“The pastoral care of vocations needs to involve the entire Christian community in every area of its life. Obviously, this pastoral work on all levels also includes exploring the matter with families, which are often indifferent or even opposed to the idea of a priestly vocation. Families should generously embrace the gift of life and bring up their children to be open to doing God's will. In a word, they must have the courage to set before young people the radical decision to follow Christ, showing them how deeply rewarding it is.”

Pope Benedict XVI

My Son is Thinking about Priesthood

As a parent, you try to instill values, to encourage your children in the pursuit of positive goals, and to assure them of your unconditional love. The first step is understanding the differences between your experiences and theirs.

Decision-making typically involves seeking the advice of others. Your encouragement is part of a bigger picture. Your son will talk with a vocation director in the process of deciding whether or not to apply to a seminary or religious order. Friends may provide advice and feedback. A vocation to priesthood is a gift from God, which is discerned, discovered and affirmed by an individual and the Church.

A priest dedicates himself to a life of service to God's people. By living a celibate life, he is free to respond to peoples' needs without being torn between commitments to a nuclear family and the larger family of God. A commitment to priesthood forever makes sense because, at ordination, a man is changed forever. In the sacrament of Holy Orders, a priest is ordained to act in the person of Christ Jesus. A priest cannot put on and take off this identity any more than Jesus could be just a spokesperson for God, nine to five, until retirement.

As a parent, you have the responsibility and blessing to help your children discover their vocation. Selflessly encourage your son to respond to his call!

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Resources for Families

• Discuss how God gives clues about what He wants people to do with their lives.  Use your own experience of the call to marriage and family life.  Did you ever consider religious life?  Do you think that the example of spouses who make a lifetime commitment to each other can serve as a helpful example to young people considering a lifetime commitment to being a priest, religious brother or sister?
   
• As a family, include a short vocations prayer when you pray before meals. For example, you could pray for current seminarians, for people preparing to be religious brothers or sisters, for deacons, or for young people figuring out what they might want to do with their lives. You also may want to read our seminarian biographies to see photos and short biographical information about the current seminarians preparing for ordination as priests for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and then pray for them by name.
   
• Talk about positive experiences you have had with priests or sisters regarding things that inspired you. Do you remember the priest at your wedding? What about the priest who baptized your children? Was there a sister who taught academic lessons, but also taught about dedication to God when you attended a Catholic school? Did Mother Teresa's life among the poorest of the poor inspire you, even though you never met her personally?
   
• Discuss your own vocation to family life, explaining that God calls some people to priesthood or religious life and some to marriage. You can talk about vocations firsthand.
   
• Affirm the gifts and talents of your children, and help them relate their gifts to various career and life choices (including priesthood and religious life).
   
• Use events going on in the world and in your children's lives to introduce the idea that each of us is called to live a holy life. What does that mean for a child who sees a classmate being teased to the point of tears on the playground? Does your teenager need encouragement to attend a week-long mission experience during the summer? Do your children understand that, as an adult, your faith has an impact on how you vote?