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!
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.
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!
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."
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!
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 ❤
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!
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.
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. 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.
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.
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 :)
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. 🙂
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.
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.
+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.
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.
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....
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.
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.
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.
#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.
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 :-)
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?
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.
your video is really insightful. it gives direction to the lost. anyway #askfrmike how can I share my faith? I am in a family if different Christian sect, how can I bring them to Catholicism. also, a lot of my friends and colleagues are non Catholic, how can I share them our faith? right now, when you speak about religion, people freaks out and runs away.
Ace Delizo Why do you want them to become Catholic? The denomination should not matter, having a relationship with Jesus Christ is what matters. Maybe you guys should go to a non denominational church if you guys cannot agree to go to one specific denomination
Ace Delizo That is wrong. Jesus didn't make the Catholic Church. When he said that he will build his church. He was talking about everyone in the body of Christ. Not the Catholic Church. There is no Jew or gentile in the body of Christ. God does not care about denomination, he cares about someone having a relationship with Jesus Christ, which you can only get through salvation. Whether someone is Catholic, Protestant, messianic Jew, or non denominational. We should support everyone in the body of Christ. Worry about souls being saved, not what denomination someone is.
Jesus Is Lord but in Revelation, it was mention that there are only 12 gates in heaven with the disciples name on it. Jesus said also, " not all who calls me Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless we follow him."
Ace Delizo The bible verse about not everyone who says lord lord will enter the kingdom of God is referring to the people who say that they believe in God, pray, go to church, etc. But they never received salvation and never fully gave their lives to Jesus Christ. In the bible "the church" is referring to everyone in the body of Christ and in the bible it says that there is no gentile or Jew in the body of Christ. So God does not care about denomination, he just cares about people having a relationship with him which you can only get through salvation. Someone who is a saved Catholic is not anymore saved than a saved baptist or a saved messianic Jew. Everyone who is saved is apart of the body of Christ. The church needs to focus on more souls being saved instead of denomination. There are a lot of people who go to church every week but they aren't saved and a lot of them don't even know that you need to receive salvation in order to have a true relationship with God and go to heaven. BTW I'll like to add that the church is the people (everyone who is saved and is in the body of Christ), NOT a building or a denomination
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! :-)
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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!
"Take action. Be a saint" Love that quote!
Discern one vocation at a time! Great reminder! You're wonderful, Father Mike!
"Clarity follows action." Perfectly said!
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
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!
This helped me so much Fr Mike. Like all your videos, i always gain so much sense. Thank you.
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.
Youre so wise father Mike! You feel like a spiritual coach
I was just praying earlier what step to take then this guy says, “Just take one step”
Prayer answered 👌
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!
Oh thank you Father. Best line: "Discern where you're at. You can only discern one vocation at a time."
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.
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 ❤
Father mike, you’ve led me through the darkest nights
Knocking it out of the park again! Great video, Fr. Mike!
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
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.
You are so like Christ. Thank you for existing!!!!! God loves you :) and is proud of you
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.
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.
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?
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?
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 :)
Being a catholic is the most importiant thing to me. Thanks father 👩🦰🙏
Maybe you mean, “ being a Christian by way of Catholicism !”
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
Bendiciones padre Mike, i gracias paz i bien 💒📖👐👐👐
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. 🙂
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?
Fr. Thank you 😇
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!!! Michael
wow! that was short, sweet and powerful....made sense. Thank you. God bless you too.
God bless you too and thank you so much for the one-on-one on discernment🙏🙌🤲👑🥰❤😇💯
Well that was quite helpful! That's what I've been missing, taking action.
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 💚😇
Thank you for bringing me back
This is perfect given my current circumstances! Thanks for sharing this!
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.
Father Mike is awesome!
I needed this. I needed this. Thank you Father Mike; you are literally a Godsend all the time!
Thank you! This is very helpful for someone who is taking the path of discernment. Somehow it became clearer to me.
Wow! Fr. So amazing!!!
God be praised!!!
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."
thank you Father
Absolutely! One vocation at a time!
GodblessYOU father
Thank you Father Mike
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.
I love when u end it with be a saint!
God bless you Father Mike!!!! Needed to hear this. Action hear I come:)
thank you, Amen
Thank you, Father. I needed to hear this. It's an answer to my prayers.
Thank you for this video. I needed this today. :P
But this man is keeping you from the scriptures !
This is a perfect video, really. I'm currently discerning. :)
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!!!
God bless you father Mike!!!!!!! :D
Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is such a good point Father: a very good follow up to your other discernment video! !! Grazie!
Elizabeth +++
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.
Thanks Father Mike, this is very helpful
Wow... A very helpful talk about discerning.
nice!
1) discernment requires action
2) explore only one vocation at a time
Clarity follows action
Thank you
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.
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
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 am sleepy but yeah awsome. get your sleep its important.
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.
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.
another big time vid thanks father
"Maybe you need to go ask that girl out on a date." Crap, he's talking about me.
Wonderful advice! Ty
Take action .... I like that
I'm really bad at the taking action part, but I agree that I need more data to discern with
Great video. You remind me so much of Ed helms
thank you!!
Wow, well spoken!!
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
#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.
Points:
1. Discernment requires actions (get counselled and act)
2. Discern one vocation (Relationships, Priesthood or Religious Life)
That was super helpful thank you!
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 :-)
A good question!
Thank you so much, this really helped! :)
great advise father gbu
Be a saint!
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?
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????
Now I get it. I'm already a priest!
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.
I need discernment
your video is really insightful. it gives direction to the lost. anyway #askfrmike how can I share my faith? I am in a family if different Christian sect, how can I bring them to Catholicism. also, a lot of my friends and colleagues are non Catholic, how can I share them our faith? right now, when you speak about religion, people freaks out and runs away.
Ace Delizo Why do you want them to become Catholic? The denomination should not matter, having a relationship with Jesus Christ is what matters. Maybe you guys should go to a non denominational church if you guys cannot agree to go to one specific denomination
Jesus Is Lord because Jesus made 1 church only
Ace Delizo That is wrong. Jesus didn't make the Catholic Church. When he said that he will build his church. He was talking about everyone in the body of Christ. Not the Catholic Church. There is no Jew or gentile in the body of Christ. God does not care about denomination, he cares about someone having a relationship with Jesus Christ, which you can only get through salvation. Whether someone is Catholic, Protestant, messianic Jew, or non denominational. We should support everyone in the body of Christ. Worry about souls being saved, not what denomination someone is.
Jesus Is Lord but in Revelation, it was mention that there are only 12 gates in heaven with the disciples name on it. Jesus said also, " not all who calls me Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless we follow him."
Ace Delizo The bible verse about not everyone who says lord lord will enter the kingdom of God is referring to the people who say that they believe in God, pray, go to church, etc. But they never received salvation and never fully gave their lives to Jesus Christ. In the bible "the church" is referring to everyone in the body of Christ and in the bible it says that there is no gentile or Jew in the body of Christ. So God does not care about denomination, he just cares about people having a relationship with him which you can only get through salvation. Someone who is a saved Catholic is not anymore saved than a saved baptist or a saved messianic Jew. Everyone who is saved is apart of the body of Christ. The church needs to focus on more souls being saved instead of denomination. There are a lot of people who go to church every week but they aren't saved and a lot of them don't even know that you need to receive salvation in order to have a true relationship with God and go to heaven.
BTW I'll like to add that the church is the people (everyone who is saved and is in the body of Christ), NOT a building or a denomination
Dang thank you
Yaaaay! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
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?