Before suggesting anything let me congratulate you - and promise that even though I don't know you personally, I will remember 'Phil' in my rosary.

It is great that you are open to the priesthood. Don't forget to offer yourself to Christ every time you meet him in Confession and Communion. There is a lot for his priests to do in the world today.

Let me start with a question, do you want to move on your vocation right away, and would your parents approve of this? If so, there are high schools for young men of your age who are thinking of the priesthood. If your parents approve, you should get in touch with one of those schools, visit it, have your parents see it, and see if that is the way Christ wants you to go.

If you think he wants you to cultivate your vocation at home for now, there are several resolutions you need to make right away.

One, resolve to grow in your spiritual life (state of grace, sacraments, rosary, make time for God each day). Find a spiritual director who can help you get working on this and the following points.

Two, resolve to do something for others (help out occasionally at a soup-kitchen, hospital, orphanage... teach CCD to younger kids, get some of your friends that might be drifting away back to the Church... for example).

Three, resolve to continue to learn more about your faith (books, tapes, etc.). This is very important. Even from now it is important to help your faith grow and deepen in every respect, not only your practice of it but your grasp of it, your ability to explain it, spread it and defend it.

Four, resolve to start getting to know priests and visiting seminaries until you find where God wants you to go.

Five, resolve to stay healthy, play sports, do physical work. Your health is a talent you have received from God that you have to take care of so as to use it well in his service. Besides, wimps are unqualified for the priesthood!

Six, resolve to take your present duties to heart - this is one of the best ways to prepare yourself. Jesus tells us that we will not be able to be faithful in the major things if we are not faithful in the smaller ones.

I hope you find these points helpful. Again, I will pray for you, and I hope God gives you the wonderful gift of a vocation.

God bless,