Vocations

"Our concern must be to know God's will. We must enter that path: if God wants, when God wants, how God wants."

"Vocations aren't the result of planning, but an encounter with God that changes your life."

"We need to find God and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is a friend of silence."

"The best thing for us is not what we consider best, but what the Lord wants of us."

"It is vital that the parish develop a culture of vocations to invite youth, young adults, and adults to consider the calls to marriage, the priesthood, the permanent diaconate, and consecrated life."

Program of Priestly Formation in the United States of America, Sixth Edition, 50c

The Vocation Ministry in our parishes seeks to develop a culture of vocations in our parishes by helping each person know the Lord, believe that He has a plan for his or her life, and discover and have the courage to follow that plan. We do this by praying for vocations, raising awareness about vocations, and inviting all people, especially children and young people, to opportunities to consider their vocation. While promoting all of the Church's vocations, we have a particular focus on the diocesan priesthood. We use resources from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archdiocesan Vocation Office, Vianney Vocations, and vocationministry.com. Here are some of the upcoming opportunities we will use for our ministry:

February 2 (February 3/4, 2024) World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life
February 7-14, 2024 National Marriage Week
February 11, 2024: World Marriage Day
March 28, 2024: Holy Thursday, Founding of the Priesthood and the Eucharist
April 21, 2024: World Day of Prayer for Vocations
May 1: Religious Brothers Day
May 25 (2024): Fr. Hung's Priesthood Ordination Anniversry
May 21 (1994): Fr. Scott's Priesthood Ordination Anniversary
June 7, 2024: Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus: World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests
August 4: Feast of St. John Vianney, Patron Saint of Parish Priests
September 29, 2024: Priesthood Sunday
November 3-9, 2024: National Vocations Awareness Week
November 4: Feast of St. Charles Borromeo, Patron Saint of Seminarians
November 21, 2024: World Day of Cloistered Life

Prayers for Vocations

THE VOCATION BASICS

“Vocation” means “call.” As Catholics, we believe God calls individuals to fulfill certain roles in the Church, both for their own holiness, and the good of the entire Body of Christ.

Holiness is Our Common Goal
Holiness is everyone’s primary vocation. Holiness means trying to be like Jesus. It means being a “whole” person: striving for virtue, avoiding sin, and living a life of love.

After the decision to follow Christ and seriously pursue holiness, your vocation is the most important decision in life.

Holy Marriage
Most people are called to marriage—to wholeheartedly love their spouses and to joyfully welcome children. The purpose of marriage is for a man and woman to help each other get to heaven, and to teach their children to do the same. Like any vocation, marriage must be discerned, not assumed.

Consecrated Life
Both men and women can join religious orders such as the Franciscans, Dominicans, Benedictines, etc. The life and work of religious orders varies greatly—some are primarily devoted to prayer; others work actively in schools, hospitals, orphanages, etc. Common to all religious orders are the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Priesthood
Priests bring Jesus to people and people to Jesus through preaching and the sacraments. Priests are very active as they counsel people, teach classes, prepare homilies, administer parishes, and much more. Many surveys show that priests are among the happiest people in the world! Deacons, too, share in the sacrament of Holy Orders.

Dedicated Single Life
Some people serve God as single people, without marrying or making special vows. While not a “vocation” in a strict theological sense, single people “contribute greatly to the good of the human family” (CCC 2231). “Some live their situation in the spirit of the Beatitudes, serving God and neighbor in exemplary fashion” (CCC 1658). There are many single people who serve the Church with incredible generosity.