Dear  Wayne, 

Being an only son among sisters in my family, I can understand at least partially the problem. Even if you have cousins with the same last name its not the same, for your dad is seeing his lineage dying out. Following the vocation takes faith, and accepting all the consequences of the vocation takes faith. Not just an abstract faith, but the faith that is the backbone of our willingness to sacrifice what without faith we would be unwilling to; such as family, children, lineage.

Looking at how you describe why you think you may have a vocation, I think there is room there for much growth, and that growth will probably make your vocation more understandable to your dad. Right now the vocation is still very much centered on yourself: You feel at home in the church, you feel comforted in the presence of Jesus in adoration, and so you think you may be called to be a priest. That is all very good, but it is still just scratching the surface of what a vocation to the priesthood is.

Through spiritual consolation our Lord can give us a hint of who he is, and draw us closer to him, but the closer we come to him the more the reality of what his priesthood really consists in has to hit us. He gave up everything, he gave himself, he died a horrible death to free us from our sins, he told us that following him was to choose the narrow and difficult path, and then he chose men, his priests, who would continue his work and give their lives in the service of their brothers and sisters, and he told them they would face persecution and misunderstandings. Read the Acts of the Apostles. He does not call us to be priests for our own delight and comfort, but in order to give our lives to feed his sheep. However, he tells us that in all our work and trials he will be with us, and what greater comfort could there be? I think that in your times of adoration you should explore with Jesus what he asks of his followers, what he hopes for from his priests.

How will that growth make your vocation more understandable to your dad? Well, one thing a man, and especially a good father, learns with life is that love is giving yourself. Its not about comfort and satisfaction and always feeling good. Its about stepping up to the plate, delivering for those who trust in you and depend upon you, no matter how you feel. When there is more of that in your thought about the vocation, he might find it easier to process.

Be sure of my prayers, and God bless.