222. Discerning and deciding on our vocation
ASC A000303 Conferenze, Quad. III, 1877-1878, ms by Giacomo Gresino, pp. 35-40
(cf MB XIII, 807-808).
Tuesday 18 June 1878
In For all the Solemnities of Our Lady that have been or are to come, Feast of the Consolation, St Aloysius and St John, St Peter and others before the end of the year, one thing that would be of great importance is to think about your vocation. Some will have already thought about it and are waiting some weeks, some days to make a final decision. That is why every year I usually offer some time for someone who wants to talk about this and this year I would be happy if the boys from 5th and 4th Year and others too who want to talk about their vocation, would come to my room any time after Vespers.
But we can also say something in general now. When we become aware that we are called to the ecclesiastical state, it is also of major importance to see whether it is better to become a secular priest or join some congregation. Whoever wants to embrace the ecclesiastical state must have a right and holy intention: that is, if he wants to save his soul. And could he not also support his family? It is a right and just thing to help our family; so you can be businessmen, shoemakers or whatever you want and then help your family and others with what you like from your earnings. But a priest no, he can give them alms like to anyone else, if they should find themselves at that point, but no more than that. And then you hear the usual objection: “But many priests, this one, that other one have done this, bought that; they have become wealthy, made their families wealthy etc.”. So have they all done badly? I do not want to judge anyone, I only note what the Divine Saviour says and the holy Church. Jesus Christ says it explicitly: whoever wants to be God's minister should not be concerned about temporal affairs; indeed not only should he not be concerned, but non implicet se, Scripture says precisely, not get involved, not get mixed up in: non implicet se in negotiis. The words are clear. Saint Ambrose or Saint Gregory says that whatever the priest has is the patrimony of the poor: not his, you see; it belongs to the poor. His labours are for God, the means are God's and also the earnings must be God's and also belong to the poor. The priest must only be interested in saving souls: that means a holy purpose.
What I can also tell you is that someone who does not feel called to the ecclesiastical state should not even think about becoming a priest, and would get nothing good out of it. Whoever does not feel he can preserve the virtue of chastity is not made for the priesthood, and should turn to something else, since as a priest he would only do evil to himself and others. I tell you this so you can have time to think about it and do things well. Good night.