Pathway to Priesthood: Why Religious Life?

Welcome to “Pathway to Priesthood”—a limited audio series from the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States in which host Eric Clayton talks with Jesuits who are in the final days of preparing for priestly ordination. Hear Jesuits reflect back on their vocation stories and experience of formation, all while wrestling with some of the biggest questions surrounding priestly ordination. On this episode, we’re asking a basic question: Why even consider religious life? And what actually is it? To reflect on these questions and more, we have two Jesuits: Michael Mohr and Brook Stacey. Michael was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He has a background in teaching, and has spent the last couple of years of his formation studying at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Brook grew up in Toronto, Ontario. Though his undergraduate studies were in geology, he has more recently completed a master’s degree in psychospiritual studies. Both men have had the opportunity to live in a variety of places throughout the formation, and they both come at this question of religious life from very different perspectives. But at the end of the day, they both have found great consolation as members of the Society of Jesus. As you listen to their stories and reflections, consider whether you or someone you know might be interested in discerning a call to Jesuit life. If so, head over to beajesuit.org.