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The word vocation comes from the Latin word vocare, “to call.” Everyone has a vocation to holiness – a unique and personal call to a sacrificial love of God and neighbor.
Is your call to the religious life and the priesthood? Only through prayer and exploration, can you find the answer. Your most important qualification is the desire to do the Will of God.
Starting is simple. Come for a visit to see the life of the Canons Regular for yourself. Join in day-to-day prayer and work as the Canons Regular worship God and serve His people. There will be no pressure, just companions ready to lend a hand in discovering where God is calling you.
Start the conversation and see if God is calling you to the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius. We invite you to visit The Canons Regular of St. John Cantius to learn more about becoming a priest.
Please go to the the Canons Regular website by clicking here and fill out the information in the "start the conversation" window.
"The whole Church is a priestly people. Through Baptism all the faithful share in the priesthood of Christ. This participation is called the 'common priesthood of the faithful'. Based on this common priesthood and ordered to its service, there exists another participation in the mission of Christ: the ministry conferred by the sacrament of Holy Orders, where the task is to serve in the name and in the person of Christ the Head in the midst of the community."
"The ministerial priesthood differs in essence from the common priesthood of the faithful because it confers a sacred power for the service of the faithful. The ordained ministers exercise their service for the People of God by teaching, divine worship, and pastoral governance."
"Since the beginning, the ordained ministry has been conferred and exercised in three degrees: that of bishops, that of presbyters, and that of deacons." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1591-1593)
Ordination to the priesthood is always a call and a gift from God. Christ reminded His Apostles that they needed to ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the harvest. Those who seek the vocation of priesthood respond generously to God's call using the words of the prophet Isaiah, "I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?'" "Here I am," I said; "send me!" (Isaiah 6:8)
"I address this plea in a special way to those of you whom the Lord is calling to the priesthood and the consecrated life. Do not be afraid to say ‘yes’ to Jesus, to find your joy in doing his will, giving yourself completely to the pursuit of holiness, and using all your talents in the service of others!"
- Benedict XVI, Pope Emeritus