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By Francesca Rodriguez-Abante
Have you ever been so unsure of a decision that you needed to picture yourself on your deathbed to find clarity? As an undergraduate student who was discerning whether he should go to the seminary or not, Marc-André Veselovsky remembers turning to a pamphlet he had on Ignatian Discernment that led him which led him to apply the “second method of making a sound and good election” (Spiritual Exercices 186). An exercise to help discern life choices by imagining what decision one would wish to have made at the hour of death. “I lay down on my bed to do the prayer,” he recalls. “This is what was most helpful for me in my discernment.”
Fr. Veselovsky shared that he was not completely sure he was called to be a priest at the time. However, during his meditation, he realized that not giving it proper consideration could lead to regret, as he would never know what the outcome might have been.
In the Jesuit tradition, vocation is seen as a personal invitation to love and serve God more fully by discovering one’s unique mission in life. This involves discerning where our deepest desires and gifts meet the world’s needs, considering God’s plan, which leads to a life-giving experience. Fr. Gabriel Côté, SJ, notes that, even within one’s primary vocation, there is often a specific call. For example, a married person may also be called to serve the poor or accompany others on their journey.
In the Jesuit tradition, vocation is seen as a personal invitation to love and serve God more fully by discovering one’s unique mission in life.
It is therefore not surprising that discerning one’s vocation can be a daunting process, as it requires time and careful reflection. It requires paying attention to experiences that touch us deeply. It is often in these moments of reflection that we begin to hear God’s call more clearly.
Turning Wounds into Wisdom
For Robert Michael Monzon and Mary Rose Mitchell, their journey toward discernment took different but deeply personal forms, as they found strength and clarity through their trials. Their experiences invited them to better understand themselves and encounter God.
As a new father, Monzon initially questioned his ability to fulfill his role as a parent and was plagued by feelings of inadequacy. “I remember praying daily and asking God, ‘Who are you calling me to be?” he admits. Over time, encouraging mentors and a spiritual director helped him affirm his vocation.” As a father, I realized that I was growing by serving both God and my daughter.”
Mitchell, following the end of her 20-year marriage, felt lost and overwhelmed with grief. She turned to a Jesuit priest at the Manresa Spiritual Renewal Centre, who became her spiritual director. “He gave me hope and reminded me that I was not alone,” she recalls. By serving others, she was able to find healing. As per her registration experience, she now helps retreatants discern their next step based on the spiritual needs they share with her. “I am grateful to Manresa for helping transform my emptiness by allowing me to serve others.”
Their journeys remind us that vocation is more about becoming, all while being supported along the way.
A Trusted Guide. A Sacred Silence.
Being accompanied is therefore one of the essential elements of vocational discernment, especially since the process can be ambiguous. “Having a spiritual director changes your life,” explains Jessika Cantin. “As a young adult, I would not have been able to challenge myself or identify what attracted me to the different vocations I felt called to.” Fr. Veselovsky echoes this sentiment, explaining that spiritual direction helps to shed light on complex emotions and spiritual experiences, providing a safe space to explore one’s vocation.
Spiritual direction helps to shed light on complex emotions and spiritual experiences, providing a safe space to explore one’s vocation.
As a spiritual director, Fr. Côté explains: “I help people identify the human and spiritual experiences that have given them life and shaped them. I invite them to reflect on these formative experiences, and then I accompany them on the rest of their journey from there. It can be difficult to answer questions about one’s vocation alone. Having a spiritual companion helps you welcome and accept what emerges during your discernment.
Even with a spiritual director, discernment can be particularly difficult Today. Cantin notes that in our ever-changing world, people need to step away from noise and technology to make room for God. Retreats offer this opportunity by creating a setting where people can disconnect from distractions and reconnect with their spiritual journey.
The growing need for silence is evident at the Villa Saint-Martin retreat centre, where registrations have increased significantly over the past four to six months, explains Mr. Cantin, who oversees registrations. This trend continues as more people discover what the centre offers. “In silence, we can hear so many things and encounter God in a way that is not possible in the noise of daily life,” explains Mitchell, who works at Manresa. “Peace, prayer, and self-reflection are gifts we can give ourselves.”
From Movement to Mission
Knowing all this, how can we discern our vocation?
A colleague of Fr. Côté’s once shared with him a simple method for remembering the essential elements of discernment: “We must remember the twins Alex (outside us) and Alain (inside us). Together, they give us the material we need to discern.” External experiences like volunteering or making conversations with people who are already living their vocation provide us with valuable insights into what attracts our hearts. Moments of consolation, experienced as a sense of inner peace, joy or clarity, can be signs of God’s presence and guidance throughout the discernment process. “Ultimately, living your vocation is a matter of the heart,” says Fr. Côté. “It must touch what is deepest inside us, our deepest heart, which goes far beyond a passing emotion. We cannot make a lifetime commitment without being sustained by genuine love.”
“Ultimately, living your vocation is a matter of the heart.” – Fr. Gabriel Côté, SJ.
Fr. Veselovsky ultimately chose to live out his vocation to the priesthood within the Jesuit community and was recently ordained on June 7. When asked about this unique approach to discerning vocation, he explains that “Ignatian spirituality teaches us that what truly satisfies the heart is to love, praise, serve and honour God. Our lives are meant to be lives of gratitude. Even in times of darkness, if we choose to be grateful, we are on the right path.”
