Fr. Brett Brannen - To Save a Thousand Souls: A Guide for Discerning a Vocation to Diocesan Priesthood

Rev. Brett Brannen is the Vice-Rector of Mount St. Marys Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He is a priest of the Catholic Diocese ofSavannah, Georgia, where he served as Vocation Director for tenyears.

Vianney Vocations LLC, Valdosta, Georgia 31602 2010 by Brett A. Brannen
All rights reserved. Published 2010
Printed in the United States of America
Third printing, October 2010

ISBN: 0-615-34551-4
LCCN: 2010920723

Nihil obstat: Rev. Msgr. Steven P. Rohlfs, S.T.D.
Imprimatur: Rev. Msgr. Richard W. Woy, V.G., Archdiocese ofBaltimore

Cover photos by Micki Krzynski and Tom LesserTo Jesus Christ, the great High Priest,in whose priesthood I have been privileged to share

To live in the midst of the worldWithout wishing its pleasures;To be a member of each family,

Yet belonging to none;To share all suffering;To penetrate all secrets;To heal all wounds;

To go from men to GodAnd offer Him their prayers;To return from God to menTo bring pardon and hope;To have a heart of fire for charityAnd a heart of bronze for chastity,To teach and to pardon,Console and bless always.My God, what a life;And it is yours,
O priest of Jesus Christ.

Jean-Baptiste Henri Lacordaire Foreword...................................................................................... viiAcknowledgements ......................................................................xi

C HAPTER 5: Signs of a Vocation to Priesthood
and Characteristics of a Good Candidate ..........77
C HAPTER 11: The Blessed Virgin Mary and
Discernment Fears..............................................187
C HAPTER 13: Celibacy, Chastity, Charity,
and Cheerfulness................................................215
C HAPTER 17: Prerequisites and Impediments to
Diocesan Priesthood ..........................................321

Recommended Reading ............................................................385
Index of Questions.....................................................................389

Chances are, if youre reading this book, youre either considering a priestly vocation, in priestly formation, or helping alongsomeone who is discerning.

Having been there myself, and having known many youngmen who have embarked along the path of discerning a priestlyvocation, I know it to be an experience which is exhilarating, exhausting, captivating, and maybe even terrifying, all at the sametime.

With so many competing, sometimes conflicting forces atplay in the mind and heart of a young man discerning what Godhas created him to be, the process of discernment is anything buteasy. Nor, perhaps, should it be, because seeking and finding thatunique role for which God created each of usour vocationis a serious enterprise indeed. It impacts not only the future of theperson discerning, but ultimately the lives of countless otherswith whom he will come into contact over the course of his life.

Any young man endeavoring to discover Gods will, especially if that may include the priesthood, does not need pressureof any sort. Fr. Brannens book makes clear that the Churchs interest is helping each individual discern and follow Gods truewillbecause finding that, and living that out, will bring a person the greatest measure of happiness he can expect on this sideof eternity. Remember the wise words of Saint Catherine of Siena:If you are what you should be, you will set the world on fire!

Its interesting to note that in Scripture, when an angel appears to a human being to bring a message from God, the angeloften says, Be not afraid. Perhaps thats because seeing an actual angel face-to-face can be rather overwhelming. But perhapsits also because coming face-to-face with the will of God can, atfirst, be overwhelming too.

viiTo Save a Thousand Souls

What we also see, however, is that when we human beingscooperate with Gods will, He opens up for us a future quitebeyond what we could ever imagine. Little could Our Lady haveknown all that would take placethe joys, sorrows, and gloriesafter she said to the Angel Gabriel, Let it be done to me according to thy word. And yet, without her cooperation and her trustin Gods goodness, the events of our salvation would not havetaken place, because our Savior would not have come into theworld.

Marys yes brought Christ into the world, and the yes of every priest brings Christ into the world, continuing on earth thework of our salvation. Truly, there can be no work more consequential than this: to bring Jesus to people and people to Jesus.And as unique and varied as priests may be, I am always struckby at least one commonality among all authentic priestly vocations: theyre centered in the Eucharist. Consecrating the Eucharist, changing bread and wine into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christthis is at the heart of the priesthood, and isthe center and the driving force of everything else a priest iscalled to be and to do.

Father Brannen has systematically and comprehensively addressed the questions, aspirations, yearnings and even the fearsof a young man who feelsperhaps against his initial inclinationsthe stirrings of a priestly vocation. Father Brannen is awise and prayerful priest who has served the Church well inmany different capacities, and has witnessed some truly extraordinary instances of Gods grace working in individual humanhearts, especially through the Catholic priesthood. You will seethat for yourself as you read these pages. This is the life to whichyou may be called.

Ive been a priest for nearly thirty-three years. Sure, there have been some tough days, as there are in any vocation. Butnever would I trade a day of my priesthood for anything else inthe world.

viii

Never will I forget the words I heard some years ago from awise senior priest who, after hearing my confession and grantingme absolution, looked me in the eye and said, In your prayers, dont forget to thank God for all the gifts Hes given you, especially the gift of the priesthood, because its the best gift you evercould have gotten.

So tolle et legetake and readand be not afraid!

Most Reverend William E. LoriBishop of Bridgeport, ConnecticutDecember 2009

I wish to acknowledge with gratitude the many priests whohave greatly influenced my life and my vocation to the priesthood, thus preparing the way for this book. From the Diocese ofSavannah, chief among these are Msgr. Lawrence Lucree, mychildhood pastor, who first instilled in me a love for the priesthood; Msgr. John Cuddy, a mentor, pastor, and co-worker; andmy good friend Fr. Mark Ross. I also acknowledge post-mortemMsgr. Richard McGinness and Fr. Anthony Manochio, formerRector and Spiritual Director, respectively, of Mount St. MarysSeminary, both of whom were powerful instruments of God inmy own years of priestly formation. May they both rest in peace.

Many thanks to the vocation directors who generously readthe first draft of this book and offered wonderful feedback forimprovement: Fr. Timothy McKeown, Diocese of Savannah; Fr.Brian Bashista, Diocese of Arlington; Fr. Len Plazewski, Dioceseof St. Petersburg; Msgr. Robert Panke, Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.; and Fr. Luke Ballman, Archdiocese of Atlanta. I am alsograteful for the suggestions of Fr. John Horn, S.J. and Deacon JimKeating at the Institute for Priestly Formation. I am thankful forthe input of my colleagues here at Mount St. Marys Seminary: Fr. Dan Mindling, OFM, Academic Dean; and Fr. Frederick Miller,Professor of Systematic Theology.

I must also recognize and thank Bishop William Lori ofBridgeport and Archbishop John J. Myers of Newark for theirsuggestions, encouragement, and support. I am deeply appreciative of my own bishop, Bishop J. Kevin Boland of Savannah, forhis wonderful support and friendship; I am indebted to him inmany ways, not least of which is my assignment to work as vicerector of this seminary, a position that has provided the knowledge, experience, and time to write this book.