As in so many areas of life, God works through secondary causes. His call is awakened in us by the example of holy people, by reading an inspirational book, also through events, or sickness, or through someone like a teacher or a close friend, saying “have you ever thought of becoming a missionary, giving your life for the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus?” Some casual events may be the spark that sets our imagination going.

Now it is important to distinguish these original sparks from the real calling. Some people are attracted to become a priest because of the vestments the priest wears at mass. Others are attracted to become missionaries because they will be able to visit many countries. There may be many superficial motivations. While we know that God works in a mysterious ways we need to ask what are the real signs of a genuine call?

There are four signs that are fundamental in distinguishing Priestly, Religious and missionary vocation:

1. The inner call.

This is a gradual process in which we move from thinking and feeling to a conviction that we would please God by accepting the challenge of Priesthood, Religious life or Missionary life. It is a struggle in prayer which leads us to being ready to take decisions. You may be aware, at times, of something within yourself, in your heart, which attracts you to God, and draws you into relationship with him.

Is there a desire for a life as a Priest or Missionary? Are you inclined, are you drawn towards it? Does it give you a certain amount of satisfaction to think about it, a certain amount of enthusiasm or joy or some kind of positive feelings, in spite of your natural fears or instinct against it? Are you entering a stage where you feel that God is inviting you personally and asking you to choose?

These things may be difficult to describe, but their reality can be seen by anyone who has experienced it.

For example, by reading a book of the martyrs of Japan, St. Daniel Comboni was inspired and felt a great desire to go to the missions in Japan as a missionary and give his life in that land for the sake of the Gospel, this happened when he was fifteen years old, in 1846. Few years later St. Daniel met a missionary priest, explorer, pioneer and hero of the African mission, Fr. Angelo Vinco, who inspired him very much and from that encounter, the young Daniel grew convinced of his missionary vocation and was fired with great enthusiasm for the African mission. In 1857, two years after his ordination to the priesthood, St .Daniel went on a retreat: “I have finished the retreat, and having taken counsel from God and from men, I believe that the idea of the missions is my true vocation. Furthermore, the successor of the great Servant of God Fr. Marani, has told me that, having had a clear picture of my life and of my present and past circumstances, he can assure me that my vocation to the African missions is of the clearest and most evident; and therefore, in spite of my parents’ situation, of which I was careful to inform him well, he said to me, “Go, I give you my blessing, and trust in providence, that God who inspired you with such a great plan will be able to comfort your parents and keep them in his care”. I have therefore decided definitively to leave next September 1857”

2. The motivation to serve.

We need to come to terms with unworthy motives that may attract us to the priesthood, for example: the esteem and praise it would win us from our family; a status in the community; an escape from the responsibility of marriage and other family relationships. These unworthy motives needs to be unmasked if present, as they are countersigns of true vocation.

The only sufficient motivation for taking on priestly and missionary life is the desire to serve others. A priest is ordained for others, not for himself. One’s happiness as a priest is commensurate with the happiness given to others.

To be a priest or missionary is not about having a career in a normal sense of the word. It is not about prestige, status and gathering things. It is about love for God and for people, and how one can best respond to God’s love in service of others.

St. Daniel Comboni writes “I became a missionary to work for the glory of God and to give my life for the good of souls”.

3. Fitness

Fitness means that you have the charisma and the gifts required in the priestly or missionary ministry. In practical terms it means being able to master theological studies and to inspire and guide others. In fact priesthood is also a caring profession and we will only be of use if by temperament and acquired skills we are good with people.

Fitness also includes the ability to live a priestly or missionary life comfortably, cheerfully, and generously, without a lot of tensions. Somehow the life itself must suit you and you must suit that life without having to pay a horribly high price just to stay in. Somehow there need to be a matching of your interest, ability and competence with those already in the priestly and missionary life.

St. Daniel Comboni as the head of the missions in central Africa wanted “holy apostles” to be formed for the missions, that is why he chose Fr. Alexander Dal Bosco as a formator of the missionary candidates because he was a gifted and holy person: “He is a man of very austere habits; he had a profound knowledge of human spirit and of the difficulties of the missionary work in Africa; he is very easy to get on with, convincing in discussion, with a deep knowledge of dogmatic theology, of ethics, canon Law, eastern Law in matters of faith, the history of Eastern customs, and of the African tribes; he knows Arabic, Italian, German, French, English, Nuba, and Greek. It seemed to us that in this man heaven had given a gift to the newly born institute for which he himself gave his life”

4. Affirmation by others.

It is not always easy to judge our own motivations and abilities. But we are not alone. People who know us: friends, relatives, members of our parish communities, colleagues at college or work, can help us to judge the validity of our call. It is an important affirmation from within the Church if many of them can see a potential priest or missionary.

A spiritual guide will also be helpful here. A spiritual director is someone who you can trust and who can be objective with you. He or she will help you to reflect on what you are considering and how God is moving your process. A spiritual director will walk with you as you make your journey of discernment.

When a candidate is being presented for ordination, the bishop will first inquire whether the person has been judged suitable and fit by the community of God. The answer is usually given by the rector of the seminary where the candidate has been trained, but he gives the answer as representative of the people. People know who would make a good priest or not.<WM

Write to

Fr. Vincent and Fr. Marnie

Vocation team

Comboni Missionaries 282Roosevelt Ave

1105 Quezon City M.M

Philippines

Tel. 414-3164/372-5859

or E-mail:

postasia@i-manila.com.ph

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