[bben15]

Hello. :) I am new to this forum, so this is my first post. I just came here from Catholic Answers Forum. I am currently discerning a vocation to the FSSP priesthood, but I am receiving resistance from my parents. I will post here what I posted on CAF, so I don't have to write all of it out again:

"Hello to all.  I'm new to this forum, so this is my first thread.

I am currently 15 years old. I was a Lutheran with the ELCA up until about a year ago, when I decided to not get confirmed in the Lutheran faith, because I wanted to convert to Catholicism. My mother, who is anti-Catholic, did not take this well. When I told her that I did not want to get confirmed, she was planning on forcing me to do it anyway. But, her pastor told her that he will not force me to get confirmed and that she will not find any pastor that will force me. So, for a few months, she decided that if I'm not going to be a Lutheran, I will have no faith at all. But, one day, she had a sudden change of heart. She said that I could attend Mass, but not convert. After about a month of attending Mass, I decided to explore Orthodox Christianity to be sure that Catholicism was what I really wanted. I really liked Orthodox Christianity, and was planning on converting to it, but one day, I received my calling. I was just watching a movie, when all of a sudden, I felt a calling to the Catholic priesthood.

During Lent, my mom would always treat me like dirt on Fridays, because I had to fast for our Lord, Jesus Christ. My dad also mocks me because I feel called. One time, he asked me if I really believe in transubstantiation, and I said with a smile on my face, "Yes! That is one of the core beliefs of our Holy Church." When I said this, he laughed at me and mocked me. Even now, he mocks me for my calling. I pray for both of them everyday, and I attend Mass every week. I pray to our Father that they will recognize the True Faith and come home to Christ. If I tell them that they are hurting my feelings, they will just mock me. I cannot seek mental refuge in any family member, except for my Aunt, who is a Methodist, but loves me very much, and my Grandfather, who is Catholic.

I ask all of you for your advice and prayers. After I leave for college, I will convert to the One, True, Pure Faith. I truly feel called to the Holy Priesthood. I specifically feel called to serve as a priest in the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. I feel called to humbly serve all of you reading this thread and all of God's peoples. God bless all of you."

I ask you all for your prayers for my discernment to the traditional priesthood.

God bless.  

[Graham]

Hi Ben! I'm saddened to hear about your folks. Remember Our Lord's words on the cross: forgive them Father, they know not what they do. Unlike your parents, He knows precisely what he's doing, and I can only guess that your character is being forged by this adversity. I will definitely keep you in my prayers.

You should really have a look around this forum, read the active threads, and so on; you will notice a profoundly different take on the current crisis than what you're used to. Some would call it more pessimistic, while others would call it more realistic. If you have questions, just pose them respectfully and you'll get informative replies from knowledgeable posters.

[OHCA]

Hi Ben,

Graham has good advice about exploring the forum.  You are definitely on the right track to be drawn to Holy Mother Church.  Unfortunately, the "mainstream" Catholic Church drastically parted ways with tradition circa 1958 - 1971 and is now a modernist church not much different from protestant churches, which is not a good thing which you know, as you apparently recognize that something is amiss in protestantism.

Have you been attending the Mass in English, abstaining from meat only on Lenten Fridays, fasting only on Ash Wednesday?  I suggest you try to get your hands on an old (I mean pre-1960--not a re-print) Baltimore Catechism.  Read through it and that minim introduction to true Catholicism should be enough to let you know that it's no longer the same Church.

Also, go on the Society of Saint Pius X USA district website and I think you'll find an info package about the changes and the crisis.

Most of us on this forum are clinging to true Catholicism as it was up until 1960.  So it still exists, just isn't the flashy modernist church, which, by the way, controls the FSSP.

[Sigismund]

Congratualtions!

 I strongly encourage you to begin talking to the FSSP as soon as you realistically can.  They will probably expect you to have been a Catholic for a few years before you could enter, however.  

[bben15]

Hi Ben,

Graham has good advice about exploring the forum.  You are definitely on the right track to be drawn to Holy Mother Church.  Unfortunately, the "mainstream" Catholic Church drastically parted ways with tradition circa 1958 - 1971 and is now a modernist church not much different from protestant churches, which is not a good thing which you know, as you apparently recognize that something is amiss in protestantism.

Have you been attending the Mass in English, abstaining from meat only on Lenten Fridays, fasting only on Ash Wednesday?  I suggest you try to get your hands on an old (I mean pre-1960--not a re-print) Baltimore Catechism.  Read through it and that minim introduction to true Catholicism should be enough to let you know that it's no longer the same Church.

Also, go on the Society of Saint Pius X USA district website and I think you'll find an info package about the changes and the crisis.

Most of us on this forum are clinging to true Catholicism as it was up until 1960.  So it still exists, just isn't the flashy modernist church, which, by the way, controls the FSSP.

Unfortunately, there is no Extraordinary Form near me, so I have to attend the Ordinary Form.

[poche]

This resistance is a sign that the devil knows that his time is short and he will pull out all the stops that God will permit him.

[LaramieHirsch]

FSSP for the win!   :rahrah:



Sedevacantism, however, is schismatic.

[soulguard]

Hello Ben.

I am also a convert to the Catholic church and I converted about 5 years ago.
When I was thinking about the Catholic religion I started reading websites like "Most Holy Family Monastery" which explained how mass was not valid unless it was the tridentine mass. I started going to Latin ( tridentine) mass and was so impressed by the holiness of it that I became a traditional Catholic.

So go to Latin mass if you dont go already.

Also, the only reason the group FSSP exists was to get people away from the SSPX.
The SSPX have the old mass and true doctrine and they train excellent priests.
Look into the SSPX. Or if you live near them, there are groups like SSPV and CMRI.
SSPX is the biggest by far and they have excellent resources.

I wont be permitted to be a priest, but I might be allowed to become a professed "brother", but who knows what will happen. If you have no obstacles to becoming a priest and if you love the faith that much, then go for it. But somehow I dont think that at age 15 one is ready to make these big decisions for life. Be a traditional Catholic, but maybe not a priest, leave that decision till later.

[jen51]

Hey Ben! Welcome to the forum! I grew up in the Lutheran church and converted as well. My dear family has been my constant cross as I try to live the faith. Stay strong, learn diligently, live the faith, love your parents and respect them, and most of all beat Gods door down with prayer! His graces are so abundant. I imagine God must be pleased with you.  I will pray for you today.

[Sigismund]

FSSP for the win!   :rahrah:



Sedevacantism, however, is schismatic.

Sedevacantism is wrong.  Calling it schismatic is a bit much, however.  

[bben15]

Hello Ben.

I am also a convert to the Catholic church and I converted about 5 years ago.
When I was thinking about the Catholic religion I started reading websites like "Most Holy Family Monastery" which explained how mass was not valid unless it was the tridentine mass. I started going to Latin ( tridentine) mass and was so impressed by the holiness of it that I became a traditional Catholic.

So go to Latin mass if you dont go already.

Also, the only reason the group FSSP exists was to get people away from the SSPX.
The SSPX have the old mass and true doctrine and they train excellent priests.
Look into the SSPX. Or if you live near them, there are groups like SSPV and CMRI.
SSPX is the biggest by far and they have excellent resources.

I wont be permitted to be a priest, but I might be allowed to become a professed "brother", but who knows what will happen. If you have no obstacles to becoming a priest and if you love the faith that much, then go for it. But somehow I dont think that at age 15 one is ready to make these big decisions for life. Be a traditional Catholic, but maybe not a priest, leave that decision till later.

That post was from a long time ago. I've matured much since then. I've learned that one does not truly know that have a vocation until they are ordained. Until then, it is a discernment period.  :smile:

Like I said, the closest Sunday Mass near me that is a TLM is three hours away.

I could ask my pastor for an EF in accordance with Summorum Pontificuм, but I think I already know the answer.  :cry:

[icterus]

Hi Ben,

I have a few friends who have completed formation with the FSSP in the USA and have been ordained.  I can perhaps offer a few things as a result:

1.The liturgical and spiritual formation is pretty fantastic.  The men know and love the Mass and their devotion and attention is extremely impressive.  If you want to be a good and faithful priest, I can wholeheartedly recommend going to Nebraska.

2.OLGS (and this is not an official position, but having been around it, visiting it, hosting traveling seminarians in our home, attending the ordinations, spending long periods talking to these fine men, etc...) rather expects you to have most of your intellectual formation done before arriving.  

You will receive the required formation in philosophy and theology, but it is a seminary, not a university.  You should have your history, literature, basic science, and any technique you judge is useful beforehand.  It seems that men who do not spend this effort are rather stunted once they are ordained.  In the traditional world, people expect their priests to be very intelligent and educated.  

In the typical diocese, I find that people don't expect much of their priests.  In tradition, Fr. is a true authority, and needs to live up to this expectation.  History in particular, IMO, is important.  It helps very much to overcome the disadvantages of youth.

3.I suggest that you well and truly discern your position on those issues that divide traditionalism from the diocesan Church at large.  Once in the seminary, you will be pulled strongly by different factions of men (and formators) within the seminary on the status of the second Vatican council, the status of the Novus Ordo, obedience to Rome on a variety of topics, etc.  The FSSP, officially and very specifically, accepts the validity of the VII council, and accepts the validity of the NO Mass...although practically, this 'acceptance' does not translate into any concrete policy.  As an FSSP priest, one must give lip service to this validity, but must live as if one does not.

Some priests find this dichotomy troublesome, in one way or the other.  It's good to work on this beforehand.

4.These are good men who will be very helpful to you.  I concur that you should contact them directly as soon as possible.  


 

[soulguard]

FSSP for the win!   :rahrah:
Sedevacantism, however, is schismatic.

Sedevacantism is wrong.  Calling it schismatic is a bit much, however.  

Wrong is it? Fine, go kiss Francis' ring and tell me if every cell in your body does not tremble at having done such an awful thing.

Ben should join CMRI or SSPV to get the truth, unburdened by liberals and their fantasies.

[bben15]

FSSP for the win!   :rahrah:
Sedevacantism, however, is schismatic.

Sedevacantism is wrong.  Calling it schismatic is a bit much, however.  

Wrong is it? Fine, go kiss Francis' ring and tell me if every cell in your body does not tremble at having done such an awful thing.

Ben should join CMRI or SSPV to get the truth, unburdened by liberals and their fantasies.

The SSPV is a sedevacantist organization. It preaches heresy. The SSPX does not. Hence, the SSPX is better, even though it has its disagreements with the Holy See.

[soulguard]

FSSP for the win!   :rahrah:
Sedevacantism, however, is schismatic.

Sedevacantism is wrong.  Calling it schismatic is a bit much, however.  

Wrong is it? Fine, go kiss Francis' ring and tell me if every cell in your body does not tremble at having done such an awful thing.

Ben should join CMRI or SSPV to get the truth, unburdened by liberals and their fantasies.

The SSPV is a sedevacantist organization. It preaches heresy. The SSPX does not. Hence, the SSPX is better, even though it has its disagreements with the Holy See.

You know not of what you speak. You go to novus ordo mass, and you accuse a die hard Catholic group of heresy? Fine. Go join the SSPX, but stay away from the FSSP unless you want to say the new mass and promote heretics in rome as superheroes.