Religious Vocations

A vocation is all about love. It is a life of love in a concrete, particular form that comes from God. Each vocation begins with His love for us. In that love for you He is calling you to a particular form of life. This love involves first His total gift of Himself to you, and then in response your total gift of self to Him.  

Christ our Lord tells us in the Gospel according to St. John, “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (Jn 15:16). His choice for you is what makes a vocation different from an “occupation” or a “career”. You can choose an occupation or a career for yourself, but a vocation (from the Latin vocare, “to call”) is HIS choice for you and which He invites you to undertake for love of Him. Often we are taught to ask, “What do I want to do in the future” or “What life will I choose?” The better way to think is, “What does Jesus want for me?”, “What life will bring Jesus the greatest glory?” and ultimately to say, “I want what Jesus wants.”A vocation is the particular life He has chosen for you, and for which He has specifically created you. He is God and therefore knows which life will best bring about your salvation, your happiness, and His greatest glory. His call will completely fulfill you as a man and a father or or a woman and a mother. A vocation means to be sent by Jesus on a mission to help Him bring His salvation to the world, and so will call for much love, heroism and sacrifice on your part, made possible by the grace of God. The key to discovering your vocation is first to allow Jesus to show His tender love to you. This love will make you capable of loving Him in return.
 

Prayer

In a special way, let us pray for each of our young people who are still discerning the vocation to which God is calling them.  Pray for those God is calling to serve the Church as priests and consecrated religious that they might serve well as signs of God's kingdom here on earth. Pray for those whom God is calling to the vocation of marriage that they might serve their spouses and their families well.  Pray for those who are committed to the single life that they might serve well however God calls them.  Pray that all may have peaceful hearts and strong faith to answer the call with courage, perseverance, and the support of their family and friends and this community.  

A Prayer for Vocations

O God, Father of all Mercies,
Provider of a bountiful Harvest,

send Your Graces upon those
You have called to gather the fruits of Your labor;
preserve and strengthen them in their lifelong service of you.

Open the hearts of Your children
that they may discern Your Holy Will;
inspire in them a love and desire to surrender themselves
to serving others in the name of Your son, Jesus Christ.

Teach all Your faithful to follow their respective paths in life
guided by Your Divine Word and Truth.
Through the intercession of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary,
all the Angels, and Saints, humbly hear our prayers
and grant Your Church's needs, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

What is discernment?

“Discernment” is the process of making decisions in which we involve God and our faith. Important questions such as “What am I to do with my life?” should not be made lightly. Rather, as Christians, we should always be seeking to know the will of God and how to follow that will in our lives. 

Learn more...

Are you Being Called to the Priesthood or Consecrated Life?

Is Jesus asking you to help make His presence visible in a world desperately in need of faith, hope and love?  Are you having thoughts and feelings about becoming a priest, brother or sister?  Nothing is more important than discovering and living God’s will.  Visit these links to learn more.

Diocese of Grand Rapids, Priesthood

USCCB - Discerning Woman

USCCB - General Vocations Page

Are you Being Called to Marriage?

When the Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a Christian vocation it is saying that the couple’s relationship is more than simply their choice to enter a union which is a social and legal institution. In addition to these things, marriage involves a call from God and a response from two people who promise to build, with the help of divine grace, a lifelong, intimate and sacramental partnership of love and life.

Single Life

As a culture, young people are waiting longer to get married and in some cases will spend a majority if not their entire lives single.  The trend is relatively new given the current statistics compared to that of the 1950's and even 1960's.  Others find themselves single later in life due to the death of a spouse or divorce.  The Church is still working on a good working theology of single life.  Single life is a state rather than a vocation.  Christine Whelm says it best...

"So let’s squash the idea that being single is “lesser” or “sinful” in some way; it’s not. And regardless of whether the Church defines “the single life as a Vocation” (with a capital “V”), there is much to be gained by living out our single years with a sense of vocation (lowercase “v”)." (Catholic Singles Revisited)

Our vocation as Christians is to be disciples who know, love, and serve our Lord and to walk with others to Christ.