"I'm grateful to you for getting in
touch. Many people today would no doubt think you are strange for
considering the priesthood, given the cloud that hangs over the Church.
Others might congratulate you for heroism. Actually, both reactions are
excessive. For a Catholic young man who is fervent in his faith, it's a
normal and reasonable thing to think seriously about being a priest, and
rightly so. The truth is, if you have a calling to the priesthood you
should gladly embrace it, because it's an extraordinary vocation. It's
sad that more young men don't consider it seriously and accept the
calling.
"Let me begin with definitions, rather than advice. What is the
priesthood, essentially? The Letter to the Hebrews and the First Letter
to Timothy provide the answer. The office pertains first and foremost to
Jesus himself, who is the unique 'high priest' of all humanity (Heb.
7:26) and a 'mediator' between God and human beings (1 Tim. 2:5).
Traditionally, Christ's priesthood is understood to operate in a twofold
direction, as descending and ascending. The gifts of God descend to
human beings through the unique priesthood of Christ because he is the
unique source of grace and truth for the whole human race. The human
community also ascends toward God first and foremost through Christ's
human obedience, reverence, and prayer, for he is the 'pioneer of our
faith' according to Hebrews 12:2."
In a recent commentary, writer Thomas Joseph White offered some important considerations for a man discerning whether he may have a vocation to the priesthood.
To access Mr. White's complete essay, please visit:
First Things: Letter to an Aspiring Priest (March 2019)
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