Because God needs men who will be willing to serve him and to serve his Church. He needs men to provide the sacraments, to assist those who are sick and bring them healing, to teach the faith as handed on to us by the Apostles, to comfort the sorrowful and to prepare those who are dying for their death. In other words, God only has our hands and our mouths to undertake his ministry. So it is your duty to consider if he is calling you to this special service.

Obviously only you can answer that question. The stipendiary ministry will mean that you will have to attend college full time for two to three years and of course you will have to support yourself, and your family (if you are married), during that time. Have you discussed this with your wife? Both stipendiary and non-stipendiary ministries have particular problems as well as advantages. Discuss this issue with your spiritual director and/or your parish priest so that they can help you to look at which ministry you feel called to.

It most certainly is. However not all priests enjoy the security of Freehold. Many positions are now Priest-in-Charge but we should retain some sense that our work is for the Church and look for responsible employers.

Test it! If you feel you have a vocation then you ought to start the process off and after consultation with your parish priest go and see your Diocesan Director of Ordinands. The process which will follow is shown over. However it is important that you should ask yourself at this early stage, "Can I live with the answer being "No you don't have a vocation for the or- dained ministry."" Not everyone who comes forward is found suitable for a variety of reasons. The system you enter into is a time of 'discernment' both for you and the church. This is difficult but should be faced at the outset.

No one will be disadvantaged because they come from one particular background or hold one particular view so long as it is consistent with the official formulae of the Church of England. In other words you are seeking ordination into the Church as she is, not as you might like her to be! However if you have strong opinions you must be able to provide a sound argument to back up your arguments. You will not be disadvantaged because you don't accept the ordination of women to the priesthood, but you must be able to argue why they should be excluded.

Three very good and very readable books are Michael Green, Freed to Serve, a book about training and equipping for ministry. Then there is a standard, but still widely read book by Michael Ramsey, The Christian Priest Today. Thirdly a book first published in 1993 The Fire and the Clay--The Priest in Today's Church, published by SPCK . These will certainly help. You will be asked what you have been reading, so start now if you are not already busy with a book or two.

The Catholic societies organise regular conferences for people at the early stages of enquiring about vocations, as does the Additional Curates Society. Contact the person named over the page for details of were and when these conferences will be held next.

You should be prayerfully asking God to help you with your discernment, and asking him to support and guide those whose duty it is to assist you on this exciting journey of discovery. You should also ask your parish to pray with you and for you that God's will may be done in your life