Coming Out for Catholics

For anybody who does not know, I am personally discerning religious life as a Salesian Sister. God willing, I will become a candidate in the fall of 2017. It has been a journey, but it would have been much harder without the support of family and friends.

Here’s where the title begins to make sense: for me it took a long time to tell my family that religious life was on my mind. Despite the fact we’re all practicing Catholics, I was afraid of how they would react. Would they be angry? Would they think I was throwing my life away? I know of many people, even Saints, whose families disowned them for entering religious life.

We all acknowledge a vocation crisis, and we all pray for vocations to the priesthood, deaconate, and religious life. But we never think it’ll be us. We never consider it may be somebody in our family, or one of our close friends, or even us that could have it. We certainly never present it as a reality to our sons and daughters. Every parent wants the best for their kids, but most decide that the best exclusively involves worldly successes like a good job with a high salary.

As Catholics, I think sometimes we try to keep things at a distance… including God. No more! If you’re a parent, let your child know that they could be a priest or sister when they grow up. Maybe even make connections with a religious congregation so that it’s a tangible reality. Or at least be open. It could be a hard reality to accept, but if your child follows God’s will, that’s where you’ll be happiest.

If you even have a thought in the back of your mind that you could have a calling, go for it! Meet religious people. If you’re a guy, it’s easy. If you have a church, you have a priest. You may learn more about it and decide you don’t like it. First, remember that not every community is the same. Communities are about as different as people themselves. Either way, pray! You’ll be confused until you honestly talk to God. And if in the end you discern that you are meant to stay in the laity, at least you will have a deeper relationship with God. That’s one thing the church desperately needs.