Year For Priests (4): Answering The Call

An article by Dan Luby which appeared in the Catholic Herald Malaysia's 25 October 2009 issue began like this:

The movie opens. A man sips beer at the kitchen table, surrounded by the happy choreography of holiday meal preparation. "So," someone asks him,"what's up in your world these days?" In the midst of chopping and washing and cleaning, ears cock. "Actually," he says after a pause and another sip,"I've been talking to my pastor about going to the seminary." The screen splits to show two reactions. In one, his brother laughs dismissively and says,"No, seriously dude,"... His college friend frowns and says,"Why are on are you doing that?" and his mother looks disapprovingly and says nothing.

On a parallel screen, his brother laughs and says, "That'd be great man, man,"....His college friend smiles and says,"It's about time," and his mom hugs him tight, saying nothing.

Luby then goes on to share his priest friends' answers to the same question, including what makes it either easy or difficult to say "yes" to the call of the priesthood.

I remember a few years ago in my previous parish when the priest surprised many of us with his opening statement of his homily: "Parents, please don't pray for vocations." Then he went on to ask, "How many of you parents have sat down with your children and talked to them about vocations? How many of you have talked about the possibilities of one of your sons joining the seminary? How many of you have discussed with your daughters about becoming a religious?"

His point was simple. It's no use just praying for vocations without doing something about it. I remember when I was young, we were always reminded of that, like it or not! In the end, two of my brothers entered the Seminary. One later left to marry to a girl he met during one of his pastoral stints, the other is quite happy being a monk in his religious order. I'd like to think that both of them found their vocations.

My 8 year old son has not been spared the same queries either. His reply: " I don't think I want to be a priest right now, because that would mean I can't become a train driver!"

I remember when he was born, we went to the chapel just before being discharged and on an impulse, put him on the altar table, and both his mother and I thanked God for the gift he had given us, and in return we gave him back to God, as a thanksgiving. As we left the chapel, we bumped into the chaplain who blessed him and asked in his French accent, "When he's older, come back and give him to me, eh?" I remember that both of us nodded our heads.

I think it's too easy to read into situations and jump to conclusions, but as parents, we are open to God's plan for our son, and would indeed be very happy if he so gets the "call". Fast forward to last week, he came back from school with a form that required us to fill out a few details including his future "ambition". I think he must be one of the few in his school to pen "train driver" in the column!!