Dear Mary,

Here are a few things I hope will help you.

Scripture tells us that we could not even invoke the name of Jesus without the Holy Spirit, so when thoughts of a vocation come into our mind, whether we actually have one or not, it is the work of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes he sends the thoughts simply so that we will ask ourselves the important questions in life and begin to seek his will more clearly, other times so that we will ask those questions and find out that he is actually inviting us to follow him in a vocation. So, it is all his work.

The fact of not having gone to a Catholic grade school, or even if you were not going to a Catholic high school, is not an indicator in favor of or against a vocation. It ought to help you if you have one, but it is not absolutely necessary.

What is necessary is to develop in your closeness and friendship with Christ, and the way you do this is by praying regularly, receiving the Sacraments regularly (Communion and Reconciliation), learning about your faith and doing something for others.

We will never be good enough on our own to serve Christ. The best we can do is try our hardest, and especially try not to get in his way.

So, pray with confidence, go to Mass as often as you can, ask him to help and guide you, read about your faith and the lives of the saints, and tell him you trust him and want to love him above all things.

Everything else will come from here. 

God bless.