I can't really accept the answer "prayer" will tell you. Perhaps we've received the gift through prayer, but we cant know through prayer that we have it. The Lord isnt going to appear to a person or tell them audibly that they have it. Are there at least any "hinting" indications of having the gift of celibacy?

Ok, so youll say no, go talk to a priest. Ok so say I go to a priest, how would he discern? Certainly he'll have questions that he would ask because MOST LIKELY hes not going to have the gift of reading a persons soul or have Jesus automatically audibly tell him to tell me...Well, if you know those questions...let me know what questions they would be??? PLEASEE

He'd probably tell you to go pray some more.

OK. As a brand spankin' new Catholic woman, I really shouldn't be giving advice to anyone about anything Catholic related, let alone anything having to do with the priesthood. So, please take everything I say with a grain of salt, and listen to what everyone else tells you. Here goes nothin':

1. I think you have to take a deep breath and trust in God. If you don't trust prayer to lead you, then you don't trust Him to lead you.

2. As useful as it would be, you're right that prayers aren't normally answered through lightening bolts or letters taped to your door; however, prayers do get answered, though perhaps not in the way you first expected them to be. Haven't you felt led or guided by the Holy Spirit before? Think about how that feels.

3. If you don't think your prayers are working, maybe change the way you pray. I recommend time in Adoration, either before the Tabernacle or the Exposed Sacrament. I've been doing this for an hour a day recently, and it's generally one of the best hours of my day outside of Mass. Talk to God, ask for answers, do whatever you need to do. Then try to "listen." Just put yourself in a receptive state of being. Be patient. Keep your eyes and heart open.

4. I highly doubt a priest would tell you whether you do or do not have a certain vocation unless it's something really obvious (like, you're a woman and want to be a priest). My totally uneducated guess is that he would ask you why you think you may have a religious vocation. You'd probably talk a little about your feelings on being a priest versus being a husband and father. And he would probably tell you to go pray some more.

5. It doesn't sound as if you have a Spiritual Director. Have you considered getting one? I'm not really sure what Spiritual Directors do, but my priest recommends them, and they seem to get suggested whenever someone has a serious question.

Oops. I hope my post doesn't count as "Peanut Gallery comments."

If so, Mods, please delete! Sorry...

You can read these type of questions on some vocation websites for some dioceses. The first I would ask is that if you feel an attraction, or desire to become a Priest. I haven't seen the issues with celibacy and the Priesthood separated because if you have a vocation to celibacy in the western part of the Church you also have the gift of celibacy.

Somewhere I read that the Holy Ghost works trough attraction. I think this might be helpful to know when discerning a vocation. Most people have an attraction to a form of life, either it is being married or a form of the religious life.

You're fine.

OK, good. I guess we're all "in or discerning a vocation as a religious or layman," anyway. That pretty much covers all Catholics!