Q. Can or should a person enter a seminary without knowing for sure whether he is called to be a priest?
A.  A man can only be 100% certain that he is called to the priesthood at the moment of priestly ordination.  Up until that point, he may engage in gradual discernment.  It is sufficient that a man at first discern that he is called to try out the seminary and to discern in consultation with his formators and spiritual director a step at a time from there.

(c) 2009 by Therese Ivers, JCL

www.DoIHaveAVocation.com

by Therese Ivers

1^st Mistake – Choosing A Director With A Strong Bias Towards A Particular Way Of Life Or Spirituality

When Susie approaches her spiritual director who happens to be a Sister, she has the right to expect that this Sister will help her discern her vocation without pressuring Susie to join her religious institute. The primary purpose of a spiritual director is to help an individual to recognize and respond to the guidance of the Holy Spirit whether or not it benefits the spiritual director and his/her own institute directly. It would be nice to say that all spiritual directors and those giving advice on spiritual matters recognized and followed this principle of being fair, balanced, and not acting on a pre-set agenda, but this is not the case.