Priests, parish leadership, and the parish as a whole have an important
charge in supporting the man who is discerning a vocation to the
priesthood. Even more fundamentally, the family needs to be a place
where a vocation is discussed, supported, and nurtured. The importance
of prayer that God’s invitation may be clearly heard in the heart
of the man and that the man may respond generously with a gift of
himself to Christ and His Church cannot be stressed enough. Fostering
relationships with the pastor, other priests and the Bishop will
allow the man to come to know the priestly life and provide valuable
experience in working for the Church and serving God’s people. Mass
on Sundays and frequent/daily Mass attendance, Eucharistic adoration,
devotions, catechetical/spiritual readings, serving in liturgical
ministries (especially as an altar server), Corporal and Spiritual Works
of Mercy, and spiritual direction must be pivotal encounters in forming
the man and creating clear channels for God to speak to his heart
and mind.