Msg Base:  AREA 5  - ASK FATHER            CIN ECHO   AMDG
  Msg No: 302.  Wed  5-20-92  9:29  (NO KILL)  (MAILED)
    From: Father Mateo
      To: Michael Rapp
 Subject: Becomming a Priest

+-
| Father, I'm 16 and I think I have a calling from God to become a priest.
| A certain number of events recently have led me to this conclusion.  I
| have thought about it for some time now, and at first I thought it was me
| wanted an 'easy life', and then I thought that I wanted to be someone
| important.  But I now believe that I _want_ to do this because I _want_ to
| serve God and He is showing me that this is the way to do it.  I've been
| thinking about this for a number of weeks, and I've opened up more to God
| and I'm currently reading the Gospel of Mark and certain passages jump out
| at me.  I plan to go to the seminay (I'm in Houston, TX) after high school
| to find out whether this is a calling from God, or not. (Hey, if I don't
| go, I'll never know for sure).
|  
| I have a few question though.  How long does it take to become a priest?
| What is a typical day for a doicesian priest (I have good leadership and
| managment abilites and I think staffing a parish is the best way to use my
| talents) like?  (And I like to talk [teaching others])  What is a typical
| day in a seminary?  Do you have any other information I might need to
| know?  I plan to talk with a priest at my parish tomorrow (can't tonight,
| have chemistry homework).
|  
| Thanks for your help.
| Michael
+-[MR=>F]
 
 
Dear Michael,
 
Please go to talk with your parish priest about your vocation.  He
will be able to answer your questions fully.  Perhaps he will take
you to visit your nearby seminary, or arrange for you to visit there
by yourself.
 
Before anything else, a priest must be a man of prayer.  I recommend
that you begin to go to Mass and Holy Communion every day.  At home,
or after Mass, in church, begin to say the rosary daily.  Our Lady is
a real necessity to priests, because her vocation is to bring people
close to Christ.  You need her for yourself and you will need her in
your work for others.
 
Regular and frequent confession is a great help to perseverance and
growing self-knowledge.  It is the source of many powerful graces,
which those who neglect confession fail to receive.
 
I'm glad you are reading St. Mark.  Bible reading and reading The
lives of The Saints will train your mind and heart in Christ, and
will also give you abundant material for your preaching homilies
later on.
 
God Bless you, Michael.  Keep in touch.
 
                                
                                Father Mateo