In our special package leading up to Vocations Awareness Week Nov. 5-11, our partner Catholic News Service presents perspectives on heeding God’s call to religious life through the words of a young priest, a young consecrated religious sister and permanent deacons and their wives. Click on each story below.
Four things everyone can do to build a culture of vocations
Society already makes it hard enough for a young person to hear their call today; shouldn’t we as a church be doing all we can to make it easier? We can, explains a young priest only two years ordained.
My vocation story starts with prayer at home
The young woman on a career path was unhappy until she turned all her desires over to Jesus. Now as a Sister of Life for eight years, she loses herself in his love every day and is a vessel for it to everyone.
Deacons and their wives share field notes on parish ministry
For permanent deacons, the joys of ministry accompany the challenges of their vocation, which can be hard on their wives. But they too find opportunities for pastoral service with their husbands.
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There are plenty of vocations to the priesthood and religious life out there. We have to find them and encourage them.
Promotion of “Church” vocations is important (I support them via the KofC and in other ways) but I believe new language is necessary in such promotions to avoid the implication that the married and single states cannot be vocations in a theological sense. The married state, in particular, is under critical attack and needs all the support it can get. I use “Church” herein but this also may cause confusion (all states of Catholic life are Church related). Needs some thought and follow up. .
Not all deacons are married. There are about 30 of us who took the promise of celibacy at ordination just like the priests do, and to remind all priests and bishops they are still deacons too.