Lutheran pastor, here.

[JohnL]

If you wish to remain more anonymous, it might be good to disable your email address from being visible on the chnetwork.  This can be done with a checkbox on the personal settings page (Profile page, then "Modify Profile - Account Related Settings".
Just a thought.
John

[Pani Rose]

Jim and Joy Pinto are great examples of one never knows what the Lord has in plan.  He was an Episcopal priest.
 http://www.jimandjoypinto.com/

[philm46atthews]

Actually, I'd like to come at the question a bit differently...
I am able to take a bigger view of "ministry" than simply "word & sacrament." As an outsider, I routinely hear of "priest shortages" in the RC and how this has opened up a plethora of career opportunities for educated laypersons within the church.

Sooooooooo
If I were just starting out ...and was already catholic...

What options come to mind in terms of fulltime service in the Church, including the ability to sort of 'keep doing it' even after retirement? For me, I guess the 1st one that comes to my mind is TEACHING, and not necessarily at the college level, but even secondary education. I'd appreciate some help, tho, adding to that list.

Thanks!

PM

[Intercessor]

. . . the biggest thing that's holding me back is that by converting I de facto LOSE MY INCOME. That's huge, but when you add to that the fact that most clergy count on a retirement of doing the same thing they did as active pastors, only to a lesser degree & more on their personal terms, not only am I looking at losing my income but also losing my perfect 'retirement job' . . . .

pm

Actually, I'd like to come at the question a bit differently...
I am able to take a bigger view of "ministry" than simply "word & sacrament." As an outsider, I routinely hear of "priest shortages" in the RC and how this has opened up a plethora of career opportunities for educated laypersons within the church. . . .

What options come to mind in terms of fulltime service in the Church, including the ability to sort of 'keep doing it' even after retirement? For me, I guess the 1st one that comes to my mind is TEACHING, and not necessarily at the college level, but even secondary education. I'd appreciate some help, tho, adding to that list.

Thanks!

PM

Dear PM,

I was a minister's daughter and a minister's daughter-in-law.  At various times in their lives those two men worked as a public school teacher, school principal, TV repairman, salesman, insurance agent, small business owner, and minister of music.  One gave much of his time to private counseling for individuals, married couples, and young pastors and their wives.  Though that service was given without charge, in his retirement, perhaps you could (without too many years) become certified as a family counselor or substance abuse counselor or as a hospital chaplain.

The journey you are contemplating is a holy endeavor requiring courage, faith, humility, patience, a willingness to sacrifice, obedience, and clear priorities.  It would be a good idea, if you are not already doing so, to pump up your prayer life now, asking God to grant you much growth in courage, faith, humility, patience, obedience . . . .  Ask Him to help you become clear on priorities.  

For example, if a non-Christian approached you privately about becoming a Christian but wanted assurances that God would provide a convenient, pleasant retirement job before embracing the Christian faith, what would be your counsel to that gentleman?

Our Catholic faith is deep, rich, and complex.  
However, it can be summed up in this:  
What is God asking of me, for I want to do His will with all my heart, no matter the cost.
That is where we must begin and where we must end.

God wants you to provide for yourself and your family.  He will guide and help you.  However, you may not get exactly what you prefer, at least not in the very beginning.

I am praying for you, brother.

Becky

[Pange Lingua]

Bold words, Becky.

I was talking to my wife a few days ago, and I said, "I remember when I was growing up in church, we sang a song that went, "I will go where you want me to go, dear Lord. I will do what you want me to do." Looking back, I realize now that we were pretty naive (sincere and admirable, but naive), with absolutely no clue as to what a life lived without reservation for Christ would truly ask of us. I never thought that agreeing to the will of God would land me with you guys!

Should we count the cost before making the leap? Yes, indeed. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Like Wile E. Coyote, that jump into the canyon is, thanks be to God, survivable ...

[Intercessor]

Bold words, Becky.

Yes, Michael.  They are bold words, but they come in humility and charity from one who, through her own journey into the Church, also had to learn (your words) "what a life lived without reservation for Christ would truly ask of us."

I didn't look so bold when I was, more than once, prostrate on my living room floor, weeping, shaking my head in disbelief, telling God, "I will do whatever You want, but I can't believe I'm understanding correctly.  You can't seriously be asking ME, at my age, with my background, a Baptist widow, to become a Catholic!"

When God called me into the Church, I was "sitting pretty" in my life as a Protestant.  I was blessed with several leadership positions, had my social needs met through the Sunday School class I had taught for many years, enjoyed the friendship and respect of my young (under 45) pastors, was comforted by intimate bonds with my devout Baptist family.

After the trauma of losing my husband, I wanted comfort, rest, stability, continuity, predictability, familiarity, old and trusted associations.  God asked me to put all that on the altar and follow Him into His Church.

A child of God who receives such a clear, strong call has no real choice but to obey.  Disobedience is such a miserable state in which to live.  Once convinced that I was indeed understanding God's call correctly, I knew enough to obey immediately and completely.  Was the cost high?  Yes.  Very high.  For me and for my precious relatives.

I was talking to my wife a few days ago, and I said, "I remember when I was growing up in church, we sang a song that went, "I will go where you want me to go, dear Lord. I will do what you want me to do." Looking back, I realize now that we were pretty naive (sincere and admirable, but naive), with absolutely no clue as to what a life lived without reservation for Christ would truly ask of us.

Michael, I sang that song as well as "Is Your All on the Altar?" and "I Surrender All."  Somehow, though, as Protestants we felt God did not want us to suffer.  At the first sign of suffering, the prayer warriors would go to work asking God to bring prompt deliverance from the suffering.  I was committed to obeying God's will but never embraced the Cross or saw myself as involved in Christ's redemptive work, through suffering.

Should we count the cost before making the leap? Yes, indeed. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Like Wile E. Coyote, that jump into the canyon is, thanks be to God, survivable ...

Was it worth it?  Yes, I would do it again a million times, in a heartbeat.  Consider the wonder of being strengthened and sanctified by the flesh and blood of our Lord. John 6  Consider the peace of responding to His prayer, in John 17, for one united Church.  Every day I praise and thank God for calling me into the Church and for blessing me with the sacraments and Church Authority.

I never thought that agreeing to the will of God would land me with you guys!

How very glad we are that it did!    

Grace and peace,
Becky

[Pange Lingua]

Thanks, Becky. I wasn't having any problem with your boldness, and I hope you understand that. As somone addicted to inertia and who changes only with a great deal of gnashing of teeth, that kind of bold stand is pretty breathtaking.

= Michael

[Dave Armstrong]

"addicted to inertia": that's a marvelous phrase!

[Intercessor]

"addicted to inertia": that's a marvelous phrase!

Yes, and I've been known to have the same malady at times.  


Becky

[Credo Catholic]

Becky, your bold words are fortifying.  So many of us have doubted that call, wondered if we were taking leave of our senses.  But there it is, undeniably a call by God to enter the catholic church.  The rewards are great, and seemingly innumerable.  But that first step requires courage of a kind we never had to have before.  To put as you say, our jobs, friends, family, everything on the altar.  What God chooses to hand back to us is up to him.  I have lost a few friends.  An uncle doesn't return my calls.  On the few occasions my family does go to church, I have to get in a separate car and go in the opposite direction to go to mass.  There are many losses.  But yes, I would do it again in a heartbeat.  I have experienced a walk with Christ so intense the protestants I used to know couldn't understand.  The Holy Eucharist is the single most powerful object on earth.  

[Pani Rose]

I remember being at Ridgecrest for many summers telling the Lord I would go wherever he wanted me to go.  Never in my wildess dreams could I have even imagined being married to someone who is of Polish heritage - never heard a Polish name when I was growing up - living in Steubenville OH, never heard of it either - THEN becoming Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic.  Then coming to Birmingham AL, and my husband becoming a permanate deacon for the Ruthenians, celebrating in a Melkite Greek Catholic CHurch.

God's ways are surely not our ways

[Intercessor]

Becky,

. . . So many of us have doubted that call, wondered if we were taking leave of our senses. . . .

So true, Marsha.  So true.  At one point I ordered a bunch of Journey Home videotapes so that I could be reassured that I had not lost my mind.  When I listened to all those intelligent, self-possessed, reasonable-sounding folks who had experienced the same call, it would be easier to ignore those who thought I must have lost it.


Becky

[Intercessor]

I remember being at Ridgecrest for many summers telling the Lord I would go wherever he wanted me to go.  Never in my wildess dreams could I have even imagined being married to someone who is of Polish heritage - never heard a Polish name when I was growing up - living in Steubenville OH, never heard of it either - THEN becoming Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic.  Then coming to Birmingham AL, and my husband becoming a permanate deacon for the Ruthenians, celebrating in a Melkite Greek Catholic CHurch.

God's ways are surely not our ways

Pani Rose, maybe God said, "Hmmnnn, I have a lot of flexibility with this obedient, docile girl.  Think I'll put her in this spot, right here.  She'll go."  

Becky

[Pani Rose]

You know Becky, I was thinking about this after Fr. Franks homily tonight.  As we begin the Triodian - the three weeks for us, which lead up to Great and Holy Lent - kind of like pre-lenten house cleaning The first weeks reading is of the Prodigal Son and Fr. pointed out that it is one of the most important messages of Christ - 'and he came to his senses'.  What is it in our lives that belongs to the world that is keeping us from entering into the fullness that Christ has intended for us?  It sure is a scary thought.  As crazy and nutsy as my world can get sometimes, I am pretty comfortable in it's craziness.  So, that means God has to give me some 'crazier stuff' to shake me out of my comfort zone, so I will say yes.

Back in the '80s when Jesus was preparing us to move, I didn't want to hear it, notta, zip, nothing.  But, Jesus - such the sweet heart that He is - didn't give up.  For a year, he said - everywhere we turned -'if you hear my voice today, harden not your heart'.  It took gettting to the place where we were on Aid to Dependent Children - basically food stamps and health care for the kids - and loosing everything except our family and home.  We thought Fr. Deacon Stan was going to be hired as a director for a home for the age with the Knights of St. George.  

Our youngest son was in the hospital with pneumonia. Things were just crazy!!!    

Then I went to hear a talk given by one of the priest from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, and he said something like, 'look at what God is doing in Steubenville, all the people coming in here, the work that is happening.  But, if God tells you to go, to leave, you must go'  

I said oh no God!

Then on Holy Thursday, 1986, there in Steubenville, while we were at the hospital, we got a call saying as much as they wanted too, they could not hire him.  He had even been recommended by the CEO of a very well know car manufacturer and two US Senators - but that state had changed the requirements - he was/is an engineer - they needed business management - although he had managed a multi-million dollar corporation.  God had his plans!

Next on Good Friday, 1986. the very next day - while at the hospital, we got a call from the Post Office here in Birmingham asking me to take a transfer and go full time with them in Birmingham.  We made the trip to Birmingham a month later, and I took the offer.

You know, God restored to us everything that we lost, plus much, much more.  WE could never have imagined.  From being willing to take the plunge and step out in faith - from Southern Baptist to Eastern Catholic - life has never been dull or boring.

It sure did take a lot though for us to 'come to our senses'.  Don't be afraid because God will not lead you anywhere that he has not already prepared the way.

OH, my husband - well he started working down here with the Post Office several days before I did.  He wasn't even a transfer, God did it!  One more thing, he works for St. George too, that's the name of our Church. 

rofl here - God sure has a sence of humor!

Be at peace!

[Intercessor]

Hello:
I'm new to the forum & just wanted to say 'hi.'

Call me paranoid, but I'm using an alias.
Right now I'm just a jumbled up mess of contradictory thoughts/feelings about the whole visible church affiliation thing--to say nothing of my vocation, etc. etc. etc.

Well, that's really all for now.

I'm glad you're here!

pm

Well, dear PM, you have ended up with quite an unusual introductory thread here.  Partly, it's been the ice and snow that have brought several members to spend more time with us than usual.  I think, though, that God has been at work through this thread, showing you, and others who may be lurking still, that God is faithful to prepare the way and to care for us as we learn to trust and obey.  

Make yourself comfortable here, PM.  We want to be a source of emotional and spiritual support as you move forward, gaining courage and faith.

Grace and peace,
Becky

You know Becky, I was thinking about this after Fr. Franks homily tonight. . . the Prodigal Son and Fr. pointed out that it is one of the most important messages of Christ - 'and he came to his senses'.  What is it in our lives that belongs to the world that is keeping us from entering into the fullness that Christ has intended for us?  It sure is a scary thought.  As crazy and nutsy as my world can get sometimes, I am pretty comfortable in it's craziness.  So, that means God has to give me some 'crazier stuff' to shake me out of my comfort zone, so I will say yes.

Back in the '80s when Jesus was preparing us to move, I didn't want to hear it. . . . It took gettting to the place where we were on Aid to Dependent Children - basically food stamps and health care for the kids - and losing everything except our family and home.  We thought Fr. Deacon Stan was going to be hired as a director for a home for the aged with the Knights of St. George.  

Our youngest son was in the hospital with pneumonia. Things were just crazy!!!  Undecided. . . .

Then on Holy Thursday, 1986, there in Steubenville, while we were at the hospital, we got a call saying as much as they wanted too, they could not hire him.  He had even been recommended by the CEO of a very well know car manufacturer and two US Senators - but that state had changed the requirements - he was/is an engineer - they needed business management - although he had managed a multi-million dollar corporation.  God had his plans. . . .

You know, God restored to us everything that we lost, plus much, much more.  WE could never have imagined.  From being willing to take the plunge and step out in faith - from Southern Baptist to Eastern Catholic - life has never been dull or boring.

It sure did take a lot though for us to 'come to our senses'.  Don't be afraid because God will not lead you anywhere that he has not already prepared the way.

OH, my husband - well he started working down here with the Post Office several days before I did.  He wasn't even a transfer, God did it!

Be at peace!

Oh, my, Pani Rose, what a powerful sermon you have given us!  You, Marsha, Michael, and the others have been such a blessing to me in this thread.  All of you have inspired me to be more vigilant about opening my fists (not trying to control, not trying to hang on, not trying to cling to creatures or things or situations).  With renewed devotion I will try to lay everything on the altar every day with a heart that says, "I will accept whatever You give.  I will give whatever You ask."

Lord, help us to be docile and obedient.  
Help us to love You enough to do Your will.

Becky