“Dad, I want to be a priest”

What would your reaction be? Would you be worried, or elated or somewhere in between?
The truth is that God has a plan for every child; He wants them to be happy even more than you do. And their true happiness is found in discovering God’s plan for their lives and following it wholeheartedly.

So if you are truly concerned about a child’s well being, it makes sense to help him discern God’s call. A person’s occupation–professor, salesman, pilot or writer–can change many times over a lifetime, but a vocation is a deep part of a person’s identity.

It is true that most people are called to the vocation of marriage. But if your child feels called to a life of service in the Church, don’t be afraid; priests and religious live very happy and fulfilling lives. While they experience sorrow and hardship like every other person, they also experience great joy serving God by serving others.

So if you are a parent or grandparent, what can you do to help your children discern their calling in life? The primary thing is to foster openness to God’s will; let them know that God has a plan for them. The next time the topic comes up, consider asking the question: “What do you think God wants you to be when you grow up?”

Home-grown vocations

Because everyone’s first vocation is to be holy, the most important thing parents can do is to create a home environment where Christian virtue can flourish. Here are a few specific ideas for helping children discern their particular vocations:

• Invite priests and religious to dinner at your home.
• Show your children a good example of holy marriage.
• Pray daily for more priestly and religious vocations–maybe along with your regular dinner or night prayers.
• Read and discuss the Bible stories of Mary’s response to God (Luke 1:26-39), and Jesus calling the Apostles (Mt 4:18-22).
• Speak openly about vocations to marriage, priesthood and religious life.

If your child does express interest in priesthood or religious life, be supportive. If you are excited, don’t push too hard. If you are apprehensive, trust in God’s plan. The best thing you can say is, “Whatever God wants for you, I want for you, too.”

Thank you for your assistance in promoting vocations in our diocese. Our Lord has provided plenty of work in His vineyard.

Feel free to contact me to talk about ways you can help encourage vocations.

God bless you!