Religious Vocation

An Unnecessary Mystery

Rev. Fr. Richard Butler, O.P.

• Publisher: TAN Books
• Year: 2005
• eBook ISBN:
  9781505102680
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Denominations

The question of discerning a vocation is agonized over by many generous young Catholics today. A solid Thomist, who wrote this book in 1961, Father Butler shows that this type of question shows a totally wrong approach to a religious vocation - an approach that began with misguided theology in the 20th century, which then trickled down to the popular level, confusing both aspirants and spiritual directors. Though Fr. Butler deals primarily with vocations to the religious life, he also gives the classic guidelines on priestly vocations. The author states, based on the tradition of the Church, that religious vocation is not uncommon, rare or extraordinary and that it does not require an introspective search for some special voice or attraction. This book provides welcome, intelligent guidance both for spiritual directors and for those considering the religious life or that of the priesthood!

NOTES

References to the works of St. Thomas Aquinas and commentators.

1. Summa- Theologica, IIa-IIae, q. 186, q. 189

2. Ibid., IIa-IIae, q. 189, a. 10

3. Ibid., Ia-IIae, q. 108, a. 4

4. Ibid., IIa-IIae, q. 88

5. In Evangelium S. Matthaei Commentaria, 19:12, 21

6.Quaestiones Quodlibetales, IV, q. 12, a. 1

7. Summa Theologica, Ia, q. 19, a. 11

8. Ibid., Ia, q. 19, a. 12; Also De Veritate, q. 123, a. 3

9. Summa Theologica, Ia-IIae, q. 92, a. 2, ad 2um; Ia-IIae, q. 108, a. 4

10. Ibid., Ia-IIae, q. 108, a. 4; Summa Contra Gentiles, lib. III, cap. 130

11. Summa Theologica, IIa-IIae, q. 184, a. 3; q. 189, a. 1, ad 3um; Contra Gentiles, lib. III, cap. 130; Quodlibetales, III, q. 12, a. 2; De Perfectione Vitae Spiritualis, cap. 1-6; Contra Retrahentes, cap. 6-7; Comm. in Matt., 19:21; In Epist. ad Hebr., 6:1

12. Quodlibetales, IV, q. 12, a. 2

13. De Perfect. Vitae Spirit., cap. 6

14. Quodlibetales, IV, q. 12, a. 2

15. Summa Theologica, IIa-IIae, q. 186, a. 2

16. Ibid., IIa-IIae, q. 186, a. 1, ad 4um; Ia, q. 9, a. 12, ad 4um

17. Contra Retrahent., cap. 6

18. Ibid., cap. 7

19. Quodlibetales, IV, q. 12, a. 1, ad 11um

20. Summa Theologica, IIa-IIae, q. 189, a. 9

21. Ibid., IIa-IIae, q. 189, a. 10; in Contra Retrahent., cap. 9 he speaks of those impeded "such as married people or slaves."

22. Contra Retrahent., cap. 3-5

23. Summa Theologica, IIa-IIae, q. 186, a. 1, ad 4um

24. Ibid., IIa-IIae, q. 189, a. 2-3

25. Contra Retrahent., cap. 9-10

26. Ibid., cap. 9

27. Loc. cit.

28. Ibid.

29. In Matt., cap. 19

30. In Matt., 19:11

31. In Matt., 19:11

32. In Matt., 19:11

33. Contra Retrahent., cap. 9

34. In Epist. ad Rom., 8:30

35. In Matt., 4:19

36. Ibid.

37. Contra Retrahent., cap. 10

38. Loc. cit.

39. Ibid.

40. Contra Retrahent., cap. 10

41. Contra Gent., I, 3

42. Summa Theologica, Ia-IIae, q. 108, a. 4, ad 1um

43. Ibid., Ia-IIae, q. 106, a. 1, ad 1um

44. Contra Retrahent., cap. 9

45. Ortega, op. cit., p. 6

46. Summa Theologica, Ia, q. 103, a. 7

47. Ibid., Ia, q. 23, a. 5

48. Quodlibetales, Iv, q. 12, a. 1, ad 8um

49. Summa Theologica, Ia, q. 19, a. 12, ad 3um

50. Ibid., Ia-IIae, q. 90, prolog.

51. Contra Retrahent., cap. 10

52. In Matt., 4:19

53. Summa Theologica, Ia-IIae, q. 112, a. 5

54. Ortega, op. cit., p. 23

55. Summa Theologica, IIa-IIae, q. 81, a. 12

56. Ibid., Ia, q. 22, a. 1

57. Ibid., IIa-IIae, q. 86, a. 1. Also IIa-IIae, q. 186, a. 1, ad 2um; Contra Gent., III, cap. 130

58. Summa Theologica, IIa-IIae, q. 88, a. 5

59. Ibid., IIa-IIae, q. 81, a. 3-6

60. Loc. cit., a. 6

61. Ibid., IIa-IIae, q. 82, a. 1

62. Ibid., IIa-IIae, q. 82, a. 1, ad 1um, a. 4, ad 1um, ad 2um

63. Ibid., IIa-IIae, q. 82, a. 1, ad 1um

64. Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P., "De Speciali Inspiratione Spiritus Sancti Secundum Charitatis Augmentum," Xenia Thomistica, II, Romae, 1925, p. 223

65. Summa Theologica, IIa-IIae, q. 121, a. 1; Ia-IIae, q. 68, a. 4, ad 2um

66. Ibid., IIa-IIae, q. 19

67. Ibid., IIa-IIae, q. 139, a. 1

68. Walter Farrell, O.P., "Tranquil Violence," Cross and Crown, vol. 1, no. 3, p. 281

69. Summa Theologica, IIIa, q. 27, a. 4

70. Ibid., IIa-IIae, q. 189, a. 9

71. Ibid., IIa-IIae, q. 189, a. 10

72. Contra Retrahent., cap. 9

73. Summa Theologica, Suppl., q. 41, a. 2, ad 4um. Also Contra Gent., cap....

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication Page
• CONTENTS
• Foreword
• The Unnecessary Mystery
• How It Happened
• Approach to Understanding
• The Divine Invitation
• Who Are Invited?
• Who Can Accept?
• Some Confirmations
• And Some Reservations
• The "Lost Vocation"
• Conclusions and Applications
• Notes