It is normal and healthy for you to have these desires. God made us man and woman and by nature we are made for the sacrament of marriage, which is a gift from God. However, these feelings do not prevent any man from being called to the priesthood. Being called to the priesthood is challenging in many ways, one of which is setting aside the natural gift of marriage and accepting the supernatural gift of vocation for the priesthood. A priest’s duty is to join his brother priests in the church and lift up the married people and their children to heaven.
God needs men like you that will say, “I will do it. I will forsake the great gift of marriage, I will sacrifice a potential future wife and children to obey a special calling to work for the salvation of others.” Being a priest is a sacrifice, done in the very image of Christ, because that is the life that Christ led. Are you ready for such a challenge?
Priests are men. Whether you are called to married life or priesthood, chastity gives strength and energy to manliness and unifies the mind, body and heart. In contrast, an unchaste man will soon find his mind, body and heart at odds, leaving him feeling ashamed, weak, pulled apart. Perhaps more clearly than any other sin, sins against chastity tear apart the soul. Living chastely strengthens you. A priest needs strength and courage to be a provider, to be generous, to promote life. A man brings all that to the priesthood and the Lord’s grace takes all of those natural instincts, drives and desires and makes him into a Godly, holy priest. A Godly priest then, is much more able to provide spiritual nourishment through the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist to his people. A holy priest will generously be available for the needs of his parish family, and will be present to defend the truth so that his flock “might have life and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10.
It is also normal and healthy to desire a family. But who says that priests don’t have families?!
Priests are “fathers” in a thousand different ways to not just a few, but to thousands of spiritual children. God places this inside of us.
Parents love, care for, protect and teach their children. Well, a priest can do the same things. After all, a priest serves as a spiritual father to the whole body of Christ, the Church. A good priest guides his spiritual children on the path to eternal life, guards them against the snares that might trip them up and like a good father is ready to lay down his life for his children.
It takes a humble yet remarkably courageous man to be a good priest. Sure, it is a life of sacrifice, because the one piece that will be missing is the great blessing that is a wife, but again, that is because it is a life modeled on the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.