Vocations
January 18, 2026
Vocations Again – Because it’s so Important!
“Then Peter said in reply, ‘Lo, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on the twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.” Mt 19:27-29
On Saturday, February 7th the Serra Club will be hosting our annual vocations Mass and dinner at St. Joseph’s parish. The Serra Club, a local group that meets after Mass most first Saturdays, supports religious vocations through prayer, piety, and expiation. They also host the annual vocations dinner and assist me with different endeavors throughout the year. If you have a heart for raising up more religious vocations, you can join us by emailing Shawn Madison at shawnemadison@comcast.net.
The vocations dinner has been an annual event at St. Joseph Parish for many years now. In addition to the wonderful food, the event has a seminarian and a religious sister each speak about their vocational stories, and Bishop Schuster will be present and speak as well. The witness of these religious vocations is very helpful for the nearly 200 young people in attendance, as they help them to consider a religious vocation for themselves. For that reason, invite a teenager or young single adult (20-30’s). The evening concludes with a fundraising ask to help raise funds to send teenagers to vocational events this summer. So, we need adults to come willing to give too! Hundreds of young people attend the events this dinner helps to fund—so the money raised is well invested. The Mass starts at 5pm and the dinner follows at 6:30pm. If you attend the dinner, you must secure a ticket. You can do so by stopping by the table in the narthex at Holy Redeemer after Mass, or by calling Shirley Buckmier at 360-883-9333, or by Shawn Madison 360-910-2888.
In a quick review of my pastor’s columns, I have discovered that I write more about vocations to the priesthood and religious life than any other subject. In 2025 I wrote three different pastor’s columns on the subject. Why my keen interest in the subject? For these reasons: without priests there is no Church (no Church, no salvation); second, I want as many people as possible to experience religious life for their own sanctification and abundance; and finally, vocations to the priesthood and religious life do immeasurable good for the sanctification and salvation of others. These are profound reasons for all of us to encourage those who still can to explore a vocation.
The priesthood and religious life are two related but different things. Why not just say “religious life?” For men, the possibility exists of either the office of priesthood and/or consecrated religious life. When a man is ordained a priest for a diocese such as Seattle or Portland, he is not being consecrated into a religious order (Franciscans, Jesuits, Benedictines, etc.). Rather, he is occupying an office within the sacrament of Holy Orders for that diocese. Due to this distinction between the office of priesthood and those vowed to consecrated religious life, we make the distinction for men between priesthood and/or religious life.
God clearly made us for marriage: mind, body, and spirit. Choosing celibacy, especially for a young adult, sounds impossible to freely choose. For young males the thought of willingly foregoing sexual intimacy for life seems like a non-starter. For young females, the thought of willingly giving up marriage and children, a family, seems like a non-starter. What’s just as hard to accept, especially for males, is being a public representative of God, a public religious leader in a society that rejects religion, all of this for the rest of your life seems insane. Or is it?
To be sure, we don’t feel sheepish when we invite someone to consider being a (fill in the blank) doctor, nurse, lawyer, teacher, etc., but we do when it comes to religious life for the reasons stated above: our kids might think we’re actually wishing misery upon them for the wellbeing of others, but we’re missing something huge—love and purpose.
Everyone thirsts for love and purpose: from the poor to the wealthy, the sick to the athlete, the anonymous to the famous, the incompetent to the talented, the homely to the beautiful, the weak to the powerful, the young to the old—all thirst for love and purpose. Who can outdo the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords for love and purpose?
While being completely provided for, priests and consecrated religious spend their whole lives giving themselves completely to Jesus Christ and His Church – the “pearl of great price,” the “treasure buried in the field.” This is a privilege that so few in heaven can say for themselves. While celibacy for the Kingdom of God has to be developed, just like all the other virtues, it has its own fruit, intimacy with God and a selfless love for others. For female religious, Jesus Christ becomes their spouse, the Blessed Virgin Mary their Mother, their fellow sisters become their family. For priests and male religious, Jesus Christ is their great love and mission, the Blessed Virgin Mary their Mother, and the Church their bride and family to protect and provide for. All of this for the greater Glory of God and the salvation of souls. Can anyone imagine a more fulfilling life?
When exploring an invitation to priesthood and religious life there are a few things that need to be considered. The first is who the invitation goes out to. The answer is anyone who can. The Lord is generous in extending the invitation to leave all and follow Him. As long as someone is a practicing Catholic, believes in the Truth of our faith, is not too old, is single without responsibility to care for another (child, parent, etc.), and does not have mental, physical, or social impediments, the Lord is inviting them to discern joining Him in the priesthood or religious life. What I just said means that a majority of Catholic 18-year-olds can discern a religious vocation. That percentage drops precipitously over the years.
The next matter for the discerner is exploring where and how they can do the most good for God. This requires discerning one’s aptitudes vs. ineptitude, and virtues vs. vices. Examples of aptitudes include: if one has good people skills or not, talent with administration or not, leadership skills or not, can work independently or not, could graduate from college (in the case of priesthood), etc. Examples of virtues would include humility, courage, living a pious life, ability to live with and put up with challenging people, love others, putting others first, one’s ability to suffer, patience, perseverance, etc.
Please keep in mind that every vocation is a mystery, and thus every person passes through stages differently on the way to priesthood. Some will pass through the first few stages then discern out. Others will keep going all the way to ordination or final vows.
Stage 1: The Initial Call
A person in stage 1 has thought about priesthood or religious life. This initial stage of discernment often takes place during childhood, perhaps at Mass, in a Catholic school classroom, or when someone asks them to consider it. In this stage, a person feels an initial mysterious attraction and fear of even thinking about it. This is made all the more mysterious since they have almost no information about priesthood or religious life. They don’t tell a soul they are thinking about it.
Stage 2: Latency Period
A person in stage 2 has now been thinking about priesthood or religious life for some time, usually a few years, depending on when they entered stage 1. They are not thinking about it every day but the idea surfaces from time to time, usually at Mass, while at prayer, in disillusioning moments of life, or when another person mentions it. They are not yet thinking about it as a real possibility. Out of fear, sometimes a person in stage 2 will prematurely “decide” that they are not being “called,” as if God isn’t inviting them.
Stage 3: Assessment Period
A person in stage 3 realizes that their attraction to priesthood/religious life will not go away, even though they have tried to avoid it. This person is now making a more serious effort to grow in their faith and prayer life. They may seek spiritual counsel because they need help discerning. They begin to fight the spiritual battle of surrendering to the will of God; some days they win the battle, and other days they lose. This person’s love for God is maturing, and they begin to conceptualize a joy in laying down their life for Jesus and His Church. Their desire to be in relationships with other practicing Catholics is growing, and they experience happiness while serving. A person in this stage is assessing specific fears now: the fear of celibacy, the fear of loss of spouse and family, the fear of being a public religious figure, the fear of loneliness, and the fear of not being talented or virtuous enough.
Stage 4: Discernment Shift
A person in stage 4 is moving quickly towards surrender and resignation to the will of God. They have been faithful to prayer, attended retreats, gathered information, spoken to others about their discernment, and have come to the conclusion that God is probably calling them to be a priest or religious. They feel a sense of peace that this could be God’s vocation for them. Their spiritual director and a vocation director are telling them that they have the signs and qualifications. They still may be hoping that God is only calling them try out seminary or religious formation, to experience it but not necessarily see it through. The essential element of stage 4 is the knowledge that discernment cannot proceed any further outside of seminary or a house of religious formation. They know now they are just spinning their wheels until they try.
Stage 5: Seminary/Religious Discernment
A person in stage 5 has entered a seminary or a religious order’s house of formation. This stage is usually the first two years of seminary or religious formation. This is a very important stage in discernment. They now have a developed spiritual plan of life: they are going to Mass every day, praying before the Blessed Sacrament, and seriously studying the faith. They are living in a seminary or religious house of formation, surrounded by other men or women who are also discerning priesthood or religious life.
Stage 6: Consistent Peace
The candidate has been in seminary or religious formation for two to four years and has grown tremendously in faith, prayer, knowledge, and generosity. The excitement of those early years in seminary are over, and they are now doing the hard work of formation through daily prayer, work, and study. This person knows Jesus personally. They have spent countless hours in prayer and study and are capable of teaching others about Christ. The candidate is accustomed to the idea that they are very likely going to become a priest or solemnly professed religious. They know themselves much better now and know that they can find peace and fulfillment in their vocation.
Stage 7: Moral Certitude
This is not really a stage of discernment so much as an end to discernment. A person in stage 7 is no longer asking God if they should become a priest or religious, or whether or not they will leave. They have achieved moral certitude that their vocation is God’s will, they have surrendered, they are at peace, they are equipped, and they are looking forward to ordination or solemn vows.
May Almighty God Bless You,
Father Thomas Nathe
