IS GOD CALLING YOU TO SERVE IN THE FIELDS OF THE LORD?
We are looking for good Christian men at least 18 years of age, married or unmarried, who may have a "calling" to serve the Lord either as a secular or monastic priest, a monastic monk or as a member of our secular order of monks (Third Order Regular). We also are seeking women at least 18 years of age who may be interested in forming a convent for Orthodox nuns, or who may be interested in entering the holy order of permanent Deacon.
If you hear the call of the Lord or feel the hand of God on your shoulder and in you heart, we invite you to take the following Test. To take this test, copy it to either your WORD PAD or MICROSOFT WORD.
On each of the twenty questions below, rate yourself on a scale from 0-5. A rating of "0" means you do not posses the stated sign at all. A "5" indicates that this sign is very evident in your life. The highest possible score is 100, so the closer you are to that number, the more prepared you may be to your readiness and willingness to commit to our on-line seminary training program. Please be completely honest with your answers. If you would like to follow up this discernment exercise by having a discussion with either +William or +Gregori, please use the email contact form at the bottom of the Home Page. Please include your name, home phone number along with the best time to call. Also please include your email address.
The Test
______ 1. I love Jesus Christ and I have a thirst to bring Jesus and His teaching to the world. ______ 2. I am endeavoring to be a believing, practicing Catholic, (please keep in mind, we are Orthodox Catholic, NOT Roman Catholic). ______ 3. I am trying to live a life of prayer and I desire a life of prayer. ______ 4. I am trying to serve others and I desire a life of service to others. ______ 5. I feel a desire to be a priest, though it is sometimes stronger than at other times. ______ 6. Others tell me that I should be a priest or that I would make a good priest. ______ 7. Prayerful reading of Sacred Scripture leads me to believe I might be called to be a priest. ______ 8. I am endeavoring to live virtuously. ______ 9. I like to be around people and I have sufficient social skills to engage others. ______ 10. I have enough intelligence to complete the seminary course and function as a deacon or priest. ______ 11. I think I have the physical, emotional, and psychological stability to become a priest. ______ 12. I am joyful and I have a good sense of humor. ______ 13. I think that I have a “priest’s heart,” a heart with kindness and compassion for others. ______ 14. I believe that I have the self-mastery to be a man of prayer and leadership. ______ 15. Generally speaking, I have demonstrated stability in my life. ______ 16. People who know me would say I am a Christian gentleman. ______ 17. I have had events happen in my life that seem to be signs pointing towards the priesthood. ______ 18. I am usually able to accept both success and failure without losing hope. ______ 19. I believe that I have a healthy psycho-sexual development and orientation. ______ 20. I am trying to be truly open to the will of God for my life.
* This discernment test has been copied, in part, from To Save a Thousand Souls: A Guide for Discerning a Vocation to Diocesan Priesthood by Fr. Brett Brannen.