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A spiritual director is invaluable in discerning God’s spirit for the priesthood. One cannot walk that path alone, for arriving at the decision to become a priest is impossible without counsel. The Vocation Office of Los Angeles offers a list of spiritual directors who can assist you. A spiritual director is charged primarily not just with offering advice, but rather listening, affirming, and challenging you, providing feedback on what you share about your relationships with God, with others, your work, and ministry. A spiritual director will help you to grow as you work to hear His call through these steps:
- Receive and accept His love, in spite of your past mistakes, weaknesses, or confusion.
- Know that out of his love, the Lord has created you and you alone for a specific mission. His call is an invitation to share in his work of saving the world.
- Open your heart and mind to accept His love and His calling for you.
- Make yourself available to listen to Him through a deepening personal prayer that will help you to hear His call.
- Cooperate with Him in clearing away obstacles. Forgive past hurts and share feelings with trusted others and your spiritual director. Ask Jesus to help you cast out any crippling fear through prayer and love.
- Give yourself entirely to him in love. Don't just know about Him; actually know Him. Develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ by striving for holiness through prayer, virtuous living, reception of the sacraments such as Confession and the Eucharist, and adopting a life of sacrifice for others.
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| What is discernment? |
| Discernment is the process by which you discover God’s will and plan for you |
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| What is a vocation? |
| A vocation is a call from God to share intimately in His inner life of love. Out of his love... |
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| Hearing the call |
| Hearing the call requires that you listen to inner movements and learn to sift God’s voice from other voices... |
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| Role of the Church in discernment |
| The discernment process in the priesthood and religious life must include the Church. |
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| Spiritual direction |
| A spiritual director is invaluable in discerning God’s spirit for the priesthood. |
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