| Book Excerpts |
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Excerpt from Introduction Does God want me to become a priest? How can I be sure? How do I know if I have the gifts and abilities to be a priest? How do I know if I am holy enough? How do I know that I will be happy and fulfilled? If you are asking yourself these questions, this book was written for you.
Excerpt from Chapter 1—What Do Priests Do? "Priests bury the dead" The couple spoke to me as they were leaving the Saturday Vigil Mass. They were a lovely couple and their twelve-year-old son was with them. He said excitedly, "Father, we’re going to get a hamburger at my favorite place and then we’re going bowling tonight!" This couple had tried to have children for many years and they spent a lot of money going to different specialists.
" Who will you bring to Heaven?" I once heard a priest tell his vocation story: "I grew up in a very close, devout Catholic family with loving parents and we prayed together as a family every day… everything in my life revolved around the Church. Everyone would say the same thing, "You will be a priest when you grow up. Won’t you?"… I got tired of people urging the priesthood on me, because I did not especially want to become a priest.
Excerpt from Chapter 4—God Said Go and I Said No "Inability to Make a Permanent Commitment" A man in his late thirties was discerning priesthood in a certain diocese. The man had been engaged to be married twice, but both times, the man (not the woman) had broken off the engagement in the months closely preceding the wedding. His pastor suggested that maybe the reason he was not peaceful about marriage was because he was called to priesthood. So he discerned with his vocation director.
Excerpt from Chapter 6—Developing a Spiritual Plan of Life " A Jesus Experience" My first memorable Jesus Experience happened in eighth grade. Our pastor took five altar boys to spend the weekend at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, a Trappist Monastery in Conyers, Georgia. I did not really want to go. I would have preferred to stay home and play with my friends. But my mother informed my brother and me that we were going!
Excerpt from Chapter 11—The Blessed Virgin Mary and Discernment Fears "Common Fears of Men Discerning the Priesthood" Celibacy Fear. Always number one on the charts! "I can’t give up women. I could never be happy without sex. I fear that I will be miserable without a wife, children, and the sexual intimacy of marriage."
Excerpt from Chapter 12—How Do I Tell My Parents I want to be a Priest? "Parental Advice" "Father, wouldn’t it be wiser for my son to get a couple of years of college under his belt first, to date a few girls, and have some normal college life experiences? Then if he still wants to go to seminary, I will support him."
Excerpt from Chapter 13 – Celibacy, Chastity, Charity, and Cheerfulness No man has ever been ordained a priest having already achieved perfect sexual integration. However, a man must be able to demonstrate that he can live chastely for a significant period of time. But what exactly does this mean? I will answer this question by giving five examples.
Excerpt from Chapter 14 – My Path to Priesthood: When Do I Start? "When should I contact my Vocation Director" The short answer is now. Even if you are much too young to go to a seminary or if you are just beginning your discernment, make contact now. Send him an e-mail and tell him who you are and where you are in the stages of discernment.
Excerpt from Chap 19 – Ordination Day There is one Sunday morning that I will never forget for the rest of my life. It is the Sunday morning that I woke up the day after being ordained a Catholic priest.
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