"Each Christian vocation comes from God and is God's gift. However, it is never bestowed outside of or independently of the Church. Instead it always comes about in the Church and through the Church, a luminous and living reflection of the mystery of the Blessed Trinity." The Church, "begetter and formator of vocation and the suitability of candidates for the priestly ministry. In fact, "the interior call of the Spirit needs to be recognized as the authentic call of the bishop." In furthering this discernment, and throughout the entire process of formation for ministry, the Church is moved by two concerns: to safeguard the good of her own mission and, at the same time, the good of the candidates. In fact, like every Christian vocation, the Vocation to the priesthood, along with every Christian vocation, the vocation to the priesthood, along with a Christological dimension, has an essentially ecclesial dimension: "Not only does it derive 'from' the church and her mediation, not only does it come to be known and find fulfilment 'in' the Church, but it also necessarily appears, in fundamental service to God, as a service 'to' the church. Christian vocation, whatever shape it takes, is a gift whose purpose is to build up the Church and to increase the kingdom of God in the world."
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