I was speaking with a friend of mine the other day and he asked me where my fourteen-year-old son was at with his discernment of the priesthood. He wanted to know what I was doing to encourage him to be open to this vocation. My initial response was….to cringe. ...
seminary
Dear Coach…| A Letter To Catholic Youth Coaches
I hope this finds you well. Before we get into the particulars, please allow me to take a brief moment to simply affirm you … right here, right now. Thank you for stepping up to coach. It often goes unrecognized but to coach means to make a decision: to lead others,...
This Is What A Catholic Priest Of 50 Years Wants Today’s New Priests To Know
Fifty years is a lifetime for most people. Fifty years in the same profession is almost incomprehensible in the modern age. Priesthood, however, is not a career. It is a vocation, and one that a priest takes seriously. As a lifelong commitment, it is akin to marriage,...
The Advice You Need To Discern Your Vocation
There are really two camps when it comes to discernment. On the one side, some believe that discernment is discovering what is the will of God so they can do it, and on the other side, some believe essentially that a person’s vocation is just a free-willed response to...
5 Excuses That People Often Make When Discerning A Religious Vocation
The moment when we start to ask and pray, "What is God calling me to do?" in regard to a religious vocation can be intimidating. However, discovering the vocation that God has intended for each of us is something marvelous. It's truly wonderful... but that doesn't...
4 Lessons I Learned In Seminary That Help Me In Marriage
Four years ago, my future seemed clear to me. I thought I’d spend my days living in small-town Minnesota and ministering to country parishes as their priest. I love my home state, and I love the people there very much, but God had other plans. After...
What I Wish I Knew When I Left The Seminary
It was December 24th, 2019, and I was on my way to Rochester, Minnesota to serve at the Christmas Vigil Mass at our co-Cathedral for my Bishop, John Quinn. I showed up early to get things set up, but I was distracted like a teenage boy trying to clean his room. My...
7 Things Not To Say To Someone Discerning A Religious Vocation
Open foot, insert mouth. Wait. I mean the other way around. Fr. Michael Zimmerman here, assistant director at Vocations Boston. I’ve probably said a few items on this list myself, and I’ve been on the receiving end of far more, but how can we actually encourage...
A Seminarian Shares 5 Ways To Support Your Parish Seminarian
Summer months allow for seminarians to spend time in parishes and embrace pastoral and apostolic work more readily. Many priests recall lasting, grace-filled lessons, friendships, and memories that began on summer assignments or in home parishes as seminarians.As...
Video Of Fr. Michael’s Hospital Ordination & Photo Of His First Mass!
The Congregation of the Sons of Divine Providence in Poland are asking for your prayers for the newly ordained, Fr. Michael. Perhaps you've seen the now viral video and photos that show the ordination of Fr. Michael Los that took place in a hospital. Just over a month...
5 Myths About the Priest Shortage | Video From Breaking In The Habit
In this video posted to the YouTube channel Breaking In The Habit, Br. Casey Cole debunks five commonly held myths most people believe about the shortage of priests. 5 Myths About The Priest Shortage...
Millennial Priests: The Change That The Church Needed?
A little while ago, TIME magazine published an article about a phenomenon that’s becoming more and more common in the United States: the increasing number of millennial seminarians and priests. Millennials are the generation born between the 80s and mid-90s. They are...
4 Ways To Promote Priestly Vocations In Your Parish
Being a seminarian, I’m surrounded by other seminarians and I’ve heard a variety of vocation stories. What always amazes me is how the Lord calls each man differently to the priesthood. Some felt urged to explore this vocation through promptings from the Holy Spirit,...
Do Seminarians Celebrate Valentine’s Day?
I may be a seminarian, but I’m a huge fan of romantic tales. I like movies with happy endings when the boy gets the girl. I enjoy hearing stories about how couples met or what they did on their anniversary. And one of my favorite things is watching friends of mine...
The 9 Bible Verses That Will Help You Discern God’s Will For Your Life
The new year is only a few hours away and with it comes the setting of goals and resolution lists. Whether it’s switching jobs, choosing what colleges you want to apply to, deciding if you’re ready to have another baby, or going back to school (among other...
Priesthood Sunday: A day to promote vocations and honor those who have responded to the call
In the United States, on Sunday, October 28th, we celebrate Priesthood Sunday. Hopefully, your parish has something planned that will raise awareness of vocations to the priesthood. It is important for young people to begin to open their minds and hearts to the...
Meet Two Former Olympians Now Leading Others to Religious Vocations
Throughout the Olympics, I have grown attached to some of the athletes competing for Gold. Many of them quickly went from names I had never heard of to people I desperately wanted to see win. I'll admit that after the Olympics conclude I probably won't continue to...
(Quiz) What Vocation Are You Called To Single, Married, or Religious Life?
Every baptized person is called to live out a vocation as either a single, married, consecrated or ordained person to grow in holiness here on earth and lead to our eternal happiness. This type of vocation is more than your job or your career; it is your calling from...
This Is One Of The Most Beautiful Videos On Vocations Ever Made
Saint Augustine, upon arriving at one of the most intense moments of his phenomenal work, The Confessions, once wrote these words to God: "Too late did I love You, O Fairness, so ancient, and yet so new!" Speaking from my own story, perhaps no other phrase summarizes...