According to the Oxford English Dictionary, vocation is:1. a. The action on the part of God of calling a person to exercise some special function, especially of a spiritual nature, or to fill a certain position; divine influence or guidance towards a definite (esp. religious) career; the fact of being so called or directed towards a special work in life; natural tendency to, or fitness for, such work.
b. The action on the part of God (or Christ) of calling persons or mankind to a state of salvation or union with Himself; the fact or condition of being so called.
2. a. The particular function or station to which a person is called by God; a mode of life or sphere of action regarded as so determined.
b. One's ordinary occupation, business, or profession.
For at least six years I have felt that my call to the priesthood is to be my vocation. More specifily it will be the vocation of my life. It wasn't until just a few months ago that I even had an idea of what a vocation I could do if I didn't head off to seminary and become a priest.
One of my main tasks during this process is to convey to the people along the path that the priesthood is my vocation.
In my mind...its not a matter of if I become a priest, but when I become a priest. I can't see a reality without that as my vocation. Sure, I could do something else and be succesfull and happy. But something would always be incomplete.
See, now that is what they are looking for when they ask for the feelings of your call--that part about not being complete and knowing its not IF you become a priest, but WHEN. Having been around seminary students for 5 years now, I can tell you this will only be the first telling of your calling. You will have to talk about it over and over and over again. It'll probably get easier over time, and it may change, but once you find the language to convey it to others, it will take on a whole new life of its own.