Q. Is it necessary to have a special vocation in order to enter the priesthood?A. Yes; for St. Paul says: "Neither doth any man take the honor to himself, but he that is called by God, as Aaron was." Our Lord said to His disciples: "You have not chosen Me; but I have chosen you, and have appointed you, that you should go, and should bring forth fruit, and your fruit should remain." [*]
[*] For fuller information see larger catechism, "Questions on Vocations."
Q. Which are the marks of a vocation to the priesthood?A. The principal marks are: 1, a virtuous life; 2, a pure intention; 3, a desire of becoming a priest.
Q. Are not great talents necessary in order to enter the priesthood?A. No; a person of ordinary talents may become a very useful and successful priest.
Q. Why is a virtuous life necessary in one who aspires to the priesthood?A. St. Thomas, the angelic doctor, gives the following reasons: "We must place the sublime burden of the priesthood only on walls already dried by sanctity; that is, freed from the malignant humor of sin." In another place the holy doctor says: "As he who takes orders is raised above seculars in dignity, so should he be superior to them in sanctity."
Q. What is meant by a pure intention?A. The intention of securing one's own salvation and of promoting the glory of God by contributing to the salvation of others.
Q. What is meant by the desire to become a priest?A. It means an interior feeling or impulse of grace inclining a person towards the priesthood.
Q. How may this desire be obtained?A. By considering the goodness of our blessed Lord, His life of zeal, and labor, and His burning desire to save souls; the honor and the reward of continuing His work; by meditating on some passage of the Sacred Scripture or the truths of eternity; by reflecting on the shortness of life and the dangers of secular pursuits.
Q. May this desire be acquired by external means?A. Yes; this desire may be the result of a sermon, of the instructions of pastors and teachers, or of advice and example. It may come also from the prayers, the good example, and the encouragement of parents.
Q. How may a person know that this desire comes from God, even indirectly?A. He can judge by the motives which prompt this desire; a person evidently has a divine vocation when his desire of becoming a priest is fairly continuous; when the motives are good, and no serious obstacle exists.
Q. Is it necessary that vocations to the priesthood should come directly from God? [*]A. No; generally speaking, God selects and prepares His ministers through those whom He has appointed to watch over the interests of His Church. Even St. Paul did not receive his vocation directly from God. He was converted directly, but to his question: "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" he received this answer: "Arise, and go into the city, and thereit shall be told theewhat them must do." God made use of Ananias to communicate to St. Paul his vocation.
[*] "Almighty God, who usually employs secondary agents in the choice of His ministers, often selects pious matrons for moulding the character and directing the steps of their sons toward the sanctuary." ("Ambassador of Christ," by Cardinal Gibbons.) We highly recommend this most excellent work, especially to students, parents, and aspirants to the priesthood.
Q. Did all the other apostles receive their vocations directly from Our Lord?A. No; in their first call several of the apostles were brought to Our Lord by indirect means: St. Andrew and St. John the Evangelist were sent to the Saviour by St. John the Baptist: "Ecce Agnus Dei" ["Behold the Lamb of God"]. And the two disciples heard him [John the Baptist] speak, and they followed Jesus."
"He [Andrew] findeth first his brother Simon, and said to him: We have found the Messias; . . . and hebroughthim to Jesus."
"On the following day he [Andrew] would go forth into Galilee, and hefindethPhilip, . . . PhilipfindethNathanael, and said to him: We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus, the son of Joseph of Nazareth." At first there is a disagreement of views and sentiments between Philip and Nathanael, so that Philip had to use persuasion to bring Nathanael to his own way of thinking: "And Nathanael said to him: Can anything of good come from Nazareth? Philip saith to him: Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him and He saith of him: Behold an Israelite, indeed, in whom there is no guile. Nathanael saith to Him: Whence knowest Thou me? Jesus answered and said to him: Before that Philipcalledthee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee."
Many excellent subjects, many a Nathanael "in whom there is no guile," may be found loitering under the fig-tree of the world, awaiting some zealous Philip "to call" them to Jesus.
The fathers of the Council of Baltimore on Fostering Vocations.
Q. Is it allowable for priests, parents, teachers, and others to foster and encourage vocations to the priesthood in the youth committed to their care?A. It is not only allowable, it is in some measure a duty.
Q. How is this proved?A. The Fathers of the late Plenary Council of Baltimore, after the example of the Fathers of the Council of Trent, give very clear and practical instructions on this matter. The Fathers say: "We exhort in the Lord, and earnestly entreat pastors and other priests, that they would diligently turn their minds to searching after and finding out, among the boys committed to their care, such as are fit for the ecclesiastical state and seem called to it."
Q. Are not some parents to be blamed for their indifference or their opposition with regard to higher vocations in their children?A. Yes; the Fathers of the Second Plenary Council of Baltimore gently rebuke certain worldly minded parents for not fostering vocations to the priesthood in their sons. Deploring the lack of such vocations, the Fathers say in their pastoral letter: "We fear that the fault lies in great part with many parents, who, instead of fostering the desire so natural to the youthful heart of dedicating itself to the service of God's sanctuary, but too often impart to their children their own worldly-mindedness, and seek to influence their choice of a state of life by unduly exaggerating the difficulties and dangers of the priestly calling, and painting in too glowing colors the advantages of a secular life. To such parents we would most earnestly appeal, imploring them not to interfere with the designs of God on their children when they perceive in them a growing disposition to attach themselves to the service of the altar.
"If God rewards the youthful piety of your sons by calling them to minister in His sanctuary, the highest privilege He confers on man, do not endeavor to give their thoughts another direction. To those whom God invites to co-operate with Him in the most divine of all works, the salvation of souls, the words of Christ to His apostles are applicable: 'Amen I say to you: every one that hath left house, or brothers or sisters, or father or mother, or wife or children, or lands for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting.'"
Q. Is it a sin to prevent a person from following a vocation to the priesthood?A. Yes; because, as we have seen, the salvation of one who does not follow his vocation is greatly endangered; also because in such a case the designs of God would be thwarted.
The late Archbishop Lynch, of Toronto, is authority for the statement that the average priest secures the salvation of five thousand souls. This means that on the average, for every young man that becomes a priest there will be five thousand souls less in hell, and five thousand more in heaven, for all eternity. Hence he who prevents a vocation to the priesthood shall be responsible for the loss of numerous souls.
Q. Is it right to pray for the grace of a vocation to the priesthood?A. Certainly; this grace, as well as other special graces, may very appropriately be made the object of prayer. Our Lord, pointing out the great number of souls to be saved, said to His disciples: "The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He send forth laborers into His harvest."
Many parents have by fervent, humble, and persevering prayer obtained for their sons the grace of being called to the sublime dignity of the priesthood.
Q. When a young man ascertains that he is called to the priesthood, is his vocation fully decided?A. No; because the secular priesthood and the religious priesthood are distinct states of life, each having its advantages and its responsibilities, and therefore a special vocation and special graces are necessary for each of these states. Hence in deciding between these two states a person should think earnestly, and ask the grace to know whether he is called to the secular or to the religious priesthood
1.Prayer.
ST. JAMES says: "If any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given to him."
This wisdom, according to Cornelius à Lapide, is the knowledge of our last end and of the means of attaining it. Young people without experience, and having yet to choose a state of life, have great need of this wisdom. "All things whatsoever you shall in prayer, believing, you shall receive."
Prayer is the divinely appointed means of obtaining grace. "Ask, and you shall receive; that your joy may be full." "Know ye that the Lord will hear your prayers, if you continue with perseverance." "Every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened."
"Who is the man that can understand his own way?" God alone knows both the obstacles and the helps that you are to meet in your way. Cry out, then, with the Royal prophet: "Make the way known to me, wherein I should walk; for I have lifted up my soul to Thee."
St. Liguori says: "We should pray earnestly to God to make known to us His will, whatever may be the state He has in store for us. Do not fail to recommend yourself in a special manner to our holy Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, beseeching her to obtain for you the grace perfectly to fulfil the will of her divine Son."
"In all your doubts and anxieties," says St. Bernard, "think of Mary, call upon her name."
2.Freedom from Sin.
When mortal sin reigns in the soul, it acts like a dark cloud veiling from us the light of heaven: "For wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sins." "Your iniquities have divided between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you." "The way of the wicked is darksome; they know not her into the wilderness, and I will speak to where they fall."
God loves to communicate Himself to those whose hearts are free from the defilements of sin. "Blessed are the clean of heart; for they shall see God." "The clean of heart" shall see God, not only in heaven, but even in this life; they shall see Him in His works and recognize His providence in all His designs: "To them that love God, all things work together unto good."
Hence he who wishes to ascertain the state of life which he should embrace ought to keep himself constantly in the friendship of God: "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you."
3.Humility.
"Every proud man is an abomination to the Lord." "God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." "The prayer of him that humbleth himself shall pierce the clouds; and he will not depart till the Most High behold."
4.Retreat.
God loves to communicate His choicest favors in the silence of retreat: "I will lead her into the wilderness and I will speak to her heart."
If you cannot make a regular retreat, at least avoid all dissipation of mind; retire into the solitude of your heart, after the example of St. Catharine of Siena and other saints, always remembering that God is near you and that He wishes to speak to your heart.
5.Counsel.
"My son, do thou nothing without counsel, and thou shalt not repent when thou hast done."
Your best adviser is your confessor. Through his own vocation he receives special helps from God.
To know and to do God's will in the choice of a state of life is a grace which parents should earnestly invoke upon their children even from infancy; and it is important that the children themselves, especially from the time of their First Communion, should daily ask of God the grace to know their vocation.
For this purpose they would do well to say daily three Hail Marys, or the following beautiful prayer of St. Bernard, which might be appropriately said in common; for "where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them."
Prayer of St. Bernard.
Remember, O most pious and compassionate Virgin Mary, that from all ages it is unheard of, that any one was forsaken who, placing himself under thy maternal protection, implored thy assistance and begged the favor of thy prayers. Animated with the confidence which this inspires, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins and Mother of my God, and in the bitterness of my sorrow I throw myself at thy feet. O Mother of the Eternal Word, despise not my humble supplication, but listen graciously, and mercifully grant me the request which from my heart I make to thee. Amen.
An indulgence of three hundred days.
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