Serra Club Vocations Essay

Student uses prayer to find pathway to understand God’s vocation

By Patrick Egan (Special to The Criterion)

God, the creator of the universe, wants you! He has a plan for your life. I think about it like this: You are a tool God wants to use to do a specific job. No one else can do the job God has for you. This is your vocation.

My priests, Father Jonathan Meyer and Father John Hollowell, have encouraged the boys at our parish to discern the vocation to priesthood through their “Altar Boyz” program.

We have monthly meetings to talk about interesting topics, like different forms of prayer. The first week Father Hollowell gave an amazing talk on contemplation. This is when you simply sit and feel God’s presence. I didn’t think I would have time or the ability to do that.

But later, as I was going to adoration with my family, I saw Father Hollowell in church. He was sitting in the way he taught us to when doing contemplative prayer. He looked so at peace with God and himself. It gave me hope that if I could do that, I could have an hour of blissful joy with our Lord every week in adoration. His example has led me to try to seek God in this way.

I first began to think about my vocation when I was in a middle school religion class. The teacher announced that we would start reading the book 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory. She told us to write down our hopes and dreams for what we could achieve after reading this book. Then she said very seriously to me, “I believe that one day you will be a priest.”

I was blown away by her words. She believed that I, the class goof who couldn’t pay attention and messed around, could be a priest. Because she said this to me, I have hope that, if I try every day, I can be the man God is calling me to be.

To prepare for this, I love talking to God about his plan for me. All you have to do is ask and he will tell you. I do this through prayer. I also like praying the rosary. This simple chain of beads is one of the most amazing and beautiful tools I use to talk to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Not only does God love us, but so does Mary. She wants us to do God’s will and she can help us.

I also enjoy contemplative prayer. You hold out your hands in your lap and God puts his hands in yours. You just sit, knowing that he’s there. His love for you encases you both in a circle of joy and happiness. This is a difficult form of prayer and very intimidating, but it’s just like playing a piano. You work hard on it and eventually there will be beautiful music.

Remember, God has a plan for all of us. If you follow your vocation and do his will, you will be the saint God is calling you to be!
 

(Patrick Egan and his parents, Justin and Katharine Egan, are members of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross Parish in Bright. He recently completed ninth grade as a homeschooled high school student and is the 9th-grade division winner in the Indianapolis Serra Club’s 2025 John D. Kelley Vocations Essay Contest.) †