Called Today AZ — Diocese of Tucson

Father Ben

I had a sense when I was just going into high school that God was calling me to give my life to Him in some way, but I didn’t know then just how I was going to answer His call.

I knew I wanted to help people who needed someone to help them – help them not like a doctor or a paramedic, but help them like I saw Father Bill, the priest at my parish, helping people. Every time I saw him he was really helping people – listening to them, praying with them, teaching them, giving them Jesus in the Eucharist, being with them at the most important times in their lives.

I knew I wanted to be closer to Jesus. To me, being with Jesus and bringing Him into me through Holy Communion was so important.

I knew I wanted to lead people to Jesus. I really liked the way I felt when I got a chance to talk about Jesus with a friend or in the parish youth group.

My high school years were probably like a lot of other guys. I played a lot of basketball, tried out for the team but didn’t make it. Got really involved with my parish youth group. I had great friends in high school – girls and boys. I fell in love probably five times with some wonderful girls. I really enjoyed my science and math classes. I thought about how neat it would be to work with a really hot Internet company and make lots of money.

Fr Ben All that time, the sense of being called by God stayed strong in me, and with lots of praying and through the retreats that I went on with my parish youth group, I really started to feel that I had I say “Yes!” to Him and trust that He would guide me on the path ahead, because I had no idea where answering His call was going to lead me.

I think deep down inside I knew saying “Yes!” would lead me to the greatest possible happiness in my life. It would lead me to what I was supposed to do with my life.

So, just as I was starting my senior high school year (I had applied to a couple of colleges and had been admitted), I asked Father Bill after Mass one Sunday if I could sit down with him for a really important talk. He asked me what I wanted to talk about, and when I said that maybe I was thinking about being a priest he beamed out a really big smile! That smile from Father Bill meant a lot to me.

Our talk later that week was a big help to me in making the decision to be a priest. He told me about taking the first steps in the process of becoming a priest: getting in touch with the Vocations Office at the Diocese and starting what he called “discernment.” He said “discernment” would tell me a lot about myself and about the call I was feeling. His advice to me was, “Check it out. You will find out pretty soon if the life of a priest is the life God is calling you to.”

He was right.

There’s a lot more I could tell you about becoming a priest – like what it was like to tell my parents and my friends that I wanted to be a priest, how tough some of the seminary classes were and…well, instead of hearing it from me, why don’t hear all about the journey to the priesthood with a group of guys who get together with Father Mike and Father Vili of the Diocese of Tucson Vocations Office to just talk about the life of a priest, what it takes to be a priest and – really important – about the call they feel in their lives and how they are trying to answer that call. (You can click here to find out more about this group of guys.)

Just one more thing. Am I happy I did what I did – become a priest?

I am doing what I knew back in high school what I wanted to do. I am helping people. I am closer to Jesus. I am talking with the young persons in our parish youth group about how incredible Jesus is and teaching them about Him.

Yeah, I am happy I did what I did!

My final thought to share with you: PRAY! Ask Jesus to guide you. Here are some prayers that might help.

You might want to check out Father Miguel’s story. He’s a priest here in the Diocese of Tucson, too.

You can get in touch with Father Mike and Father Vili by e-mail vocations@diocesetucson.org or by giving them a call at 520-838-2531.


	Father Ben I had a sense when I was just going into high school that God was calling me to give my life to Him in some way, but I didn’t know then just how I was going to answer His call. I knew I wanted to help people who needed someone to help them – help them not like a doctor or a paramedic, but help them like I saw Father Bill, the priest at my parish, helping people. Every time I saw him he was really helping people – listening to them, praying with them, teaching them, giving them Jesus in the Eucharist, being with them at the most important times in their lives. I knew I wanted to be closer to Jesus. To me, being with Jesus and bringing Him into me through Holy Communion was so important. I knew I wanted to lead people to Jesus. I really liked the way I felt when I got a chance to talk about Jesus with a friend or in the parish youth group. My high school years were probably like a lot of other guys. I played a lot of basketball, tried out for the team but didn’t make it. Got really involved with my parish youth group. I had great friends in high school – girls and boys. I fell in love probably five times with some wonderful girls. I really enjoyed my science and math classes. I thought about how neat it would be to work with a really hot Internet company and make lots of money. All that time, the sense of being called by God stayed strong in me, and with lots of praying and through the retreats that I went on with my parish youth group, I really started to feel that I had I say “Yes!” to Him and trust that He would guide me on the path ahead, because I had no idea where answering His call was going to lead me. I think deep down inside I knew saying “Yes!” would lead me to the greatest possible happiness in my life. It would lead me to what I was supposed to do with my life. So, just as I was starting my senior high school year (I had applied to a couple of colleges and had been admitted), I asked Father Bill after Mass one Sunday if I could sit down with him for a really important talk. He asked me what I wanted to talk about, and when I said that maybe I was thinking about being a priest he beamed out a really big smile! That smile from Father Bill meant a lot to me. Our talk later that week was a big help to me in making the decision to be a priest. He told me about taking the first steps in the process of becoming a priest: getting in touch with the Vocations Office at the Diocese and starting what he called “discernment.” He said “discernment” would tell me a lot about myself and about the call I was feeling. His advice to me was, “Check it out. You will find out pretty soon if the life of a priest is the life God is calling you to.” He was right. There’s a lot more I could tell you about becoming a priest – like what it was like to tell my parents and my friends that I wanted to be a priest, how tough some of the seminary classes were and…well, instead of hearing it from me, why don’t hear all about the journey to the priesthood with a group of guys who get together with Father Mike and Father Vili of the Diocese of Tucson Vocations Office to just talk about the life of a priest, what it takes to be a priest and – really important – about the call they feel in their lives and how they are trying to answer that call. (You can click here to find out more about this group of guys.) Just one more thing. Am I happy I did what I did – become a priest? I am doing what I knew back in high school what I wanted to do. I am helping people. I am closer to Jesus. I am talking with the young persons in our parish youth group about how incredible Jesus is and teaching them about Him. Yeah, I am happy I did what I did! My final thought to share with you: PRAY! Ask Jesus to guide you. Here are some prayers that might help. You might want to check out Father Miguel’s story. He’s a priest here in the Diocese of Tucson, too. You can get in touch with Father Mike and Father Vili by e-mail vocations@diocesetucson.org or by giving them a call at 520-838-2531.
	Diocese of Tucson — vocations@diocesetucson.org, 520-838-2531.