and temptations, as well as your strengths and gifts, and trust him to counsel you. Even more importantly, pray fervently and perseveringly to God that you be enlightened in this matter.

Q. How do I tell a call to the priesthood from zeal?

A. Ups and downs as regards the vocation are quite normal. It would be highly unusual if thoughts of marriage did not come into your mind, but the priesthood keeps popping back, especially, the idea of what a priest is. If it is the priesthood that is attracting you, and not just a general desire for holiness, you should take the matter further.

Q. What are the advantages of celibacy in the priesthood of a Catholic priest?

A. The most important value for living celibacy is the imitation of the life Christ chose for himself. By living a celibate life we are more like Christ. By dedicating ourselves totally and exclusively to loving Christ and His Church we dedicate ourselves exclusively and totally to serving souls.

Q. Is priesthood lonely?

A. The loneliness or vacuum one experiences is normal for everyone but especially one who gives up marriage. But one doesn’t gives up marriage to experience emptiness. Rather one gives up the good of marriage to replace it with Christ. A priest that feels lonely is one who doesn’t pray or doesn’t have a loving relation with Christ. With prayer and the Holy Eucharist, you cannot be alone spiritually. In the Norbertine life, brothers in the community who share the same ideals always help and support one another in living a faithful priestly life.

Q. Should I wait to finish college before I enter the seminary?

A. The mentality that one should finish college before entering the seminary is quite common. If a young man perceives he has a vocation and there is no further reason to go to college other than “getting a degree”, it might be a mistake and a waste of time. If you think you have a vocation but have not been able to verify it, you need to speak to a priest, preferably one who knows you well or can get to know you well, to see if you are ready for seminary or not.

Q. How do I know which order to choose?
 
A. Some priests were attracted to their particular vocation by a description they read or a story they heard, but most were attracted by a person they met. Correspond with a few of the orders or congregations you are interested in, and then arrange to visit those that still interest you one by one. It is through a visit to a monastery that you will be able to see more easily if that is where God is calling you.

Q. How smart do you have to be to be a priest?
 
A. “Man desires to know” says Aristotle. God has given man an intellect to know Him and a will to love Him and certainly a priest will want to know God and his creation so that he can love Him all the more. To be a priest you have to be able to handle college courses. Priestly studies include the study of Latin and Greek, modern foreign languages, philosophy and theology. The order of seminary life is optimal for learning the things which will help you be a good priest.

Q. My emotions are going up and down about my vocation: can I trust them?

A. God does speak to us through our legitimate desires, so your desire to become a priest can be God speaking to you in your heart. However, we cannot base decisions upon our emotions because they constantly change. After thinking, examining, and praying we should base our decision upon reason and faith.

You have made us for yourself O Lord and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.
—St. Augustine