“About a dozen years ago, I was where you might be right now… thinking about the priesthood.
A few years earlier, my pastor, Monsignor Bernie Galic asked me if I wanted to go to dinner with the Bishop and the seminarians. I flatly told him, “No.” I had a great job, an apartment, a car, a decent income and a girlfriend. Life was good. My relationship with God and my Catholic faith were important to me. But to be honest, I hadn’t really thought about the priesthood since I was in kindergarden.
However, Monsignor Galic’s question got me thinking… why does he want me to consider the priesthood? Then I started thinking about what I was doing with my life. Was I doing the most with my life I possibly could? Could I make a greater contribution to society? If I could do anything, what would I do? Most importantly, what did God want me to do with my life?
The reason I am a priest today is because it is God’s vocation for me and I thank Him every day for calling me to it. I don’t want to sound boastful but I believe the priesthood is the most important job in the world, because the priest does the most important things in the world: bringing people into real contact with Jesus Christ, especially through the Eucharist and the forgiveness of sins in Reconciliation.
So, I want to extend to you the same invitation Monsignor Galic extended to me… I want you to discern the priesthood. As you can see, there are plenty of resources and opportunities on this website. You should also talk to a priest.
Tell your pastor you are thinking about the priesthood. He will be delighted to hear from you and he will help, not hound you. You might also want to ask a good priest to be your spiritual director. A spiritual director will help you discern your vocation, develop a spiritual plan for life and serve as your confessor. As Vocation Director, I’ll be happy to help you find a good spiritual director and help you discern God’s vocation for your life.
Your Brother in Christ,

Fr. Andrew Budzinski
Vocation Director - Diocese of Fort Wayne - South Bend
260-422-4611