Sharing our Vocation with family

How do we tell our parents or family members that we are discerning a vocation? We might not be certain ourselves of what path we might be going.  We might be afraid to start something because we don't want to let someone down. We might want to leave some possibilities open. We are not sure others would understand our reasoning of why we want to enter religious life. We might not be sure how others will react. 

They love us, we need their support but might not know in what ways. Letting others know at the right time might give us some prayerful people who are willing to pray for us as we go through the discernment process.

I think the following excerpt from a letter is one that many young men in this situation might be able to relate to. Even though it is 73 years old it is still pertinent today.

Glenmary Father Leo Schloemer wrote the following letter to his mom on 12 March, 1946. He was only 21 years old at the time and was serving on board the U.S.S. Renshaw. 

Dear mom,  

I received quite a batch of mail today and in it was two letters from you, postmarked the 8th and 9th…

I noticed in your last letter that you are still a bit worried about my enrolling at N.C., so I am going to tell you something now that perhaps I should have disclosed a long time ago. When I get out of the Navy I want to enter the seminary and study for the priesthood. Whether I am religious enough or studious enough remains to be seen, but I at least want to try, and if I don’t make good, nothing will have been lost. Along these lines I have contacted Fr. Bishop of the Home Missioners of America; and I received a letter from him today stating that he has made arrangements for me to enter the special Latin class at St. Gregory’s, so that I could start to school in September. All this will probably come to you as a great surprise, but the only reason I said nothing of it before was because I was not too sure myself as to what my course would be. Now you know, and I hope it is no great disappointment to you to find out that I am not going to be there at home with you all as much as we had all hoped. One other thing I ask and that is, outside of the family, you don’t pass the word around until I get out and am home. It really doesn’t make much difference, but a lot of things could happen in a couple of months.

Well, now I suppose I had better get around to answering your letters… 
…Give my love to Paul, Dad and Aunt Catherine, and I will try and write again soon. 

Your loving son, 
Lee

Thanks be to God, nothing did happen in those couple of months. Leo was religious enough and studious enough and did make good in 63 years as a Glenmary priest.  I share this for those who are discerning to see that others who have gone before them share in some of the same doubts. It would have been Glenmary's loss had Fr. Leo not tried.