How do I know if God is calling me?
If you have ever thought about being a priest, these signs can help you discover whether God is calling you to follow Him more closely:
2. God has placed in your heart the desire to be a priest.
Maybe you don’t know where it comes from, but the idea of being a priest frequently crosses your mind.
Sometimes you push it away; other times it strongly attracts you… but it never completely disappears.
That constant restlessness may be a seed that God has planted in your heart.
Talk about it! With a priest you admire or someone you know will help you, and tell him what you feel.
2. You feel a great love for Christ, for the Church, and for her teaching.
You are excited to learn more about the faith, to read about the saints, doctrine, or the life of the Church.
You are drawn to the different vocations and charisms, and you are thrilled to see how all serve the same Lord.
A man called to the priesthood usually feels at home within the Church and enjoys learning “all things Catholic.”
3. Other people have told you that you would make a good priest.
Sometimes others see something in you that you yourself don’t notice.
When someone says to you, “Have you thought about being a priest? I think you’d be a good one,”
it may be a way that God speaks to you through them.
Many priests say that, after hearing that comment repeatedly, they decided to take the step toward the seminary.
4. You desire to live a life of prayer and grow in virtue.
Pope Benedict XVI said that what is expected of a priest is that he be an expert in the spiritual life.
Therefore, one who senses the call strives to attend Mass, pray frequently, go to confession, serve others, and grow interiorly.
5. You want to help others draw closer to Jesus.
The priest brings Jesus to people and people to Jesus.
If you feel in your heart the desire to accompany, teach, console, or guide others in their faith,
it may be that God is calling you to serve as a priest.
The priestly vocation consists, at its core, in leading others to heaven.
If you have thought about the priesthood but don’t see all these qualities in yourself, don’t worry.
No one is born a priest: one becomes a priest with God’s help and the formation the Church offers.
Speak with your Spiritual Director or with a trusted priest.
They can help you better discern what God is asking of you.
And remember: true happiness and peace are found only by following the will of God.
If He calls you, His grace will carry you to the end.