Why Would Any Man Want To Be A Catholic Priest?

by Mary Arcement Alexander, Licensed Professional Counselor & Diocesan Victim Assistance Minister

ONCE UPON A TIME I WAS THE PERSON ASKING THIS QUESTION. It was the early 2000s when the dark and evil doings happening in the Church at the hands of (mostly) priests began to explode around the world. This truth about a large number of priests, bishops, and cardinals is the primary reason I was determined to abandon my Catholic faith for another. Thankfully, by the grace of God, I am instead a faithful Catholic in love with her faith. Interestingly enough, it was a priest that God used as an integral part in my journey home. Because this article is not about me, let’s return to the question at hand, why would any man ever want to be a Catholic priest? To answer this question, I decided to take a bit of a deep dive into the lives of three once ordinary men who made this journey of faith to become some of our greatest saints!

St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was born into a very noble and elite family. As a result of being cared for by the Benedictines of Monte Casino beginning at the age of five, St. Thomas became destined for the priesthood. As soon as he was legally able to decide, just 12 short years later, he joined the Dominicans of Naples. His family fought him for two years but by the grace of God, St. Thomas stayed true to his fate and is now considered to be the model teacher of those studying for the priesthood. What a gift he is to our Church! St. Thomas of Aquinas, pray for us.

St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552) was born into a noble Basque family in Spain. He is known as the most illustrious missionaries in the Church. He met St. Ignatius while studying for his master’s degree at the University of Paris and later became one of the first seven Jesuits. St. Francis’ missionary resume’ is massively impressive and too vast to include here so I will hit the highlights. His handprints can be seen at his shrine in Goa, India where he began a vast apostolate lasting over ten years to Cape Comorin where he baptized so many of the Paravas people during the day that at night his arms ached from the simple act of raising them up. Last but certainly not least, he founded forty-five churches in various villages in Travencore. St. Francis Xavier, pray for us.

St. Maximillian Kolbe (1894-1941) was born Raymond Kolbe in Poland. Much like many of our saintly priests, the work he did during his short forty-seven years of life is massively impressive. In my humble opinion, his greatest feat occurred during WWII in 1941 when he was captured by the Nazis and imprisoned at Auschwitz. He offered up his life for another man and ultimately was condemned to a slow death of starvation. When death did not come fast

enough for the Nazis, they decided to kill him outright with a lethal injection. He is now considered the patron saint for prisoners. St. Maximilliam Kolbe, pray for us.

To all the young or older men reading this who have already asked themselves this question of why, why would they want to become a priest, here is one final thought I encourage you to prayerfully consider this calling. Becoming a Catholic priest is not about what they would lack (wife, kids, wealth, prestige, etc.), rather it is about joining the list of incredible, amazing and faithful men who, like Mary, said yes to God. Their yes ultimately led them to a joy and pure satisfaction that is only derived when one sacrifices everything to be married to the One, True Church established by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.