I grew to love Him too much to keep saying no. This sums up my entire vocation story. As a child I had good examples of holy priests. I enjoyed serving Mass and developed a sense of reverence for the Church and the priesthood. However, it was not until high school that the priesthood entered my mind.

Throughout high school the desire to be a priest would surface every now and again. Yet, since it did not fit with my plans for my life, I continued to dismiss the thought. During this time I continued to grow in faith, especially through praying the rosary. 

In college I continued praying the rosary often, but I also began attending daily Mass.  When challenged in my faith, I sought answers in Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, various apologetics books and prayer.   From these experiences, I grew in love, understanding and awe of Christ and His Church. During the summer after my third year, I attended a healing service and received a very direct call to discernment. The assistant of the priest leading the service told me that the Holy Spirit rested upon her and moved her to speak with me. “God is calling you to the priesthood,” she said. While terrified by the experience, that message also resonated within me. Rather than leaving, I spent time talking to Jesus in front of the tabernacle. I promised to follow Him if He would but let me know the joys and pains of love first. But I was bluffing because I did not think God would still call me once I had a girlfriend. Then I forgot the whole incident.

After graduation I received an invitation to vocation camp but declined. I knew that if I attended I would not be able to say no to God, and I still had dreams of marriage and family. Six months later I received a strong call to the priesthood during a Cursillo retreat. However, I had just entered a new relationship, and refused to consider the possibility despite the tremendous pull. That year I decided to pursue a Master’s degree in biology, which led to a painful breakup with my girlfriend.