The Role of the Family in the Formation of Candidates for Priesthood in the Church's Teaching

Abstract

The changes occurring in our society on the religious plane result, among others, in a decline of priestly vocations. Hence the need of cooperation between the family, priests and the people who are responsible for the vocations is of prime importance, so that a young man to whom Christ turns with the call “Follow me” can be aided in his response to this call. Through a Christian atmosphere of its life, through an everyday testimony of faith and religious life the family helps one be formed, develop and become mature in his priestly vocation. The significance of the parents' agreement to the son's decision about entering the seminary as well as the attitude of support that the parents and other members of the family should assume and show the called one on the spiritual, moral or emotional plane, so that Christ's invitation would not prove in vain, is also stressed in the article.