Raised in a devout Catholic family, Father Clay Ludwig spent his childhood immersed in parish life: as an altar server, by joining ministries and by building strong relationships with his local priests. “I loved serving at the altar,” he recalled. “As a young kid — 8, 9 years old — I remember thinking, ‘I’m serving at the altar … wow, I wonder if God wants me to serve at his altar for the rest of my life.'”
By the time he graduated high school, that question had deepened into a calling. He entered seminary at 18 and spent nine years in formation before being ordained June 20, 2020.
Now serving as both the diocesan vocations director and a parochial vicar or the Diocese of St. Augustine in Florida, Father Clay is dedicated to helping others discern God’s call in their own lives — just as others once helped him.
“My vocation story really begins with the story of my parents and their marriage,” he said. “I believe that vocations to the priesthood and religious life grow on trees, and those are family trees. The foundation is made in the domestic church, and I’m a product of that.”
Pray with courage
Father Clay spends much of his day walking with young people as they pray through big questions. He’s seen that God can work through both peace and uncertainty. That tension is part of what makes discernment real — and fruitful. “The question isn’t ‘What do you want to do when you grow up?’ The question to bring before Jesus in the Eucharist is, ‘God, what do you want me to do with my life?'”
For those going through that journey, Father Clay offers six foundational steps:
Attend Mass regularly and go to confession, especially as the sacraments are “needed to receive God’s mercy.”
Spend time in Eucharistic adoration. “God speaks in the silence of your heart,” Father Clay said, “and it’s in that silence that you’ll often hear the confirmation of his call.”
Pray with Scripture, letting the “Word of God speak directly into your life and vocation.”
Get involved in your parish. “This helps your community get to know you, and helps you feel connected to the life of the Church,” Father Clay advised.
Seek spiritual direction, which “brings structure and accountability to your discernment.”
Stay close to Mary. “Pray the Rosary, as Mary is constantly interceding for you,” Father Clay said. “Her maternal presence brings peace and clarity in the midst of discernment.”
He also recommended a simple, powerful prayer: “Lord Jesus, what do you want for my life? Once I know, give me the grace and the courage to respond.” He often suggests praying this after receiving Communion. “You pray it, and then you surrender — letting go and living your life with trust. Jesus will confirm his will in time.”
But he emphasized that prayer must be paired with courage: “It’s one thing to sense where the Lord is leading you. It’s another to allow him to purify your fears and transform them into strength and courage. That’s what makes all the difference.”
Respond generously to Jesus
Father Clay believes that every corner of the Church has a role in promoting vocations — especially families. “I often remind mothers that it’s OK if their children cry during Mass because, as the saying goes, if we’re not crying, we’re dying,” he shared with a laugh. “We need the children in the pews.”
To those families, Father Clay shared: “Thank you for your example and sacrifice in bringing your children to Mass. By doing that, you’re instilling in them the truth that faith matters, God is real and God loves them. You’re planting seeds early on so that if God calls them one day to be a priest or a religious sister, those seeds will be there.”
Whether a vocational path leads, Father Clay sees one common denominator: the courage to say “yes” to God’s call.
“I think what gives me the most faith is seeing so many people responding generously to Jesus in all different types of vocations,” he said. “That includes marriages, religious life and priesthood. Seeing conversions taking place like that truly gives me hope.”
