My husband and I met through a friend over a phone call. We met in person for the first time a few weeks later. After only one day together, we both confessed that we felt we were called to marriage. We dated 3 more years and will be celebrating 13 years of marriage on May 27th. I do believe in some cases, the Holy Spirit gives you a very clear discernment!
This was really helpful. I am discerning whether I will go into religious life. I have gone to some convents and gone to some masses where they are taking their vows. I'm not sure what I am to do, but I got plenty of time before I am even old enough to join a convent. I know that God does like to speak through people's desires. Prayers for me and my sister (who is also discerning) would be greatly appreciated:) God bless you all!
This video helped me answer the reason to so much of my anxiety. I have been trying to discern too many areas of my life at once & not taking enough action to gain solid clarity. Thank you so much!
told my wife on the week we meet that I had prayed and God layed it on my heart to marry her. we meet thanksgiving and married Dec 21st 2001, been married ever since.
I'm a Protestant, and I've never totally understood why priests, monks, and nuns aren't allowed to marry. However, this video kind of clarifies that. It just makes things simpler.
At least with regard to monks and nuns, it's not so much that they're not allowed to get married as they have chosen not to get married. The whole point of becoming a monk or nun is that you're making a decision to live as an unmarried person so you can live devoted to the Kingdom of God without as many worldly distractions. It's what Jesus refers to in Matthew 19:12 when he says "making themselves eunuchs [i.e. not having sex] for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven."
Wow, moment of providence stumbling across both of your videos, this is exactly what i needed to here father. I have been trying to discern two vocations simultaneously. Thank you so much! Now i have a better way of how to go about it ❤
Thank you SO much! This was exactly what I needed to hear. I’ve been praying the rosary daily asking for discernment about what to do about my job. It’s now clear to me on the next steps that I should take. Thanks father and thanks be to GOD.
Thanks for the heads up on only discerning one vocation at a time. I was starting to think about religious life but still considering dating. Prayers please as I continue discerning just the religious life. God's Will be done.
This was very wise vocation advice. I'm not overly familiar with Father Mike, but he speaks very clearly and articulately on this topic. May God abundantly bless him.
The big matter is to observe what desire that God has put in our life that feels so prominent.. whatever it is, and taking action into it.. so we will see the next step and clarity.. Thank you Fr Mike, this is really accurate.. and please no hustle, no rush.. enjoy the process :)
Thank you. I don’t feel called to a religious vocation but I do feel called to seek religious counsel and possibly religious volunteering until God places me in the proper vocation. One thing I am certain is that I am being called to a position of service.
Clearest vocation advice I have ever heard!!! Pray, discern one vocation, take a small step and see is it a yes or no. If it’s a no, reverse to step 1. 🙂
Thanks Father Mike, I didn't know how much I needed this video until I was asking you questions in the middle and you literally answered them as they came to me. It felt like you were talking right to me and giving me the advice I needed. God bless.
i knew i was going to marry my wife the moment that i saw her. i proposed two weeks later. she said yes. fast forward 6 years and we are still happily married. it can happen that way! it's rare but it can happen!
I am 53 and deciding about it. No love relationship with anyone but trying to get what God wants of me. Next week I will spend 5 days in.a monastry in Spain, where I live because I feel I want to follow the contemplative life. Thanks for the tips.
+KA Fleury That too. The idea that for literally 1500 years Christians took Jesus at His word about the Eucharist is astonishing. Even Hank Hanegraaf (the Bible Answer Man), who is by no means a Catholic, admitted this.
Spencer Andersen 1500 years later, certain words weren't translated well into the vernacular :) Of course, the Catholics had been translating Scripture into the vernacular for all that time, but fixed on Latin precisely because people had stopped speaking it -- the meaning of words were fixed, slang words weren't being invented. It decreased the chances that the meaning of the Word would be changed. But in translating, something always gets lost. So when Jesus commanded the Apostles on how to celebrate the Eucharist, it has been translated into English as, "Do this in memory of Me," or "Do this in remembrance of Me." That is not the same as, "Do this to make it live again," or "Do this to make it happen again," which is what the Latin more closely translates to." The understanding was that a certain act by the priest as he prepares to bless the bread and wine is the moment at which God transports us to Calvary -- unaware of anyone else, or any other beings besides those present at the Mass we're attending. I think science is catching up to the understanding of the Catholic Church -- Eternity isn't a place, it's a state of being, and God can act anywhere in time and space simply by an act of will. The full Eucharistic celebration has changed in form and rubric over the centuries, but certain elements have not changed -- the words that are prayed by the priest, the act of raising the Host (lifting Jesus onto the Cross) and chalice (catching the blood and water which flowed from His side), reciting the formula, "This is the Body and Blood of Christ," to the Faithful communicants, and their response, "Amen."
From the book " To Save a Thousand of Souls " by fr Brett Brannen True freedom comes from sacrificing our own wants and desires to reach a greater good. Sometimes this means you cannot have everything you want. And there are some places you cannot go. But God made us for happiness and for greatness. And our happiness and greatness consist in discovering the plan of God for our life and then committing ourselves to this greater good, despite giving up some things.
Possibly your best video yet - though I think it will need a follow-up...society IS in such a bad state that, for example, it is rendered very challenging to break the ice and begin ACTING on the processes of discernment for most people - discernment in marriage (women are encouraged to be super cautious about men, men are being counseled about being super cautious with women). Discerning Religious life strikes me as very different from that, as it's fewer people following where they're called among various communal life arrangements *within the Church*; parish priest, teaching/contemplative/service order, etc - not *starting a family* with ONE other person and personality, and THROUGH them to their family, etc, to adding yours to it, and as Sacrament of Marriage, joining that life together to the Church.
St. Thresea de Avila, Sr. Annette Lopez, did her dissertation on the use of non-verbal communication to teaching Reading in English. She worked at Temple University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and retired from Keene State University in New Jerswey where St. Peter the rock, at the gates Holy bride from Naples taught Music with a PhD in Classical Music., calling herself Dr. Marta Viera.
I think there is a huge range with martial arts. I did Shotokan karate as a child and it was really about learning how to protect yourself. I know its not MMA but when I did muay thai when I was an adult and compared it to how I was taught to defend myself in karate, I noticed a big difference. Fighters were much scrappier in muay thai and I split open my lip in the first class xD Eventually I ended up getting pretty badly beat up...I did that for over a year and stopped after a whiplash injury (I am a woman, and the other women were the absolute harshest on me, even though I was under 100 lbs at the time.) My concern with boxing in general is head trauma....its much more commonplace for people to have TBI in boxing than in karate.... So that is my concern.
It actually really hurt when I applied to visit a convent and was turned down. But that was almost three years ago, and I'm still so feeling that tug to religious life. I feel like maybe I should just try again.... But I don't know....
Wow. Such great advice. Totally the opposite of what my spiritual director told me when I tried years ago to see if I had a vocation. Maybe that's why I wound up leaving the Church altogether and he was eventually dismissed by the Diocese. Possibly related, not sure.
Please everybody pray for me…I was greatly deceived from the devil, and I ended up leaving my fiancé and i made a gigantic mistake in doing this. Please pray for us to be reunited. Thank you everybody.
How do you know when to let go? There are times you discerned something to be it but you do not possess the qualities (focus, discipline, analytical thinking etc) to pursue such study i.e. to be a lawyer. When do you let go? How could you be sure its not for you?
Fr. Mike Schmitz I double dare you to take on and discuss a situation I NEVER hear priests talk about. That is the situation for those who have 1. discerned marriage is their calling 2. waited to be married in their 30s or 40s for their first marriage (they are not widows or divorcees) and 3. have done a fair amount of dating. ( meet ups, catholic singles. online dating, etc.) What say you? Inspired minds and hearts want to know :-)
#askfrmike Could you do a video on the vocation of being single? Is it a real thing? Is it okay for a Catholic to discern single life? Can it be a permanent call, is there anything sinful in choosing to be single? I always get mixed responses on this subject from different sources.
Maria Pullatt - I ask myself the same question. I don’t want to have children, not because I don’t like them, but I truly don’t want them to suffer and this world seems to be getting worse and worse. And for that, then I guess I shouldn’t get married.
One potential source of support if you truly have a vocation to single life (and maybe you would take many years to discern this for sure) would be to find a spiritual home among the Benedictines, Carmelites, Dominicans, etc... They have something called a "third order" or oblature for lay people in the world who want a spiritual family, structure, and support in living a Christ-centered life in the world, and feel particularly close to one of these spiritualities.
Father Mike, can you do one on, “Am I too old to discern religious life?” I felt like God was calling me to look into some convents when I was in my late 20s and early 30s. I did go on a few retreats (two “day treats” and one weekend retreat, but I’ve never felt a strong desire to be a nun, and ultimately discerned out of it. Recently, I saw a video of a man whose desire ultimately changed from marriage to the priesthood and it got me thinking that maybe God would do that to me. Now I am so confused and feel I may need to discern all over again. This time, I may need a spiritual director. The problem? I’m 38. I don’t know if most convents would even accept me anyway. I’m so confused and feeling like I may be wasting all of my “marriageable “ years on this. I’ve wanted a good Catholic husband and a large family for a long time but I fear at my age, my chances of both a husband and a large family may be slipping away, all because of the fear of the unknown and because I haven’t looked into anything this time around. I know that God is bigger than that, but I feel so old. Does this make sense?
Ok let us think deeply on the concept of discernment. It means to make that which is obscure, clear AND discriminate one thing apart from another. What is clear but concise and precise. Or in other words full integration of information leaving no conflation (con-fuse) or disintegration (ignorance/oblivious) With each thing we attempt to fathom, we will be met with three options. Look at the ONLY variables emanated into existence as our choices. 1. Process the WHOLE of it's information (100%) and form a PROPORTIONATE (exact) amount of view. - Discernment 2. Process PART of the information (1-99%) of the information and have EXCESS view formed by PREDICTING the dynamics. 3. Process NONE (0%) of it's information and have DEFICIT view formed of it - Ignorance That's leaves us discernment - prediction - ignorance Now it's important to understand we can apply the actual PROCESS of discernment to spiritual or mundane topics. There is no such thing as "spiritual" discernment. That's using spiritual Infront of a word to imply there are different processes rather then applications. Now the process involves integrating 7 types of information. All things we attempt to discern will be comprised on them. The first two major types of info will be concrete (so, physical/tangible) and abstract (conceptual) Then we have 1. Categorical. For example spiritual or mundane are categories of things. The macro that contains the micro - 2. Qualitative. The qualities are the micro or small details within each macro. 3. Quantitative. Each thing has a finite amount of qualities at least in variation. We need to see the WHOLE of the qualities for our view to be called WHOLEsome. This includes where ever there are multiple elements combining to make a compound or complex concept. Here structure comes into play. We need to avoid any over/under emphasis or internal disordering. This avoids the distortion perceptually known as delusion confusion etc. Note con (with) fusion so ideas qualities are still fused together. Where discernere means SEPARATE. To achieve this we look at 4. Similarities 5. Distinguishing differences. For example the virtue charity has a near enemy vice called spendthrift. It can appear similar due to the fact that it outputs resources. However it can be separated but the fact that charity is proportionate to achieving wholesome states where spendthrift is EXCESS. This way we don't con-fuse the two. Once this process is applied we should end up with a concise NOT facile or long-winded understanding. See, facile has PART of simplification but is EXCESS and long-winded has NONE and is DEFICIT. We should also have a precise (exactness in detail) NOT finicky (EXCESS detail beside the point) or vague. No exactness There may be a better word then finicky but hopefully you get what I mean, especially as they have recurring patterns or whole - part - none as well as proportionate - excess - deficit. May you all have peace and be blessed with Love
Very fascinating. Your advice is helpful, but not exactly what I'm looking for at the moment. I grew up Protestant, and now I have a boyfriend who's Catholic. We're quite sure that we want to get married and the physical decisions are not too much of a problem. However, during our time dating, I've begun to learn more about Catholicism. I'm kind of at the stage where I'm actually looking at it with the possibility in mind that it might be true, but I've still got some questions. However, I can see in myself an inclination to jump ahead. I hate being in a state of limbo, where I don't know what I believe, and I can see the potential for me to not really look at things properly and just accept "Yeah, sounds good. Now get me out of this cold water." sorta thing. How do I discern if something is actually true, or if I just accepted and believed it out of a desire to not be uncertain?
Heck, if I'd been born a girl, I'd have entered Carmel years ago! Either the Carmel of Loretto, PA or the Des Plaines Carmel. But I don't think they'd take me, considering I have a beard and have a fairly high testosterone level! :-)
I love all your videos, I do have a question. Since 2013 I have felt I have had a calling to do more in the church. I am involved in the KNights of Columbus, I have been the warden for my council for three years now. I am active in mY churches ACTS program. But I feel I need to do more. I feel I am called to do more. I am considering becoming a Eucharistic Minister. If I do that should i back off of the other things I am doing to discern being a Eucharistic Minister????
A question for anyone that can answer. I've been discerning religious life, and have been single for a while now. My sister believes that I am "running away" because I'm not trying harder to pursue a romantic relationship with a guy. (Also, please help me pray for her. I feel she's as spiritually lost as a broken compass.) My emotions tend to escalate during these type of conversations, although I have been getting better at recognizing she's just trying to push my buttons. With love and compassion, what are some ways I can explain that I am just trying to figure out what my 2nd vocation is?
St. Paul says that some people are made to be married, some are made to be single. This is pretty much reality, right? Some people, even if they want to be married and have children, they just can't find a partner. That might be a hurtful experience, but it can also shape them to direct their love towards other people not in a romantic manner, but in a "love your neighbor" manner. Others want to be single voluntarily for the sake of the eternal kingdom of Christ (as a woman you may become a nun or a consecrated virgin (yes, that still exists)). As a man, you can become a monk or a priest, or live your life in chastity as a layman. There is not one right or correct way to life, but the beauty of the Church is that there are so many different vocations, so many different ways of life, and all of them are holy. The Church knows holy priests and holy virgins, but she also knows holy married people or widows. A romantic relationship is not the non plus ultra, the best and only thing worth to be pursued, but it is one possible way. You ultimately need to do what is best for you, and how you can best represent Christ in this world. If you feel that you want to be married, then that is God's voice telling you your vocation. If you want to be a Bride of Christ, then this is your vocation. People normally don't know their vocation straight away, they need time to figure that out. And indeed, this is a lifelong process. For most people, they will never 100 % know if they really did what was best for them. That doesn't mean you should constantly doubt everything in your life, but there is no shame in asking yourself "Is marriage really my vocation?" or "Should I really be a priest?". This is necessary. Take your time. Don't rush anything. There is no point in your life where you are forced to decide. But if you make a final decision, do it with all your heart. Your sister should accept this, and she should support you. Maybe you are running away, maybe not. That is yours to figure out. Your sister can help you with that, but she needs to respect your decision, your free will, your emotions, and your personal space. And she needs to accept that everyone has a different vocation in this life. Maybe she wants to marry, but that doesn't mean that you also have to marry. Maybe she likes chocolate ice cream, but you like vanilla better.
Discern one vocation at a time! Great reminder! You're wonderful, Father Mike!
Thank Fr Mike. You r a precious jewel in my relationship with Jesus.
My husband and I met through a friend over a phone call. We met in person for the first time a few weeks later. After only one day together, we both confessed that we felt we were called to marriage. We dated 3 more years and will be celebrating 13 years of marriage on May 27th. I do believe in some cases, the Holy Spirit gives you a very clear discernment!
"Clarity follows action." Perfectly said!
"Take action. Be a saint" Love that quote!
This was really helpful. I am discerning whether I will go into religious life. I have gone to some convents and gone to some masses where they are taking their vows. I'm not sure what I am to do, but I got plenty of time before I am even old enough to join a convent. I know that God does like to speak through people's desires. Prayers for me and my sister (who is also discerning) would be greatly appreciated:) God bless you all!
This video helped me answer the reason to so much of my anxiety. I have been trying to discern too many areas of my life at once & not taking enough action to gain solid clarity. Thank you so much!
Youre so wise father Mike! You feel like a spiritual coach
told my wife on the week we meet that I had prayed and God layed it on my heart to marry her. we meet thanksgiving and married Dec 21st 2001, been married ever since.
beautiful story
I was just praying earlier what step to take then this guy says, “Just take one step”
Prayer answered 👌
I'm a Protestant, and I've never totally understood why priests, monks, and nuns aren't allowed to marry. However, this video kind of clarifies that. It just makes things simpler.
The priests, monks, and nuns aren't allowed to marry because they need to focus there time, talent and treasure by serving God.
At least with regard to monks and nuns, it's not so much that they're not allowed to get married as they have chosen not to get married. The whole point of becoming a monk or nun is that you're making a decision to live as an unmarried person so you can live devoted to the Kingdom of God without as many worldly distractions. It's what Jesus refers to in Matthew 19:12 when he says "making themselves eunuchs [i.e. not having sex] for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven."
@@MewPkmn And don't forget Jesus offer for the young roch ruler. He was supposed to leave behind ALL worldly posessions.
Priests are allowed to marry as long as it's before they submit there vows
@@boulisquad4912 Only if you're Eastern/Greek Orthodox. Certainly not true in Catholicism.
Oh thank you Father. Best line: "Discern where you're at. You can only discern one vocation at a time."
Wow, moment of providence stumbling across both of your videos, this is exactly what i needed to here father. I have been trying to discern two vocations simultaneously. Thank you so much! Now i have a better way of how to go about it ❤
This helped me so much Fr Mike. Like all your videos, i always gain so much sense. Thank you.
Fr. Mike you're actually the best. Keep being amazing, God blesses you in so many ways!
But this man is keeping you from the scriptures !
what do you mean by that?
sototajer This guy is a *curse* . He is keeping you away from the actual truth and what the *word of God* ACTUALLY says !
Ok, these are hard accusations, please elaborate more and give me an example.
sototajer Well first off he is promoting Roman Catholicism, so I know he hates the word of God.
Father mike, you’ve led me through the darkest nights
Thank you SO much! This was exactly what I needed to hear. I’ve been praying the rosary daily asking for discernment about what to do about my job. It’s now clear to me on the next steps that I should take. Thanks father and thanks be to GOD.
Knocking it out of the park again! Great video, Fr. Mike!
Thanks for the heads up on only discerning one vocation at a time. I was starting to think about religious life but still considering dating. Prayers please as I continue discerning just the religious life. God's Will be done.
How did it go?
This was very wise vocation advice. I'm not overly familiar with Father Mike, but he speaks very clearly and articulately on this topic. May God abundantly bless him.
Thank you, you have the gift of explaining complicated issue making them easier to understand.
Bendiciones padre Mike, i gracias paz i bien 💒📖👐👐👐
You are so like Christ. Thank you for existing!!!!! God loves you :) and is proud of you
The big matter is to observe what desire that God has put in our life that feels so prominent.. whatever it is, and taking action into it.. so we will see the next step and clarity.. Thank you Fr Mike, this is really accurate.. and please no hustle, no rush.. enjoy the process :)
Thank you. I don’t feel called to a religious vocation but I do feel called to seek religious counsel and possibly religious volunteering until God places me in the proper vocation. One thing I am certain is that I am being called to a position of service.
Just read two nights ago Fr. Mike's book about discernment, highly recommend it to help you get clarity on ANY important decision you need to make
Clearest vocation advice I have ever heard!!! Pray, discern one vocation, take a small step and see is it a yes or no. If it’s a no, reverse to step 1. 🙂
Oh my gosh, all of the questions I had about discernment answered in six minutes...thank you!!
Lindsay Rose Yes, he is really good! How are you on your discernment?
Thanks Father Mike,
I didn't know how much I needed this video until I was asking you questions in the middle and you literally answered them as they came to me. It felt like you were talking right to me and giving me the advice I needed.
God bless.
same vibes, I'm actually 21 years right now and in the middle of discernment between Matrimony or Holy Orders
thank you Father
This is perfect given my current circumstances! Thanks for sharing this!
Thank you for bringing me back
God bless you too and thank you so much for the one-on-one on discernment🙏🙌🤲👑🥰❤😇💯
I needed this. I needed this. Thank you Father Mike; you are literally a Godsend all the time!
i knew i was going to marry my wife the moment that i saw her. i proposed two weeks later. she said yes. fast forward 6 years and we are still happily married. it can happen that way!
it's rare but it can happen!
hope this happens to me!
it was, imo, a risky decision, but I am happy God has so profoundly blessed your marriage!
beautiful story
GodblessYOU father
Fr. Thank you 😇
Being a catholic is the most importiant thing to me. Thanks father 👩🦰🙏
Maybe you mean, “ being a Christian by way of Catholicism !”
Absolutely! One vocation at a time!
thank you, Amen
Thank you Father!!! Michael
Thank you! This is very helpful for someone who is taking the path of discernment. Somehow it became clearer to me.
Thank you for saying that God wants us to know our vocations. That makes sense, but I had never thought of it that way. I needed to hear this today.
wow! that was short, sweet and powerful....made sense. Thank you. God bless you too.
Thank you so much Brother Mike! I really appreciate you and your messages are so helpful! Sending you so much love and gratitude! God Bless you 💚😇
I am 53 and deciding about it. No love relationship with anyone but trying to get what God wants of me.
Next week I will spend 5 days in.a monastry in Spain, where I live because I feel I want to follow the contemplative life. Thanks for the tips.
How did it go?
Father Mike is awesome!
Thank you Father Mike
its is such a blessing from GOD to have a priest on tap/on demand like this praise GOD
Knowing that World Youth Day is coming up (where vocations may arise through the Holy Spirit's power) this is important advice.
Yes! And it's an amazing opportunity to take some action and find out more about what you want to do. I'm looking forward to it! :)
+라민희 I'm not actually Catholic but I really love the Church's beauty, reverence and devotions.
How about the early writings of the Church and down through the present day? :)
+KA Fleury That too. The idea that for literally 1500 years Christians took Jesus at His word about the Eucharist is astonishing. Even Hank Hanegraaf (the Bible Answer Man), who is by no means a Catholic, admitted this.
Spencer Andersen 1500 years later, certain words weren't translated well into the vernacular :) Of course, the Catholics had been translating Scripture into the vernacular for all that time, but fixed on Latin precisely because people had stopped speaking it -- the meaning of words were fixed, slang words weren't being invented. It decreased the chances that the meaning of the Word would be changed. But in translating, something always gets lost. So when Jesus commanded the Apostles on how to celebrate the Eucharist, it has been translated into English as, "Do this in memory of Me," or "Do this in remembrance of Me." That is not the same as, "Do this to make it live again," or "Do this to make it happen again," which is what the Latin more closely translates to." The understanding was that a certain act by the priest as he prepares to bless the bread and wine is the moment at which God transports us to Calvary -- unaware of anyone else, or any other beings besides those present at the Mass we're attending. I think science is catching up to the understanding of the Catholic Church -- Eternity isn't a place, it's a state of being, and God can act anywhere in time and space simply by an act of will. The full Eucharistic celebration has changed in form and rubric over the centuries, but certain elements have not changed -- the words that are prayed by the priest, the act of raising the Host (lifting Jesus onto the Cross) and chalice (catching the blood and water which flowed from His side), reciting the formula, "This is the Body and Blood of Christ," to the Faithful communicants, and their response, "Amen."
Wow! Fr. So amazing!!!
God be praised!!!
From the book " To Save a Thousand of Souls " by fr Brett Brannen True freedom comes from sacrificing our own wants and desires to reach a greater good. Sometimes this means you cannot have everything you want. And there are some places you cannot go. But God made us for happiness and for greatness. And our happiness and greatness consist in discovering the plan of God for our life and then committing ourselves to this greater good, despite giving up some things.
Well that was quite helpful! That's what I've been missing, taking action.
I love when u end it with be a saint!
God bless you Father Mike!!!! Needed to hear this. Action hear I come:)
God bless you father Mike!!!!!!! :D
Thanks Father Mike, this is very helpful
Thank you, Father. I needed to hear this. It's an answer to my prayers.
nice!
1) discernment requires action
2) explore only one vocation at a time
Clarity follows action
Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is such a good point Father: a very good follow up to your other discernment video! !! Grazie!
Elizabeth +++
Exactly what I needed to hear! Been praying hard about my vocation and I believe the Spirit spoke a little sense into me through you. God bless!
me too!!!
Thank you
Wow... A very helpful talk about discerning.
Possibly your best video yet - though I think it will need a follow-up...society IS in such a bad state that, for example, it is rendered very challenging to break the ice and begin ACTING on the processes of discernment for most people - discernment in marriage (women are encouraged to be super cautious about men, men are being counseled about being super cautious with women). Discerning Religious life strikes me as very different from that, as it's fewer people following where they're called among various communal life arrangements *within the Church*; parish priest, teaching/contemplative/service order, etc - not *starting a family* with ONE other person and personality, and THROUGH them to their family, etc, to adding yours to it, and as Sacrament of Marriage, joining that life together to the Church.
Thank you for this video. I needed this today. :P
But this man is keeping you from the scriptures !
another big time vid thanks father
This is a perfect video, really. I'm currently discerning. :)
Wonderful advice! Ty
i am sleepy but yeah awsome. get your sleep its important.
St. Thresea de Avila, Sr. Annette Lopez, did her dissertation on the use of non-verbal communication to teaching Reading in English. She worked at Temple University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and retired from Keene State University in New Jerswey where St. Peter the rock, at the gates Holy bride from Naples taught Music with a PhD in Classical Music., calling herself Dr. Marta Viera.
Wow, well spoken!!
thank you!!
I think there is a huge range with martial arts. I did Shotokan karate as a child and it was really about learning how to protect yourself. I know its not MMA but when I did muay thai when I was an adult and compared it to how I was taught to defend myself in karate, I noticed a big difference. Fighters were much scrappier in muay thai and I split open my lip in the first class xD Eventually I ended up getting pretty badly beat up...I did that for over a year and stopped after a whiplash injury (I am a woman, and the other women were the absolute harshest on me, even though I was under 100 lbs at the time.)
My concern with boxing in general is head trauma....its much more commonplace for people to have TBI in boxing than in karate.... So that is my concern.
It actually really hurt when I applied to visit a convent and was turned down. But that was almost three years ago, and I'm still so feeling that tug to religious life. I feel like maybe I should just try again.... But I don't know....
That One Catholic Chick Try again. Don’t give it up!
Try again! Try the Mercedarians
Wow. Such great advice. Totally the opposite of what my spiritual director told me when I tried years ago to see if I had a vocation. Maybe that's why I wound up leaving the Church altogether and he was eventually dismissed by the Diocese. Possibly related, not sure.
"Maybe you need to go ask that girl out on a date." Crap, he's talking about me.
Take action .... I like that
great advise father gbu
That was super helpful thank you!
Please everybody pray for me…I was greatly deceived from the devil, and I ended up leaving my fiancé and i made a gigantic mistake in doing this. Please pray for us to be reunited. Thank you everybody.
How do you know when to let go? There are times you discerned something to be it but you do not possess the qualities (focus, discipline, analytical thinking etc) to pursue such study i.e. to be a lawyer. When do you let go? How could you be sure its not for you?
Points:
1. Discernment requires actions (get counselled and act)
2. Discern one vocation (Relationships, Priesthood or Religious Life)
I'm really bad at the taking action part, but I agree that I need more data to discern with
Fr. Mike Schmitz
I double dare you to take on and discuss a situation I NEVER hear priests talk about.
That is the situation for those who have
1. discerned marriage is their calling
2. waited to be married in their 30s or 40s for their first marriage (they are not widows or divorcees) and
3. have done a fair amount of dating. ( meet ups, catholic singles. online dating, etc.)
What say you?
Inspired minds and hearts want to know :-)
A good question!
#askfrmike Could you do a video on the vocation of being single? Is it a real thing? Is it okay for a Catholic to discern single life? Can it be a permanent call, is there anything sinful in choosing to be single? I always get mixed responses on this subject from different sources.
Maria Pullatt - I ask myself the same question. I don’t want to have children, not because I don’t like them, but I truly don’t want them to suffer and this world seems to be getting worse and worse. And for that, then I guess I shouldn’t get married.
Karen Yazmin I feel the same
Ofc it's fine. It's three ways: 1. Marriage(serving family), 2. single(serving humanity), 3. Clergy(serve church, been married to church).
@@Karen-sz9xk Don't let fear leads you. God will provide he always have.
One potential source of support if you truly have a vocation to single life (and maybe you would take many years to discern this for sure) would be to find a spiritual home among the Benedictines, Carmelites, Dominicans, etc... They have something called a "third order" or oblature for lay people in the world who want a spiritual family, structure, and support in living a Christ-centered life in the world, and feel particularly close to one of these spiritualities.
Father Mike, can you do one on, “Am I too old to discern religious life?” I felt like God was calling me to look into some convents when I was in my late 20s and early 30s. I did go on a few retreats (two “day treats” and one weekend retreat, but I’ve never felt a strong desire to be a nun, and ultimately discerned out of it. Recently, I saw a video of a man whose desire ultimately changed from marriage to the priesthood and it got me thinking that maybe God would do that to me. Now I am so confused and feel I may need to discern all over again. This time, I may need a spiritual director. The problem? I’m 38. I don’t know if most convents would even accept me anyway. I’m so confused and feeling like I may be wasting all of my “marriageable “ years on this. I’ve wanted a good Catholic husband and a large family for a long time but I fear at my age, my chances of both a husband and a large family may be slipping away, all because of the fear of the unknown and because I haven’t looked into anything this time around. I know that God is bigger than that, but I feel so old. Does this make sense?
Great video. You remind me so much of Ed helms
Be a saint!
I am feeling very much called to become a nun.... possibly saint francis... I’m lost. I just feel so pulled to be only for christ
Ok let us think deeply on the concept of discernment.
It means to make that which is obscure, clear AND discriminate one thing apart from another.
What is clear but concise and precise. Or in other words full integration of information leaving no conflation (con-fuse) or disintegration (ignorance/oblivious)
With each thing we attempt to fathom, we will be met with three options. Look at the ONLY variables emanated into existence as our choices.
1. Process the WHOLE of it's information (100%) and form a PROPORTIONATE (exact) amount of view. - Discernment
2. Process PART of the information (1-99%) of the information and have EXCESS view formed by PREDICTING the dynamics.
3. Process NONE (0%) of it's information and have DEFICIT view formed of it - Ignorance
That's leaves us discernment - prediction - ignorance
Now it's important to understand we can apply the actual PROCESS of discernment to spiritual or mundane topics. There is no such thing as "spiritual" discernment. That's using spiritual Infront of a word to imply there are different processes rather then applications.
Now the process involves integrating 7 types of information. All things we attempt to discern will be comprised on them.
The first two major types of info will be concrete (so, physical/tangible) and abstract (conceptual)
Then we have
1. Categorical. For example spiritual or mundane are categories of things. The macro that contains the micro -
2. Qualitative. The qualities are the micro or small details within each macro.
3. Quantitative. Each thing has a finite amount of qualities at least in variation.
We need to see the WHOLE of the qualities for our view to be called WHOLEsome.
This includes where ever there are multiple elements combining to make a compound or complex concept. Here structure comes into play.
We need to avoid any over/under emphasis or internal disordering. This avoids the distortion perceptually known as delusion confusion etc.
Note con (with) fusion so ideas qualities are still fused together. Where discernere means SEPARATE.
To achieve this we look at
4. Similarities
5. Distinguishing differences.
For example the virtue charity has a near enemy vice called spendthrift. It can appear similar due to the fact that it outputs resources.
However it can be separated but the fact that charity is proportionate to achieving wholesome states where spendthrift is EXCESS. This way we don't con-fuse the two.
Once this process is applied we should end up with a concise NOT facile or long-winded understanding. See, facile has PART of simplification but is EXCESS and long-winded has NONE and is DEFICIT.
We should also have a precise (exactness in detail) NOT finicky (EXCESS detail beside the point) or vague. No exactness
There may be a better word then finicky but hopefully you get what I mean, especially as they have recurring patterns or whole - part - none as well as proportionate - excess - deficit.
May you all have peace and be blessed with Love
Very fascinating. Your advice is helpful, but not exactly what I'm looking for at the moment. I grew up Protestant, and now I have a boyfriend who's Catholic. We're quite sure that we want to get married and the physical decisions are not too much of a problem. However, during our time dating, I've begun to learn more about Catholicism. I'm kind of at the stage where I'm actually looking at it with the possibility in mind that it might be true, but I've still got some questions. However, I can see in myself an inclination to jump ahead. I hate being in a state of limbo, where I don't know what I believe, and I can see the potential for me to not really look at things properly and just accept "Yeah, sounds good. Now get me out of this cold water." sorta thing. How do I discern if something is actually true, or if I just accepted and believed it out of a desire to not be uncertain?
Thank you so much, this really helped! :)
Yaaay an answer from God lol now I'll stop torturing my poor boyfriend about the idea of being a carmelite :p thank you Jesus
Haha as a guy that may very well be the worst thing you could hear...
Megan 07 I hope you go for it! Saint Juan de la Cruz is awesome.
Heck, if I'd been born a girl, I'd have entered Carmel years ago! Either the Carmel of Loretto, PA or the Des Plaines Carmel. But I don't think they'd take me, considering I have a beard and have a fairly high testosterone level! :-)
What did you end up doing?
Now I get it. I'm already a priest!
I love all your videos, I do have a question. Since 2013 I have felt I have had a calling to do more in the church. I am involved in the KNights of Columbus, I have been the warden for my council for three years now. I am active in mY churches ACTS program. But I feel I need to do more. I feel I am called to do more. I am considering becoming a Eucharistic Minister. If I do that should i back off of the other things I am doing to discern being a Eucharistic Minister????
I need discernment
Dang thank you
A question for anyone that can answer. I've been discerning religious life, and have been single for a while now. My sister believes that I am "running away" because I'm not trying harder to pursue a romantic relationship with a guy. (Also, please help me pray for her. I feel she's as spiritually lost as a broken compass.) My emotions tend to escalate during these type of conversations, although I have been getting better at recognizing she's just trying to push my buttons. With love and compassion, what are some ways I can explain that I am just trying to figure out what my 2nd vocation is?
St. Paul says that some people are made to be married, some are made to be single. This is pretty much reality, right? Some people, even if they want to be married and have children, they just can't find a partner. That might be a hurtful experience, but it can also shape them to direct their love towards other people not in a romantic manner, but in a "love your neighbor" manner. Others want to be single voluntarily for the sake of the eternal kingdom of Christ (as a woman you may become a nun or a consecrated virgin (yes, that still exists)). As a man, you can become a monk or a priest, or live your life in chastity as a layman. There is not one right or correct way to life, but the beauty of the Church is that there are so many different vocations, so many different ways of life, and all of them are holy. The Church knows holy priests and holy virgins, but she also knows holy married people or widows. A romantic relationship is not the non plus ultra, the best and only thing worth to be pursued, but it is one possible way. You ultimately need to do what is best for you, and how you can best represent Christ in this world. If you feel that you want to be married, then that is God's voice telling you your vocation. If you want to be a Bride of Christ, then this is your vocation. People normally don't know their vocation straight away, they need time to figure that out. And indeed, this is a lifelong process. For most people, they will never 100 % know if they really did what was best for them. That doesn't mean you should constantly doubt everything in your life, but there is no shame in asking yourself "Is marriage really my vocation?" or "Should I really be a priest?". This is necessary. Take your time. Don't rush anything. There is no point in your life where you are forced to decide. But if you make a final decision, do it with all your heart.
Your sister should accept this, and she should support you. Maybe you are running away, maybe not. That is yours to figure out. Your sister can help you with that, but she needs to respect your decision, your free will, your emotions, and your personal space. And she needs to accept that everyone has a different vocation in this life. Maybe she wants to marry, but that doesn't mean that you also have to marry. Maybe she likes chocolate ice cream, but you like vanilla better.
Yaaaay! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Discernment of spirit reveals confusion when discerning for two vocations.........coming from the enemy.