Discernment

Each person is called by God to make a gift of him or herself for God’s glory and the salvation of souls. Finding your vocation is about discovering how God is calling you to love in a specific state of life – marriage, priesthood, consecrated life (which includes the religious life), or the single life. Men discerning with our community may feel called to the priesthood in the context of Franciscan religious life or may feel called to live out their vocation to religious life as a lay brother.

Too often, our culture focuses on what we want to do or what we want from our life. It is important that we ask the Lord what He desires for us and what He wants us to do and become with our life. Although taking the first steps on the path of seriously asking the Lord what His will is for our lives can feel daunting at first, He always gives us the grace and help we need to discern with courage and conviction. Whatever path God calls you to is your particular path to holiness and, if lived well, relying on God's grace, will transform you and ultimately lead to your greatest sense of peace and fulfillment in life.

Below you will find some practical steps you can take to open your heart to what God desires for you and to strive to unite your will to His. God has our true best interests in mind and we can trust Him. If you sense the Lord may be inviting you to follow Him in a vocation to the religious life, don't be afraid! Pray for the light and grace to take the next best step forward in following Him and reach out to a vocation director to learn more about the religious life and receive support in your discernment journey.

How to Discern

Prayer and Silence
Spiritual Direction
Visiting Communities
Healing and Conversion
Knowing You are a Beloved Child of God

Prayer & Silence

The first and most important step in discernment is prayer. The prophet Elijah described God as a “still, small voice” (1 Kgs 19:12). Prayer is a conversation: talking to God and listening for his gentle voice. Growth in prayer is lifelong . . . it is really a journey of deepening love between you and the Lord.

Silence is critical. Silence helps us to clear distractions out of our minds and hearts, and uncover what God is working deep within us, to hear that “still, small voice.” He plants desires in the deepest parts of our hearts which lead us to our vocation. Often, surface noises (the distractions around us and within us) drown out God’s voice. Make a commitment to set aside quiet time each day for prayer to help move away from the distractions. Trust that God will lead you to a place of peace, joy and freedom where you will discover if indeed He is inviting you to religious life.

Spiritual Direction

A spiritual director is invaluable when discerning your vocation. This is a trained person – priest, religious sister/brother, or certified lay person – with whom you meet regularly to talk about your prayer life and to trace the movements within your heart. They guide you in your journey and pray for you, too! Spiritual directors can often see things in us which we don’t recognize and will encourage us in our quest to do God’s will.

Visiting Communities

If the Lord is inviting you to religious life, you will be attracted to a specific charism - that is, to specific style of religious life and specific works. As you go visit the pages on our Franciscans of the Eucharist website, be attentive to how you respond to what you read and see . . . and if the Lord seems to be speaking to you or calling to you in this, don’t be afraid. Keep exploring, and contact us to learn more about our life and discerning with our community.

Healing and Conversion

All saints have a past—consider the story of St. Augustine, who fathered a child out of wedlock before he became one of the Church’s greatest theologians or St. Margaret of Cortona who lived with her lover for years before she became a Franciscan, noted for her life of penance and intercession for miraculous healings. God never rejects a truly repentant heart; rather, He runs to it and fills it with grace.

Know You are a Beloved Child of God

Many young men and women today are very confused about their identity and what love truly is. They may feel ashamed of past choices–especially sexual choices–and feel unworthy of a call to the religious life or priesthood. Don’t let your past prevent you from saying yes to God today. There is no ‘unforgivable’ sin so long as we seek His love and mercy. If you are struggling with past choices, take it to prayer, talk to a priest, and if you haven’t already, go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and allow the power of this sacrament to heal and restore you. Your fundamental identity is this: you are a beloved son or daughter of God the Father! You are worthy, because you are made in His image and likeness. Don’t forget it.