Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Matthew Schreiner podcast. A while back on this YouTube channel, I made a video saying that I would be changing the focus of this channel. I said that the focus of this channel would kind of be changing to talking about my vocational journey, as well as sharing my advise and thoughts. But I have decided, yet again, to change where I am going with this channel. In all fairness, this channel, and it's content has not been so much about it. But I have decided that, regardless, no future video will be discussing vocational things.
First of all, just from where I am, I don't think it is necessarily wise of me to give public advise. We don't want to have a "blind leading the blind" thing. Also, simply put, I don't know how much advise I can actually put into videos.
So, from now on, videos are going to be more about apologetics, and defending the faith, and discussing different things like that. Which, regardless, has been the direction videos on this channel have been going.
Just to step back into vocational mindset, this Saturday, I went to the transitional diaconate ordination for my diocese. Three men were ordained to the transitional diaconate. I know very well, two of these men. I have gotten to know many seminarians from the diocese, from retreats and dinners with the Vocations Department of the Diocese.
I want to talk about the importance of discernment, however, because this is just something important. I was talking about how, originally I was going to share my story of discernment. Which I will no longer be doing. But discernment is important, in finding your vocation. It begins first of all with having a relationship with God, and then also involves prayer. Prayer is very important.
If you are thinking about your vocation, and not just to the priesthood or religious life, I would recommend talking to a spiritual director, whether you are male or female. A spiritual director usually is a priest, but I am sure a deacon or brother or nun, and someone else who is a competent spiritual advisor, could be a spiritual director. But I would recommend talking to a priest, regardless of who you are. A spiritual director is important for someone discerning where they are going in life, whether it is religious life or not.
Above all, know that the road to discernment and finding where God is calling you, is a long process. The answer will not come in a day. Even then, there are many priests who went to college and had careers before they became priests. And there are many married men who went to seminary. Joe Heschmeyer, whose an apologist at Catholic Answers and host of Shameless Popery, who after serving as a lawyer, joined seminary, and earned two degrees, before leaving, and later getting married and has children. Not long ago, I heard of someone who went to seminary, and ended up leaving after he met a girl, and even then, many men do discern out of seminary, for many reasons.
But again, simply put, I don't think I am the best resource for vocational advise, at least as a primary source. I still may talk, and I do believe I know a decent amount to partially advise people, but I think there is much more I can speak about on this channel. At least, vocation will not be the focus of this channel.
But above all, prayer is important, keep on praying, and talk with others. Talk with priests, deacons, brothers, sisters, friends, people at your parish, etcetera. And get involved, especially for my young men, get to know seminarians. I believe more importantly being emersed into vocations is very important, seeing and experiencing them. Things like altar serving, are a way we get to know the priesthood. While things like dating are how we discern the vocation of marriage. But also speaking and listening to seminarians and priests, and also married men, are how we can learn about vocations.
Above all, I just want to reiterate that a wise and prudent spiritual director is important. One who can give good advise, and lead you on the right path, above all, that is, God's path.
I saw this afternoon, before I actually finished scripting this episode, a list of things for building a (quote) "based Catholic Life", that included, praying the rosary, reading teh lives of the saints, stop dating just to date, find a solid spiritual director, unplug and go to adoration, learn Latin mass or appreciate reverence, be unfortab for the gospel (that was the original spelling, which seems to be a mistake), and embrace suffering like a man. And all of these things are very good advise for being a Catholic. If you think of holy people you know, then they probably fill a few of these, and they are great advise, but core and central to this, should be a relationship with God, that's most important.
So, I want to let you know, I will not give up the channel. I want to continue to discuss the faith I love very much. I want to also continue to defend it, and share my love, in hopes that, that love will spread to others, and could lead to conversion, and change in hearts of others. I want to lead others into love of God and his Church, sharing my own love and care.
Apologetics and defense and sharing of the faith, will be the focus of this channel. And the blog will also continue to be up. And it will stick to the same thing, merely sharing the faith of the church, and all that. Every once in a while, there will be talk about vocational related things, as well as, especially on the blog, things that do not necessarily relate to faith. I kind of wanted to do a Free For all Friday like thing, that Trent Horn does. But, there will be a new blog post everyday. I would like to give apologies that there was no post this Saturday, but I started writing a post and just never finished it. And then, of course, on Sunday I will continue reflect on the readings, that is I will give a lay reflection, to share my thoughts, to add onto the homily you will receive at your parish. And of course, for as long as I can continue, or choose to change, there will be new podcast episodes on Monday and Thursday. I am thinking of changing it, but I also want to work on my Atari Guy Channel, that I just have kind of neglected. Which, I do hope to continue working. I also started a Liturgical Based Blog, that will look at the liturgy, and other things, related to that.
But that is it for today, and more podcast episodes are on the way!
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