Vocation stories can be dramatic, said Father David Blume, such as a man praying at a beautiful church in Rome when he hears the Lord say, “Be my priest.” He goes to a second church, prays there and again hears, “Be my priest.” Still ignoring the call, the man prays at a third church and again hears, “Be my priest.”
Father Blume, director of the Office of Vocations for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, said has heard that kind of story, but such an experience is more out of the norm. Discernment often is not that clear, he said.
Father David Blume
“Usually we’re praying, ‘Lord, make it clear and help me to know,’” he said. “And I think one of the most important things is, we would sense peace when we think about a vocation, and that may not happen for some time, but the Lord, if God is in it, there’s going to be peace,” he said.
The Lord is not about confusion, difficulty and challenges in discernment, Father Blume said. Rather, “he desires to bring us to a place of peace.”
Father Blume recently joined “Practicing Catholic” radio show host Patrick Conley to discuss vocations in recognition of World Day of Prayer for Vocations May 8, an opportunity to pray for and create a culture of vocations.
Father Blume said he is very impressed with the seminarians in the archdiocese. “It’s wonderful to be around these men who simply want to do God’s will, and they’re willing to lay down their whole life,” he said.
For more information on religious orders, seminarians and a list of events, visit 10000vocations.org. Father Blume noted that the archbishop’s discernment retreat takes place on the last weekend in October, and a women’s discernment retreat is held the third weekend in September.
To hear Father Blume’s personal discernment story and listen to the entire interview, tune in to this episode of “Practicing Catholic,” which debuts at 9 p.m. May 6 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM and repeats at 1 p.m. May 7 and 2 p.m. May 8.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes interviews with Bishop Joseph Williams, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, who discusses his relationship with his earthly mother and the Blessed Mother; and Alan and Joanne Foley, founders of Early Catholic Family Life, who discuss grandparent ministry and how the faithful can honor grandmothers on Mother’s Day.
Listen to their interviews after they have aired:
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