We are very blessed that our first story of vocation from the clergy comes from Bishop Robert Muench, Bishop of Baton Rouge in the USA. Bishop Robert prefaces his story with these comments:-

Having been ordained a priest for 41 years, I have had much time to reflect
about it. I was born and baptized in Louisville, KY. When I was three, my
Dad (and thus, our family) was transferred to New Orleans. In 1968, when I
was ordained a priest, my uncle-godfather from Louisville gave me a letter I
wrote him when I was in second grade preparing to make First Communion. In
the letter I thanked him for the generous monetary gift he sent me, invited
him to come to New Orleans for the celebration and included this sentence: “I
think one day I may be a priest.” Of course I had forgotten about that
letter, but recognized my handwriting.

Brief Autobiography of Bishop Robert Muench, Bishop of Baton Rouge

I was born in Louisville, KY in December 1942, the second child, and only son, of William and Mary Muench, with an older and two younger sisters. When I was three and a half, my Dad was transferred by his work to New Orleans. A year later the pastor of our parish (St Leo the Great) thought I was too young to enter primer (kindergarten) when my Dad applied for me, so I went to public school, for two years. Then the pastor accepted me into the parish Catholic school second grade, where I made First Confession and First Eucharist. In fourth grade our family moved to a neighboring parish (St Raphael). (There was no room for me in its school until eighth grade, when my parents honored my request to stay at St. Leo.) As of fifth grade I became an altar server and for seventh and eight grades I served the 6:00 a.m. daily Mass every weekday during the school year. This required me getting up every morning around 4:30 a.m., walking six blocks to the bus stop to catch the public transit bus. I never found that a sacrifice! (For me to do that today would be a great sacrifice).

St. Leo School was taught by Dominican Sisters. A Sister Mary Alice Russell, O.P., was principal of the school for my eight grade year only. In December she asked me if I ever thought about being a priest. I told her “yes”, but that I was already pre-enrolled in a Catholic high school (Cor Jesu, now Brother Martin) near my house and would consider it after high school. She suggested and strongly encouraged that I consider applying to the seminary now instead of later. (In those days the seminary began in high school.) With less than two weeks before the application deadline, I finally got up enough nerve to approach my Dad about the possibility. He indicated he was open to the idea. I had to hurry to get the process going. I met with the pastor, then with the Diocesan Vocation Director and was accepted.

In 1956 I entered St. Joseph Seminary College at St. Benedict, LA, completing four years of high school and two years of junior college. From 1962-64 I attended Notre Dame Seminary for philosophy studies. In late July, the then Archbishop of New Orleans, Archbishop Cody, called a seminary classmate and me into his office and told us he was sending us to Catholic University in Washington, DC, to do, in essence, a double major of theology studies and educational administration studies. He wanted to prepare us to be priest Catholic high school principals. (My heart sank at that reason, since I always wanted to be a priest assigned to a parish, not a school.) Fortunately for me, the archbishop later agreed for me to get a master’s degree in education, with the major being Guidance and Counseling, not Administration. In 1968 I completed those studies, was ordained to the priesthood and as assigned to a suburban parish (St. Louis King of France, Metairie, where I had been assigned the previous summer as a deacon).
I was deliriously happy!

One morning in late October after celebrating the parish Mass, I was at breakfast and the housekeeper told me I had a phone call – from the Archbishop (Hannan). He told me I was needed to be a full-time teacher at the seminary preparatory high school, St. John, immediately. I remember asking him for one day to pack, to which he agreed. On November 2, 1968, with only one full day’s notice, I began teaching religion to senior and junior classes and being a counselor for the students. Three years later I was made the rector (head administrator of the school – just what I though I had successfully dodged preparing for so many years earlier). Four years later I asked Archbishop Hannan if he would assign me to full-time parish work, which request he graciously accepted. In 1976 I was assigned to an inner-city parish (St. Matthias) to work with a saintly, wonderful pastor (Monsignor Anthony Wegmann). Then following year I was named to be Co-Pastor with him. In 1980 I was also named Vocation Director of the Diocese, in 1981 founding Director of a Vocation Discernment House, then in 1983 Assistant to Archbishop Hannan. In 1989 I remained in that position in 1989 for the new Archbishop of New Orleans, Francis Schulte, then was named Vicar General (Chief Assistant) and in 1990 was appointed and ordained Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans. In 1996 I was assigned Bishop of Covington (KY), until 2002, when I became Bishop of Baton Rouge. I feel so fortunate to have been assigned here.

I enjoyed my years in the seminary and thoroughly enjoy the ministry extended to me as a priest and a bishop. Some years ago I was asked to have on file plans for my eventual funeral. I selected for the first reading Ecclesiastes: “There is a time for every purpose under heaven -- a time to be born and a time to die.” The Responsorial Psalm will be Psalm 23 (“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want”). The second reading will be from Hebrews 5:1-16 (“Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God to offer gifts and sacrifices for sin. He is able to deal patiently with sinners, for he himself is beset by sin, and so for this reason must make sin offerings for himself as well as for his people.”) The Gospel will be Mark 10:28-31 (There is no one who gives up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age houses, brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecution, and eternal life in the age to come.”) I can personally testify to the truth of the first of those promises and trust that god will make the second (eternal life) come true as well.

<< see also other stories of discernment from non-ordained or the story of Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal Bertone SDB, Vatican Secretary of State