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I am 15 years old and I wanted to become a priest. Now, I am being all popular and I have the chance to become a doctor (physician) and I feel real sad become I feel I am about to give up something really important to me.

Please pray for me and help me see what's the right thing to do...

Armando

Welcome

As to your concerns - you should not worry too much at this time - you are still very young [ sorry I sound like a grandmother here ]

Concentrate first on your education - a physician needs a good well rounded education before he goes to University - and so does a Priest. No Education is ever wasted.

Another useful thing would be to spend some time , once your Secondary Schooling is over, working in what many people term the "real world" as this will help you broaden your experience and help you learn how to relate to folk.

Now having said that - Welcome to the Forum, relax and enjoy being part of our family

Anhelyna

Dear Armando,
Why not be both a priest and a doctor? It is possible and in fact there may be orders which might actually send you to medical school if your going to be priest.

Armando,

You might find this recent Catholic Herald article interesting: http://www.shst.edu/binet.pdf in which a doctor becomes a priest and is now working in both capacities.

The priest even mentions first knowing he was called to serve the Lord at the age of 15.

I will echo this post

I do know a Doctor over here who graduated and worked as a Doctor in General Practice as he had to support his mother. When she died he retired from medicine at the age of 60 and was accepted by the RC Church here as a late entrant for the Priesthood.

He went to Rome to the Beda - trained there and was ordained in 2002. Fr Frank has never been happier He is now 'doing' what he has always believed he was called to .

Dear Armando,

How refreshing is to know of young people who are troubled by HOW are they going to commit their lives to love and serve the Lord by loving and serving their brothers and sisters!!!!

You just made my day, week and month!

Let me echo the words of John Paul The Great: Do not be afraid! Get up, let's go!

Of course I join with those who suggest it is not really an "either/or" choice. That you can be a medic for both body and soul.

The Lord is calling you, and you are ready to open your heart generously with loving obedience. Do you think He will forsake you?

You should be confident He will show you the way. Maybe He's already doing it by challenging you to be both doctor AND priest.

If He has given you 10 talents, He's expecting another 10 in return, so always give Him the very best of yourself.

And do not let anyone put you down because you're young. If that's a defect, it is one you're going to get rid of easily, and I am not sure it is a defect at all. You want to commit your life to God, that shows you have wisdom many guys 5 times your age would like to have themselves.

Of course we will be praying for you. You do the same for us, please.

Shalom,
Memo

Dear Armando, I am so glad to see young people today that are willing to say they feel called to the priesthood. I would encourage you first, to continue your education, if God has called you, he's patient. School for me seems like a hundred years ago! There is nothing wrong with being popular, I know priests who are popular! True friends will indeed be your friends and offer you encouragement! Perhaps sometime you could visit a monastery for a week? There you will see monastic life and this will give you quiet time to listen and think about your calling. My own son, James when we visited a monastery met a monk who had been a simple monk for 46 years, he told my son about his life growing up and delivering papers, my son looked a bit confused, the monk said, "James, even monks have pasts!" I find it most encouraging that young people are hearing God's call and listening. I will pray for you daily and my family will also. I will also pray that the Most Holy Mother of God will guide you during this time also.

Over the past two years, specially I have had close contact with a Priest who is a doctor. He works in both capacities, it's not easy but it's a true blessing to be able to care for people's bodies AND souls!
The future challenges to our church are going to come from the science and health areas. All too often priests who speak out about these issues are discredited because it is assumed that they know nothing about medicine or science. We desperately need priests who know a lot about these issues and can speak with authority.

On the other hand I would suggest you be careful with your calling. Is God calling you to be a priest, or to serve the Church as a layman, or perhaps as a Deacon?
All too often, young male adults who feel a calling to serve the Church with all their heart, automatically associate this calling to a priestly vocation. There is also a lot of pressure. I know.
It took me a long time to distinguish between the two. I am going to be married in December.
It is possible to serve the church in other ways and what we DONT need, is priests without true vocations.
God bless you and I hope all goes well!
Filipe

You can do both. Each profession is not mutually exclusive. Put your mind to it as this is a huge task.

Pray, be good and frequently receive the Sacraments.

The Holy Spirit will guide you always.

Stay focused as life is full of temptations.

If you err come back to God.

You shall have an exciting and good life. A lot of people need your help as God's agent.

Jim

Dear Armando,

I truly can sympathize with the issue you are going through in you life. I had a similar circumstance in my life. My family was dead set against having anyone becoming a priest. Instead, I was strongly encouraged to enter the family profession on my mother's side of the family, either police or fire service. I finally put all thoughts of the priesthood aside, and became what was brand new at the time a firefighter paramedic speciallizing in trauma care. It was a demanding position, one that I was good at, because I earned promotions, commendations, and medals. After ten years of doing it , I still felt spiritually empty, and through the encouragement of several priests I new, resigned my paid position, but still continued for another 10 years (for my pension points) as a volunteer and entered a monastery seminary. For the first time in my life, I felt that I was truly were I belonged. My trainig was hard, and upon ordination it was not by choice that my labors were applied but by the superior or bishop. I had to become a licensed teacher and work with youth. This experience help me be sent ot places to establish parishes. My work with the youth has continued for 15 years now, but now in a different light. I am an administrator in Orthodox Home for children that come from neglected families. I teach them eveyday, not only history, but the Kingdom of God. I work on programs for Family Spirituality. I give retreats, and most importantly, as a confessor I help heal souls in the sacrament and reconcile faithful with God.

While being a firefighter paramedic was dangerous work, it does not compare to the thrill and excitiement of taking on the prince of this world. I hate to lose to him, and fight with all that God has given me to win one soul at a time to God. These vistories are my personal medals and commendations.

I pray that you speak out the turmoil that is in your soul. If need be PM (private message) me, and I will try to help you sort some things out. Do not try to determine your life's course now, but pray for guidance that you will be lead to the service that the Lord has appointed to you.

I am sorry for my ramblings. I hope in some way they help.

I pray God's blessing upon you.

In IC XC,
Priestmonk Anthony+

Armando do not fear but continue trusting that God will show you his will. If you are open he will make straight your path, do not fear. And yes they are mutaly agreeable with each other. Abouna Phillip is a retired Naval Surgeon, and is a Melkite Priest. God has his ways and things usually turn out really .

Abouna Anthony please ramble some more thank you for sharing so much of yourself.

I miss Abouna Gregorys post also.
Pani Rose

Maybe you could be a priest and a medical missionary?

Incognitus