Discernment Retreat: Days 2 & 3

I decided to write about Sat. and Sun. together since Sun. was only a half day. Day 2 started off with morning prayer and we heard about different calls that guys might be experiencing right now and how to say yes if you are experiencing that call and what it means for you. The types of calls included calling to major and minor seminary as well as simply the call for more daily prayer. We proceeded to celebrate Mass before lunch. The afternoon sessions were focused on the fact that entering any seminary is NOT answering the call to priesthood. The discernment to becoming a priest or not happens in the seminary and not before. After a break we had an optional rosary before dinner for which everyone showed. After dinner and evening prayer together, we had an open Q&A forum with the seminarians. Afterward, we had a holy hour with adoration and benediction and a priest was available for the sacrament of reconciliation during that holy hour. We closed out with night prayer.

Day 3 opened with morning prayer and breakfast followed by a session about different obstacles that we face and hoe to try to overcome them. We finished off with Mass and then lunch. One of the seminarians asked me when I would be talking to my vocations director, so I informed them that I had been and that I had actually turned in my application, I think I was the only one on the retreat that had already travelled further down the discernment trail. Since there were a couple of seminarians at my lunch table, we talked about the application process for a while and a little bit of the differences between the different dioceses.

It was a really great and well needed retreat. I really like having the liturgies and sacraments as part of the weekend. And heard some things that really help. I'm sure some of the other guys on the retreat who are just starting their discernment have a lot to think about now and don't see it as beeing too scary or foreign. There was also plenty of break time to explore the seminary, pray, read, talk with each other, or whatever else. A great way to start off the New Year!

Dominus Vobiscum