“I knew I would be happy. I knew I could find joy in giving of myself in love within the ministry. And that wouldn't be enough…that would be more than enough.” Our hosts welcome Fr. Robert Slaton to share his vocation story on this episode of Men of the Hearts. Fr. Robert stopped practicing his Catholic faith as a young man, but through God’s providential care, he gradually found his way back and became a priest.
(0:03) Fr. Craig introduces this episode’s guest, Fr. Robert Slaton. Fr. Craig, Fr. Robert, and Fr. Drew share recent blessings in their lives. Fr. Robert says, “My ministry, in the last few months, has become more and more challenging. But I think one of the things I would say is just watching consistently how God always seems to provide what you need when you need it, as long as you keep consistently coming back to him with your brokenness.” Fr. Drew shares about his experiences offering Mass for the homebound and those in nursing homes, and Fr. Craig and Fr. Robert discuss how they have experienced fraternity with their brother priests.
(15:06) Fr. Robert notes that his vocational call “happened well over a 10-year period.” Raised by a Southern Baptist father and a Catholic mother, Fr. Robert went to Catholic Mass but simultaneously attended a nondenominational Christian school. The idea of the priesthood occurred to him around the age of 10 while he served as an altar boy. However, he stopped altar serving in high school and eventually ceased attending Mass.
(34:19) While working as a night-shift recording engineer, Fr. Robert had a dream about dying, which led to an “existential crisis.” He began asking questions about God and morality. Through a providential encounter, Fr. Robert had opportunities to speak to a Catholic man, who pointed him to books by Fr. John Hardon, S.J. Fr. Robert returned to the practice of the faith, which he describes as a “growth process.” He quit his recording job and began working as a short-order cook.
(50:52) Fr. Robert “kept studying the faith” and attended a retreat where “the idea just kind of popped in my head, could I be a priest?” He dismissed the idea due to a desire for marriage, family, and business. However, he “started getting fascinated with priests.” Fr. Robert began teaching CCD at a parish and was invited to take classes at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. While there, he discovered that seminarians “were real people.”
(56:04) At the invitation of a seminarian, Fr. Robert attended a discernment weekend. Shortly after, he realized, “If I didn't at least give God a year to think about it and really put myself in the environment, I could very easily see that I was gonna be an old man wondering…if I never did what God wanted me to do.” He applied and was accepted to the seminary. While there, he wondered if he could be happy without a family and prayed to God, “You need to show me that this is going to be joyful.” When a deacon asked him, “Are you able to say that you want to be a celibate?” Fr. Robert said, “Yes.” He then realized, “I knew I would be happy. I knew I could find joy in giving of myself in love within the ministry. And that wouldn't be enough…that would be more than enough.”
(1:04:49) Fr. Craig mentions that it is common for discerning men to wonder, “Am I gonna be happy?” but says that if they are called to the priesthood, they will “have some desire” for it. Fr. Robert affirms, “If there's a calling, it's not gonna be repugnant.” Fr. Robert gives the advice: “I think the most authentic prayer you can say when searching for your vocation is, ‘Lord, I know you want me to love. How?’” He adds, “God is not going ask you to do something that will make you perpetually miserable…there will be a deep-seated joy in doing what God is calling you to.” Fr. Robert closes the episode in prayer.