{"id":9739,"date":"2020-12-03T11:42:28","date_gmt":"2020-12-03T17:42:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legionariosdecristo.org\/?p=9739"},"modified":"2025-08-12T19:51:40","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T19:51:40","slug":"discernment-vocational-of-p-enrique-tapia-lc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/subdir.legionariosdecristo.org\/en\/blog\/2020\/12\/discernment-vocational-of-p-enrique-tapia-lc\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cVocational discernment\u201d, by Fr. Enrique Tapia, LC, the best-selling book from Monte Carmelo Publishing"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\u201cVocational<\/a>Father Enrique Tapia is a Burgos-born Legionary priest of Christ who directs the Pontifical International College Mar\u00eda Mater Ecclesiae<\/a> in Rome. His previous ministry was as rector of the Legionaries of Christ novitiate in Spain. Father Enrique Tapia has just published a book titled \u201cVocational Discernment, Keys for Accompaniment According to Saint John of \u00c1vila\u201d, by Monte Carmelo Publishing, which compiles and disseminates part of his doctoral thesis on this very topic. Saint John of \u00c1vila (Almod\u00f3var del Campo, Ciudad Real 1499\/1500 – Montilla, C\u00f3rdoba 1569) is the patron of the Spanish clergy and was declared Doctor of the Church by Benedict XVI. The Office of Communication of the Spanish territory spoke with Father Enrique Tapia about the practical keys his book offers, about Saint John of \u00c1vila, the importance of vocational discernment, and the Legionaries of Christ congregation. We present the first part of this conversation, which will continue.<\/p>\n

\u201cVocational Discernment. Keys for Accompaniment According to Saint John of \u00c1vila\u201d has become the best-selling book during November from Monte Carmelo Publishing and has been reviewed in various specialized magazines, such as Vida Nueva<\/a>. It addresses one of the central themes of priestly formation, so, in the words of Monsignor Jorge Patr\u00f3n Wong, Secretary for Seminaries of the Holy Congregation for the Clergy<\/a>, \u201cthis book by Father Enrique Tapia, LC offers a valuable contribution to formators of seminarians and consecrated persons in order to carry out good vocational discernment and the processes of selection and formation of candidates.\u201d<\/p>\n

San Juan of \u00c1vila, Father Enrique Tapia recounts, \u201cis a little-known figure, but figures like Saint Teresa of \u00c1vila, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint John of God, and other saints sought his advice or recognized his authority in spiritual life.\u201d In fact, \u201cMen\u00e9ndez Pelayo considered him the most consulted man of his time, and we are talking about the Spanish Golden Age,\u201d explains Father Enrique Tapia. He was a moral and spiritual authority to such an extent that Pope Benedict XVI named him Doctor of the Church.<\/p>\n

And what does Saint John of \u00c1vila contribute to us? Is there new doctrine?<\/h4>\n

It\u2019s not that he offers new doctrine in our time (yes, in the 16th century), but what he does is provide approaches, keys to do this work of discerning a vocation well. On the other hand, many teachings from the Second Vatican Council on vocation and priestly formation, this man was already saying in the 16th century. In other words, he is a precursor. There are things that seem obvious, but in his time they were not. He had a special gift from God to see things clearly: he speaks on topics such as freedom, human maturity, prayer life\u2026 important themes for vocational discernment.<\/p>\n

Father Enrique Tapia, then, what does your teaching contribute to our time on the subject of vocational discernment?<\/h4>\n

We must consider his era, the first half of the 16th century, to understand the Church of his time and the greatness, richness, and prophetic nature of his teaching through preaching, letters, reflections, etc. He was not a teacher in the academic sense, but his teaching is distilled from his pastoral action. Today we understand clearly that to be a priest, one must go to a seminary, but in his time, it was not like that. The Council of Trent decreed that bishops must establish seminaries in their dioceses; the influence of Saint John of \u00c1vila on this decision of the Council is recognized by experts. This would be one of his main contributions: the need to select and properly form candidates for the priesthood, and to do so in a college or seminary (cf. Annex 1, with some texts from Saint John of \u00c1vila).<\/p>\n

And regarding the spiritual dimension of candidates for the priesthood or consecrated life? What does this saint say?<\/h4>\n

\"\u201cVocational<\/a>Saint John of \u00c1vila holds and defends a high concept of the priestly and consecrated vocation. What he affirms is that vocation comes from God, meaning it is not a human choice in its initiative; it is not a way to earn a living\u2026 This is something Pope John Paul II also said in 1992 in Pastores dabo vobis<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Other elements of particular relevance in Saint John of \u00c1vila include the importance he gives to prayer. He spoke a lot and clearly about this, something also reflected in Pope John Paul II and the Magisterium of the 20th century (see annex 2). And, of course, pastoral charity (see annex 3).<\/p>\n

He has cited some aspects of Saint John of \u00c1vila that are also very necessary today, such as maturity or the selection of candidates\u2026<\/h4>\n

Indeed, \u00c1vila emphasizes the importance of human maturity. He does so by indicating the age for entering the seminary or becoming a priest: he speaks of at least 30 years old, and on the other hand, he advocates for a long trial period for candidates before assuming definitive commitments, both in ordination and in perpetual vows. This is something that the Second Vatican Council and the Popes of the 20th century\u2014especially from Pius XII onward\u2014have insisted on greatly.<\/p>\n

And as you point out, initial selection of candidates for religious life or the priesthood is also fundamental for him. Saint John of \u00c1vila advocates for choosing well at the start those entering the seminary so that the formation offered there can bear good fruit. Something that has been recently and especially emphasized in the Ratio of Formation of the Clergy<\/a> of 2016 (n. 60, n. 189).<\/p>\n

Father Enrique Tapia, these things you mention seem obvious, but were they really not so five centuries ago?<\/h4>\n

We return to what we discussed earlier. Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 named Saint John of \u00c1vila Doctor of the Church, and when the Church names someone Doctor, it recognizes several things in that person. The first is his holiness, meaning he must be canonized, and then that his doctrine is of an eminent degree, meaning it stands out. In fact, there are few: only 36 Doctors in the Catholic Church (including men and women).<\/p>\n

Returning to the topic of vocation, it is often discussed as a call to the priesthood and consecrated life. And laypeople seem to be \u201ccalled to nothing.\u201d Is that so?<\/h4>\n

\"\u201cVocational<\/a>No, definitely not. We start from the principle that life is a vocation, and that there are various levels of vocation, of God’s call to fulfill a particular plan.<\/p>\n

First, we can speak of the vocation to being, that is: God creates us and calls us to being from non-being. He calls us to exist as human beings. This is in a natural order, but there is also a vocation to be children of God, that is: God calls us to participate in divine life, in His love, to live in communion with Him. This is the vocation to holiness, and it is of a supernatural order.<\/p>\n

And finally, there is a concrete vocation that is specifically expressed in each person. And this is that of priest, religious, married\u2026 And in this sense, all of us, not only candidates for priestly or religious life, must undertake a vocational discernment.<\/p>\n

Next, we offer some texts selected by Father Enrique Tapia, LC, to understand firsthand the thoughts of Saint John of \u00c1vila.<\/p>\n

Annex 1<\/h3>\n

Texts on the need to properly form future priests and that the unworthy are not ordained<\/strong><\/p>\n