01
Priesthood
A priest gives his life in service to Christ and His Church. He celebrates the sacraments, preaches the Gospel, accompanies people in the most important moments of their lives, and serves as a spiritual father.
Every Vocations is a life poured out in love
Different paths.
The same call.
To follow Him. To give your life in love. The path looks different for each person, but the call is the same.
What is a Vocation?
A vocation is not a career.
It's a call.
The word "vocation" comes from the Latin vocare - to call. It refers to the particular way God invites each person to live out love in the world. A vocation is not simply what you do with your life. It is the way God invites you to give your life in love.
Priesthood, religious life, and marriage each ask something different of you, but each one is a call to follow Christ, to serve others, and to become holy through a particular way of life.
Most people begin by asking, “What do I want to do?” Discernment asks a deeper question: “How is God inviting me to give my life?”
The primary paths
Three ways of giving your life
02
Religious Life
Religious brothers and sisters give themselves to Christ through vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Their lives are marked by prayer, community, mission, and a public witness that God is enough.
03
Marriage
Marriage is a sacrament of self-giving love. A husband and wife give themselves to one another, build a family, and serve Christ through fidelity, sacrifice, and daily love.
The Common Thread
Every vocation is a life
poured out in love.
The priest gives his life in service to Christ and His Church. The religious brother or sister gives everything to God through prayer, community, and mission. The married couple gives themselves to one another and to the life God entrusts to them.
The form is different. The substance is the same: every vocation is a way of saying yes to God’s call.
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart."
Jeremiah 1:5First Steps
Begin by
paying attention
01
Pray
Bring the question to Jesus honestly. Ask Him what He wants, and be willing to listen.
02
Notice
Pay attention to the desires that keep returning - especially the desire for prayer, service, the sacraments, and giving your life to the Church.
03
Talk
Discernment rarely happens alone. A conversation with a vocations director can help you listen more clearly.
If priesthood has been on your mind, it may be time to talk about it.
Reaching out is not an application to seminary, it's simply a first conversation. It's a chance to name what’s been on your mind and see what the next faithful step might be.