The world needs more priests. Surely, God is calling men in
sufficient numbers. So, why aren’t seminaries filled to capacity? Part of the
problem is that vocations can be subtle and easily missed.
I was not one of those toddlers who used a blanket chasuble and
toy kitchen set to play Mass. Nor did I ever receive some obvious sign. My call
came as a pattern of recurring thoughts: I wonder what it would be like to be a
priest … seems like it could be cool. Would I be good at it if I tried? How do
people know if they should try? I wonder … Oh well, that kind of thing is for
others to worry about, not me.
It was not until after about two years of dismissing these
thoughts when I finally realized: maybe that’s the call. I didn’t think a
vocation, a supernatural gift from God oriented to my ultimate happiness, could
be so understated. By the grace of God, I eventually realized that I had to
look into it. I reached out to a priest I knew well and then to the vocations
director of the Diocese of Arlington. Eventually, I applied to the seminary,
and upon arrival, went on to have the most spiritually and personally enriching
year of my life.
There is no officially recognized sign that must come before
taking positive action toward discerning your vocation. Sometimes God calls
with some unmistakable signal grace, but at other times the call might seem
mundane. Sometimes God calls us loudly by name and strikes us blind on the road
to Damascus, but at other times he makes his presence known in a small
whispering sound.
If you’re a single man and you’re wondering even a little whether
I’m talking about you, the answer is yes. Your potential vocation to the
priesthood is just as worthy as anyone’s, no matter what it feels like at this
stage. Don’t overthink it. Don’t wait. Get in touch with a priest, and
deliberately discern your vocation starting right now. You have nothing to
lose, and a beautiful gift from God to gain.
Courtney, who is from St. Rita Church in Alexandria, is
in his second year of pre-theology studies at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood,
Pa.