Do I have a vocation to be a Jesuit Priest or Brother?
- Are you a young man between the ages of 18 and 25 years (or slightly older)?
- Do you feel a strong desire to serve God’s people in a religious organization in the Catholic Church?
- Will you love to live the vow of poverty, by which you will be free of any attachment to worldly possessions save that which is needed for effectively carrying out God’s work of faith, justice, love, and peace on earth?
- Are you called to live a life of the vow of chastity, which frees one to better embrace the people of God as my family?
- Can you embrace a life of obedience, which enhances your availability to respond to God’s call to serve his people wherever the need is greatest?
- Do you have a constant urge – you know you did not give yourself – to dedicate your life to God as a priest or brother and to serve the people of God, defend the Catholic faith and bring the message of the gospel to your immediate environment and the ends of the earth?
- Do you feel drawn to live your life in a community of brothers who share the same zeal for souls as you do?
If you do discover, deep down in your heart, that you have a positive response to these personal questions and are filled with lasting consolation at the mere thought of what you can do for God in a religious body, then you may consider becoming a Jesuit.
Come to me all ye who labor...
Some biblical passages that might help your discernment
- Gen 12:1-5 Call of Abraham
- Ex 3: 1-2 Call of Moses
1Sam 3: 1-10 Call of Samuel - Jn 1: 35-43 Call of the First Disciples
As you decide, here are some questions that might be of help to you. In making your decision, try to find Picture of a novice pronouncing his first vows. out whether you have a sense of inner peace and freedom and joy when you imagine yourself being what you are considering becoming.
Further questions for your consideration:
- Do you want to become a priest?
- What kind of priest do you want to become? Diocesan or Religious?
- How many Religious Orders do you know of?
- What kind of Religious Order would you want to join?
- What are their apostolates?
In which countries do they work?
Please read the Frequently Asked Questions. For more information, kindly download the following articles and read.
Jesuit Vocation and Requirements pdf document (pdf, 358kb)
Labourers in the Lord’s Vineyard (pdf, 82kb)
If you feel, after a prayerful reflection, that you are called to serve God in this way, then you should consider applying to the Jesuits (Society of Jesus).