I Will Follow—Two Catholic Priests' Vocation Stories

Summary

This powerful story follows a young man’s journey from emptiness and rebellion to a transformative encounter with God. Struggling with a lack of fulfillment, he turns to partying and relationships but finds no satisfaction. His journey takes a pivotal turn when he attends a retreat, where he hears God’s voice and experiences unconditional love. Over time, his anger toward the Church fades, and he begins to embrace his faith and calling to the priesthood. The story illustrates the healing power of faith, the significance of God’s love, and the profound impact of the priesthood in his life.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker began life seeking happiness without God, believing relationships and experiences could fill the void.
• 😀 Despite early faith upbringing, the speaker struggled with doubt and disillusionment about the church during their youth.
• 😀 After personal losses (a breakup and a friend moving away), the speaker sought fulfillment in partying and dating but remained empty inside.
• 😀 College years prompted the speaker to search for answers about their faith, but the questions only deepened their anger toward the church.
• 😀 After becoming a missionary in Central America, the speaker continued mocking the church, unaware of how their life was about to change.
• 😀 A friend invited the speaker to a retreat, where they reluctantly attended with a challenge: God had to show up or they would leave the church.
• 😀 On the retreat, the speaker experienced God's love for the first time, realizing that God's love was unconditional, despite their flaws.
• 😀 While seriously ill during their missionary work, the speaker was visited by the priest they had mocked, who offered the sacraments, changing their perspective.
• 😀 This experience led the speaker to ask deeper questions and eventually embrace the truth of the church and its teachings.
• 😀 Over time, the speaker grew to love not only God but also the church, discovering the joy of being wrong about their previous beliefs.
• 😀 The speaker felt a calling to the priesthood, ultimately accepting God's invitation and committing to follow His will in service to others.
• 😀 The speaker’s time in the seminary revealed their own brokenness, but they learned that the priesthood is about healing and serving God's children.
• 😀 As a priest, the speaker finds deep fulfillment in performing sacraments, particularly the Mass, which they believe changes the world.

Q & A

What initially led the speaker to feel empty and alone?

The speaker felt empty and alone after his girlfriend broke up with him and his best friend moved away, leaving him without the people and connections he thought were key to his happiness.

How did the speaker try to fill the emptiness inside him?

The speaker tried to fill his emptiness by partying more, hanging out with others, and dating more girls, but none of these actions satisfied his inner longing.

What was the speaker's relationship with his faith during college?

During college, the speaker sought answers about his faith but grew increasingly frustrated and confused. He ended up harboring hatred toward the Church despite still identifying as Catholic.

What was the speaker's behavior towards the Church while in Central America?

While in Central America as a missionary, the speaker became openly hostile towards the Church, mocking the priest during Mass, unaware of how arrogant and misplaced his actions were.

How did the speaker experience God's love during the retreat?

During a retreat, the speaker had a profound spiritual moment where he heard God say 'I love you,' which pierced his heart. This moment was significant because he had always believed that love had to be earned, but God’s love was unconditional.

What significant event occurred when the speaker fell ill in Central America?

When the speaker became gravely ill, a priest he had previously mocked came to his bedside and administered the anointing of the sick and Holy Communion, which caused the speaker to question his previous assumptions about the Church.

What change occurred in the speaker's attitude towards the Church after the illness?

After his illness, the speaker began to ask deeper questions and found answers that led him to a profound spiritual transformation, ultimately realizing he was falling in love with both God and His Church.

How did the speaker come to understand his calling to the priesthood?

The speaker realized his calling to the priesthood during a prayer in front of the Eucharist, where he clearly heard God say, 'I will be your priest,' which led him to make the decision to follow God's call.

What was the speaker’s experience like during seminary training?

During seminary, the speaker quickly realized that priests, like everyone else, are broken and imperfect. Despite this, he felt God's love guiding him through his own brokenness and leading him to serve as a priest.

What does the speaker believe about the priesthood?

The speaker believes that the priesthood is the greatest gift he could have ever received. He sees his role as a priest as transformative, knowing that every Mass he celebrates changes the world and heals God's children.