Are you considering a vocation to the priesthood or religious life? Tell us below and ask whatever questions you have. I'll ask Fr. Michael to respond to you.
Great video (and interview as a whole)! I’m wondering if Father could help give advice on dating while discerning priesthood. I’m not in seminary yet but barring any life changing relationship I will be in a few years. How do I approach dating and how open do I need to be to my significant other about my discernment? Thanks!
Yes, I am considering a vocation to the priesthood. I would like to know how to become an Eastern rite priest. My mother’s side is Maronite and Melkite so am unsure which rite I belong to. My father’s side is Orthodox so that further complicates things. Could one be bi-ritual?
For me it's Matt's show and Ascension Presents Simply because it is authentic I mean the real stuff that actually happens in the lives of Catholics are spoken about here and it gives this feeling that like the struggles we go through are not like stuff that happen only to you, that they are normal to human life Thank you for the authenticity, we need it
I forget how big of a sacrifice, faith leap, our priests and religious sisters/brothers take as they follow God's calling. May the Lord our God bless them, bringing them peace and joy.
This was such an edifying and honest sharing, thank you Matt, and Fr for your service to the church :") Your story was familiar to me, as an older friend of mine who entered the Carmelites shared with me about how he knew his vocation to the Priesthood was also an act of the will. God bless 🤗
Calvina Loi yep! We will fall in and out of “love” that is based solely on surface experience. Our Lord blesses and empowers true commitment. We fight to the end for our own commitments, yet discern wisdom and patience with the failures of others. Thanks for sharing.
As a girl who discerned with a boy who was planning to be a Married Priest, this talk was so relatable. Thank you 🙏🙏🙏 I felt that "free" choice too and was able to hear God's voice clearly.....a call to radical celibacy.
Great point about fatherhood: to be a good celibate priest, you need to be capable of being a good natural father. If you're afraid of marriage you shouldn't become a celibate priest. Bless you! 🙏
Matt, peace be with you. I’m writing, through this comment, to see if you were open, to create some subtitles in Portuguese, so that my Portuguese friends could better understand your videos. Or in Spanish. And don’t worry, I would share, non-stop. Compliments from Lisbon, Portugal God bless you
Oh my gosh! I was in seminary for 4 years, and I've been out of seminary for 4 years, dated twice. Aside from other personal issues, I'm like right smacked up in the middle of this target, so it's so nice to hear this priest talk about how good it is to struggle whether one's supposed to be a married man or a celibate priest. I've been wrestling with it so much, that I've desired and have inquired about becoming an Eastern Catholic priest, for the sake of getting married.
Having a season of my life where I volunteered in a Catholic and Protestant church at the same time. I can say being married as a pastor is horrible. The rates of adultery or at the least scandalous behavior was near 100 percent in the Protestant pastors. Nevermind the tug of how are you able to be a spiritual father for people and a real father to your children without failing epically at one.
Celibacy is the proper sacrificing of your future children, & their children on the altar of God. How big an ask. I'm weeping.. Every father out there, you sacrificed a lot, and we owe you the world.
Matt and Fr. O'Loughlin thank you for all you do. I love these men. I really miss Fr. Nathan (Wario) being able to play Mario Kart with Fr. O'Lo (Princess Peach). PAX!
How do you "listen to the Lord" in prayer like father said, about officially dating the girl? I'm always so confused when people say that. What does it mean to hear the Lord?
It means to start discerning. For major decisions it takes time to make a good discernment. Notice the fruits. Peace is of God. Disturbance is a trick. Except when we are living very sinful lives, then we might feel disturbed at the nagging pull our conscience. But normally you can starting discerning based on what brings you more peace, because peace is of the Holy Spirit. Not the false peace of not having any problems in life, but more toward the peace that surpasses understanding, where even if I have problems in life and I still have some doubts, by God's grace I am still at peace with the decision. ---- To learn more about this you can speak with your parish pastor, find a spiritual director, or start reading some of the Discernment Principles from St. Ignatius of Loyola.
It usually takes time, and the guidance of a spiritual mentor. Over time, I was able to feel the difference between “surface“ and “deep“ peace and anxiety. There will always be surface peace or anxiety, and these are rarely considered, especially when it comes to a lifelong vocation. My recommendation, is to choose one or the other, marriage or celibacy in this case, and either date (if you choose to discern marriage) or refrain from dating (if you choose to discern celibacy) for an extended period of time. Pray daily, and share everything with your spiritual director. Once you are able to perceive the deeper peace with the decision, take the next step. If you perceive the deeper anxiety, switch to the other vocation and do it all over again.
R., you listen to those quick thoughts that enter your head. You ask God about it, ask if He is talking to you. Ask if it is your own thinking. You get answers- and God will repeat louder if you ask Him to. Keep talking each time and be aware how you are feeling when it happens. Clarifying in your mind gets easier the more you do this. Pretty soon dialoguing with God gets easier and easier. He is there to help you so ask for it. God bless. 🙂
in fairness to the church, im fully aware of the real problems that occured in our local communities when a married byzantine priest arrived.... right in bl Walter Csizek, Shenandoah, pa home town... it was done prudentially.. not wow! how horrible...
He's definitely wrong saying married priest were outlawed in just north america. It is and was the same story in Ireland and the UK. Possibly even other parts of europe like France, Germany, Spain and Italy etc.
This priest talks like a woman with all the emotional details! Strange how the church has all these far fetched stories about the bride of Christmas etc.etc. but has such problems with real marriage so that NOBODY in the power structure of the church is married or a woman!
@@DF_UniatePapist As I understand it Jesus was a traveling teacher and miracle man and we don't even know if he had a Church in mind seeing that the gospels were written so much later. Don't think there was much of a structure in his time.
Are you considering a vocation to the priesthood or religious life? Tell us below and ask whatever questions you have. I'll ask Fr. Michael to respond to you.
I don't think I'd be a great priest. But I think God's calling me to do so, I'm very nervous about it
Great video (and interview as a whole)! I’m wondering if Father could help give advice on dating while discerning priesthood. I’m not in seminary yet but barring any life changing relationship I will be in a few years. How do I approach dating and how open do I need to be to my significant other about my discernment? Thanks!
Yes, I am considering a vocation to the priesthood. I would like to know how to become an Eastern rite priest. My mother’s side is Maronite and Melkite so am unsure which rite I belong to. My father’s side is Orthodox so that further complicates things. Could one be bi-ritual?
@@ΆγιοςΙερώνυμος-χ2γ yes
i am a ruthenian catholic who is decerning going to seminary and becomeing a priest, prayers are helpful!
Matt Frad's channel just rose to the top in my mind as one of the most authentic Catholic youtube channels.
Honored to hear that. Mind me asking why?
For me it's Matt's show and Ascension Presents
Simply because it is authentic
I mean the real stuff that actually happens in the lives of Catholics are spoken about here and it gives this feeling that like the struggles we go through are not like stuff that happen only to you, that they are normal to human life
Thank you for the authenticity, we need it
So helpful to hear a celibate priest speak so candidly about the experience of celibacy! Thank you both for this conversation.
I forget how big of a sacrifice, faith leap, our priests and religious sisters/brothers take as they follow God's calling. May the Lord our God bless them, bringing them peace and joy.
This was such an edifying and honest sharing, thank you Matt, and Fr for your service to the church :") Your story was familiar to me, as an older friend of mine who entered the Carmelites shared with me about how he knew his vocation to the Priesthood was also an act of the will. God bless 🤗
Calvina Loi yep! We will fall in and out of “love” that is based solely on surface experience. Our Lord blesses and empowers true commitment. We fight to the end for our own commitments, yet discern wisdom and patience with the failures of others. Thanks for sharing.
Great respect for serving Christ and us, the laity, as a celibate priest. Thank you!
This brought me to tears 😭 God bless you, guys 😢
As a girl who discerned with a boy who was planning to be a Married Priest, this talk was so relatable. Thank you 🙏🙏🙏 I felt that "free" choice too and was able to hear God's voice clearly.....a call to radical celibacy.
Wow, the description of the prayer (at 13-15 minutes) is so deep. Wonderful. That is true celibacy, precisely!!
Great point about fatherhood: to be a good celibate priest, you need to be capable of being a good natural father. If you're afraid of marriage you shouldn't become a celibate priest. Bless you! 🙏
Why?
Matt, peace be with you. I’m writing, through this comment, to see if you were open, to create some subtitles in Portuguese, so that my Portuguese friends could better understand your videos. Or in Spanish. And don’t worry, I would share, non-stop. Compliments from Lisbon, Portugal
God bless you
Oh my gosh! I was in seminary for 4 years, and I've been out of seminary for 4 years, dated twice. Aside from other personal issues, I'm like right smacked up in the middle of this target, so it's so nice to hear this priest talk about how good it is to struggle whether one's supposed to be a married man or a celibate priest. I've been wrestling with it so much, that I've desired and have inquired about becoming an Eastern Catholic priest, for the sake of getting married.
Having a season of my life where I volunteered in a Catholic and Protestant church at the same time. I can say being married as a pastor is horrible. The rates of adultery or at the least scandalous behavior was near 100 percent in the Protestant pastors. Nevermind the tug of how are you able to be a spiritual father for people and a real father to your children without failing epically at one.
It gets so beautiful at the end. Glory to God!
Thanks so much for this.... this incredible video and what I have learned form this
Celibacy is the proper sacrificing of your future children, & their children on the altar of God. How big an ask.
I'm weeping.. Every father out there, you sacrificed a lot, and we owe you the world.
This Priest is great!
One of the most beautiful videos yet.
Wow..I have tears. Jesus saying I am your everything...
Great video! Small typo in the description: "to become a married a priest".
Thank you for the correction. Changing now.
Matt and Fr. O'Loughlin thank you for all you do. I love these men. I really miss Fr. Nathan (Wario) being able to play Mario Kart with Fr. O'Lo (Princess Peach). PAX!
How do you "listen to the Lord" in prayer like father said, about officially dating the girl? I'm always so confused when people say that. What does it mean to hear the Lord?
It means to start discerning. For major decisions it takes time to make a good discernment. Notice the fruits. Peace is of God. Disturbance is a trick. Except when we are living very sinful lives, then we might feel disturbed at the nagging pull our conscience. But normally you can starting discerning based on what brings you more peace, because peace is of the Holy Spirit. Not the false peace of not having any problems in life, but more toward the peace that surpasses understanding, where even if I have problems in life and I still have some doubts, by God's grace I am still at peace with the decision. ---- To learn more about this you can speak with your parish pastor, find a spiritual director, or start reading some of the Discernment Principles from St. Ignatius of Loyola.
It usually takes time, and the guidance of a spiritual mentor. Over time, I was able to feel the difference between “surface“ and “deep“ peace and anxiety. There will always be surface peace or anxiety, and these are rarely considered, especially when it comes to a lifelong vocation. My recommendation, is to choose one or the other, marriage or celibacy in this case, and either date (if you choose to discern marriage) or refrain from dating (if you choose to discern celibacy) for an extended period of time. Pray daily, and share everything with your spiritual director. Once you are able to perceive the deeper peace with the decision, take the next step. If you perceive the deeper anxiety, switch to the other vocation and do it all over again.
R., you listen to those quick thoughts that enter your head. You ask God about it, ask if He is talking to you. Ask if it is your own thinking. You get answers- and God will repeat louder if you ask Him to. Keep talking each time and be aware how you are feeling when it happens. Clarifying in your mind gets easier the more you do this. Pretty soon dialoguing with God gets easier and easier. He is there to help you so ask for it. God bless. 🙂
in fairness to the church, im fully aware of the real problems that occured in our local communities when a married byzantine priest arrived.... right in bl Walter Csizek, Shenandoah, pa home town... it was done prudentially.. not wow! how horrible...
Please explain the “problems” that occurred with the arrival of a priest who was following the norms of his Church.
Awesome Priest
Oh wow, Paul said don't forbid marriage. That makes me sad because I want to leave protestantism 😿
Is it ok to become a priest after being rejected? I know the Pope did but like I feel like I don't have any other options
We do have a purpose as single celibate Christians.
Faith anxiety.. Interesting
He's definitely wrong saying married priest were outlawed in just north america. It is and was the same story in Ireland and the UK. Possibly even other parts of europe like France, Germany, Spain and Italy etc.
For Eastern rite priests?
Celibacy is unnatural for the vast, vast majority of humans.
Where do you find a good Catholic woman at 25? There all married with 15 kids at this point! lol
Lol not me.They are out there.
This priest talks like a woman with all the emotional details! Strange how the church has all these far fetched stories about the bride of Christmas etc.etc. but has such problems with real marriage so that NOBODY in the power structure of the church is married or a woman!
“Nobody in the power structure of the Church is a woman!”
Please show me one woman who Jesus put into the power structure of the Church.
@@DF_UniatePapist As I understand it Jesus was a traveling teacher and miracle man and we don't even know if he had a Church in mind seeing that the gospels were written so much later. Don't think there was much of a structure in his time.
@@marymolloy562 The only sources we have about his life and teachings clearly say that he had a Church in mind.