WHAT IS DISCERNMENT?
A vocation is a profound commitment to follow God’s call, and it requires thoughtful effort and care to understand that calling. This careful process of discovering God’s will is known as vocational discernment.
Proper discernment involves several key elements:
- Deep self-awareness: understanding your personality, strengths, weaknesses, inclinations, spirituality, mental abilities, and even physical health.
- A solid understanding and love for our Catholic faith.
- Familiarity with the different vocations, what they entail, and the life they shape for those who embrace them.
Naturally, this process doesn’t happen overnight. Vocational discernment is a journey that can take months or even years. It requires study, prayer, and above all, patience.
- Discernment is not something one can do alone. The best way to discern is with the guidance of the Church, ideally with a priest or a trusted spiritual director to help illuminate where God may be calling you.
- If you’re seeking guidance—whether you have simple questions or are looking for more in-depth support—know that we are here to help!
Signs of a Call
Text courtesy of Diocese of Lansing
Wondering if you have a call to Religious or some form of Consecrated life in which you are set apart for the Lord?
Here are a few possible indications that you may have a call to consecrated life. This is not an exhaustive list, but some thoughts to meditate on in prayer.
- Strong attraction or desire to radically give your life to God and his Church.
- Strong attraction or desire to prayer.
- A sense that mere earthly existence is insufficient, and you are drawn to something more.
- Persistent prodding of the Holy Spirit to give undivided attention to the Lord, first, foremost, and above all.
- Feeling that there is something more that you seek beyond the call of marriage as though marriage won’t be enough for you. Not feeling the desire to give yourself exclusively to one but to many people.
- A strong feeling of being called to a radical mission of God in service to His people. Desiring to give your life for the salvation of others especially because you love them in, through and with your Beloved.
- An attraction to the celibate vocations and a draw to associate with people in the priesthood, religious life, or in other forms of consecrated life.
- A growing knowledge of the capacity to live the gift from God of life-long celibacy.
- The thought of becoming a priest, religious, or consecrated person may come to mind again and again.
Do you feel a sense of joy, peace, and purpose when you imagine living one of these callings? Although fears may come and go at times, a greater pattern of peace will prevail with the desire to be a priest, religious, or consecrated person if it is your calling. If it is the Lord calling you to a vocation to consecrated life, I share the words repeated by John Paul II from Christ in the Scriptures, “Do not be afraid!”
Speak Lord, Vocational Download Club – Lighthouse Catholic Media – free resource to women and men discerning a call to consecrated religious life and priesthood. Vocational Download of the Month Club from the Institute on Religious Life
“…Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well” Mt 6:33
If you have questions about discernment or would just like to speak to someone about practical tips and receive help regarding your own journey in discernment, give us a call or email us at the Vocation office.