How to Explore a Vocation to the Priesthood
The Catholic Church teaches there are four types of vocation: married life, single life, life in a religious order, and life in the priesthood. Each vocation requires discernment, the process by which we determine God's will for our life, but a vocation to the priesthood can be especially difficult to ascertain. Here are the steps you need to follow in exploring a vocation to the Catholic priesthood.
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Instructions
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Exploring a Vocation
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Develop a rule of prayer and stick to it. The daily rosary, the Divine Office, Mass on Sundays and weekdays--priests are men of prayer who lead others in prayer. A love for communion with God is absolutely essential in a priest.
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Study the issues surrounding a priestly vocation. Do you need the company of women in your life? Do you have a serious girlfriend right now? Do you have trouble with obedience to authority? Do you disagree with many or most of the Church's teachings? Do you like being around people? Answering each of these questions honestly will help determine whether you are called to the priesthood.
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Find a spiritual director. A spiritual director doesn't have to be a priest, but should be a practicing Catholic. He should be someone you find easy to talk to, and who himself lives a life of prayer and study. A spiritual director is not going to tell you what to do, but will help you discover God's will for your life. Ask your pastor or someone at the diocesan office for a list of local spiritual directors.
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Visit your diocesan vocation director. Every diocese has a priest in charge of the vocation process who will help you discern your call. He will, among other things, explain the difference between priesthood exercised in a religious order like the Carmelites or the Dominicans, and diocesan priesthood, serving in a particular diocese under a particular bishop. As you become more sure of your vocation, he will also help you arrange visits to religious communities and seminaries.
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If after this you still feel the call to priesthood, apply to the diocesan bishop or the provincial council of the religious order for postulancy. Postulancy is the first formal stage in the formation of Catholic priests, whether diocesan or religious. Though discernment doesn't end with postulancy, it does enter a new phase. You will examine particular issues more in depth and become better acquainted with priestly life.
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Tips & Warnings
In general, your pastor should not be your spiritual director. The relationship between pastor/parishioner and director/directee are different, and it's too easy for the roles to blur. If you feel drawn to having a priest as your director, consider a pastor in a neighboring parish.
Do not be afraid to "shop around" for spiritual directors. Your spiritual director should be someone with whom you feel comfortable talking, someone whose counsel you consider liberating. A good director understands that not every relationship works. Do not be afraid of hurting your director's feelings by trying someone else.
