What's it like?

That's one of the first questions, and the hardest to answer, whenever someone is thinking about undertaking a new experience. For those life-changing experiences, that question is often followed quickly by "how does it work"; these two questions then usually repeat in varying order over and again due to the intensity of the questioning. If you know anyone who is contemplating a vocation to the priesthood, Fr. Jay Toborowsky at Young Fogeys (I guess, by definition, I'd probably be one of them) has some beautiful reflections on the nine-year-anniversary of his ordination and his first Mass.

I think his analogy of the process to Holy Orders to courting, engagement and marriage is a very good one (at least from the "never been close to Holy Orders" perspective) because it approaches the subject from an angle most people are at least fairly familiar with. One other reason to point those contemplating The Jump here: his obvious love of his vocation. It provides a good opportunity to point out the fact that recent surveys have shown the priesthood to have the highest job satisfaction. Certainly, those surveys is no reason to jump for the collar, but they do give the lie to the meme that priests are always disgruntled. Anyway, enough of my rambling. Go. Read.