Hearing God’s call?
Discerning priesthood, religious life not always simple

By J.D. Long-García, The Catholic Sun
May 17, 2007

Answering the call to the priesthood or religious life is not easy.

Just ask John Muir, a former St. Theresa parishioner who will be ordained to the priesthood June 2.

“It’s been a difficult thing to face how much I imbibed the popular version of freedom, which sees life-long promises as senseless shackles,” he said.

“So many of my friends and acquaintances see freedom simply as ‘keeping your options open,’” Muir explained. “Yet as a Catholic I know real freedom is found only in the liberty to make a free gift of your whole life, in love, without holding anything back.”

This dichotomy between what the Church teaches and what society holds makes answering the call to the priesthood and religious life “nothing short of heroic,” said Fr. Don Kline, vocations director for the Phoenix Diocese.

“There are vocations being drowned out by our culture,” he said. “There’s so many voices, so many negative influences that are just drowning out good, honest discernment.”

With such obstacles, it’s important that men and women thinking about the priesthood and religious life understand discernment as a process, not a simple, one-time “yes,” Fr. Kline said.

A process

Sr. Jean Steffes, CSA, diocesan chancellor, helps men and women discern God’s call through spiritual direction.

“Step one would be to touch base with a religious that they know,” she said, adding that candidates for the priesthood or religious life need to be fully initiated into the Church. Sr. Jean said another step would be to attend the annual vocations retreat.

“It’s really important that they understand the importance of the Eucharist, of going to Mass regularly, of getting involved in the kinds of things that the parish has going on,” she said.

In her spiritual direction, Sr. Jean also tries to evaluate where potential candidates are in terms of their spiritual life and their understanding of Scripture.

Candidates should be “making use of the kinds of things the Church has available for lay Catholics in preparation for the involvement they would have if they were to enter a religious community,” she said.

Young men and women discerning religious life should meet several religious communities, Sr. Jean said.

She noted that some communities focus more on prayer while others focus on ministry. Candidates try to hear where God is calling them.

When a young man walks into his office, Fr. Kline knows what to look for.

“What’s been their involvement in the Church? How open are they to being formed? How aware are they of their own brokenness?” are some of the questions he asks.

“I look at their prayer life, their family support system, their own maturity, their docility and transparency,” Fr. Kline said. “Do they really have a sense of awe about this vocation, that God has called them?”

Helpers along the way

“Priests don’t hatch from eggs; we don’t fall from the clouds,” Fr. Kline said. “We’re human beings. We come from families.”

The family is where discernment starts, he said.

“I don’t think we have to tell our kids to become priests or religious. I think we have to show them what our faith is and what it has to offer,” he said. “I think it sells itself.”

Sr. Jean believes that an increase in prayers has led to more young people joining religious life and the priesthood.

“There’s a very conscious effort to pray for vocations because we realize this is something that’s prompted by the Holy Spirit,” she said. “We can’t control it.”

The Serra Club helps foster vocations through prayer and money, said Bill Meyer, the Phoenix club’s program coordinator. He’s been with the Serra Club for 25 years.

“We’re very committed to praying for all vocations, not only for the priesthood, but for sisters and brothers and even laity that are involved in the Church,” he said.

Yet, even with family and community support, men called to the priesthood are still bombarded with alternatives.

“Vocational discernment aims at discovering God’s plan for one’s life,” said Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted. “An attitude of prayerful listening prepares the way. Once discovered, then courage and faith are needed.”

Andrew Junker contributed to this story.