What is the role of parents in encouraging vocations?

The primary role is to provide an authentic witness to the importance of faith, prayer, and service to others. This includes teaching their children that all that one is and has comes from God, and that if we truly want to be happy, we will discover how God wants us to use the gifts we have received. Making their children aware of the nature of vocation, a "calling" from God, is a crucial first step. After that, it is a matter of inviting, raising the question with their children whether God might be calling them to be a priest, sister, or brother. Indirectly, attitudes and comments regarding the Church, priests, religious women and men, either foster or weaken the image of such a life of service.

 

What is the role of a parish in encouraging vocations?

The parish is where most people, especially young people, experience the Church, which includes worship, education, community, and service. Vocations thrive in a parish where there is active and full participation in these dimensions of Church life. In particular, it is important that Catholic education, in Catholic schools or religious education programs, clearly teach about what a vocation is (a calling from God), what types of vocations there are (marriage, priesthood, deaconate, consecrated life, and single life), and how one makes a good decision (the process of discernment). Beyond the general awareness of vocations, parents, priests and parishioners need to invite, encourage, and nurture vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.

 

What is the role of a diocese in encouraging vocations?

The diocese is responsible to implement the strategy on the local level in a way that demonstrates how the ministry of vocations is central to the mission of the Church. Given its resources and limitations, a diocese should develop a comprehensive plan which will outline how to reach possible candidates from a young age through adulthood. The diocese will need to provide the personnel and resources to make their local strategy effective, and enlisting the cooperation of a variety of individuals and organizations will make it more successful.

 

Have there been any new efforts to encourage vocations?

There have been a number of them:

“Called by Name” - a parish-based program that asks parishioners to recommend young people whom they think would make good candidates;

“Operation Andrew” and “Operation Miryam and Joseph” - the first is a gathering of the bishop with priests and men who may be interested in the priesthood which includes a meal, prayer, and a sharing on their own vocation stories by the bishops and priests; the second is a similar program for women or men with the leader of a religious congregation and some of its members.

“7 to 11" - a day-long program which enables interested women and men to spend a day with a brother, sister, or priest in prayer, ministry, and community;

Summer vocation camps like “Emmaus Days” or “Quo Vadis Days” - a youth program for either boys or girls that is a combination of a summer camp and retreat, a good mixture of faith and fun in which the young people learn more about vocations and meet priests, sisters, and brothers;

Discernment groups or breakfast clubs;

Establishment of web pages and other on-line resources by dioceses and religious orders;

Development of resources, e.g., audio-visual and multi-cultural materials by the National Coalition for Church Vocations - (800) 671-NCCV.

There also has been an increased use of recruitment tools, such as the Ministry Potential Discerner and Story of My Life.

 

What has caused the decline in vocations?

This is the million-dollar question and finding a definitive answer does not seem possible. It can be noted, however, that:

Men and women can minister in today's Church without choosing the life style of priesthood or religious life;

Dramatic changes have taken place both in society and the Catholic Church in the last thirty years, many of which mitigate against vocations, e.g., increased consumerism, decreased family size;

People do not respect and trust institutions and authority as much as they once did;

The family system has been weakened to an extent most never dreamed possible;

Success has become more narrowly defined in terms of earning power;

Few seem to invite young men and women to consider these vocations;

Within the Church, the role of the priest in relating to the faith community has changed radically, and there has been some confusion about the identity of priests, sisters, and brothers;

The Church changed in many ways after Vatican II and some expected that priests would be able to marry and that women would be ordained;

The perceived value of priesthood and consecrated life has decreased;

People are afraid to make lifetime commitments;

 

What qualities does the Church look for in evaluating candidates for the seminary?

“A Future Full of Hope” notes these characteristics of good priests: experience God’s love; view Jesus as a model for their behavior; are spiritual (including a love for the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Penance); possess a strong sense of the mysterious presence of God in their lives; enjoy challenges; thrive on change; manage their time; maintain their humor; keep a sense of balance. (From Grace Under Pressure, an NCEA study of effective priests ordained ten to thirty years.)

 

What qualities does the Church look for in evaluating candidates for religious life?

According to the National Religious Vocations Conference, the following are mentioned: generally good health; adequate intellectual ability; healthy relationships, including good friends; sense of humor; ability to make a positive choice for celibacy; member of the Catholic Church; faith and sense of integrity; relationship with God; responsiveness to others; capacity to serve a variety of people; leadership ability; collaborative worker; ability to live simply, sharing a common life; can compromise for the common good.
 

Can the declining number of priests and religious be made up for by expanding lay ministry?

In a certain sense, yes, the expanding role of lay ministers has helped to make up for the decreased number of priests and religious. Many even view the reduced numbers of religious and priests as a grace which allowed the laity to take their rightful place in Church life. However, given the unique role of priests and religious, they cannot be “replaced” by lay ministers. It is not just a matter of function, e.g., only priests can celebrate the Eucharist and hear confessions, etc.; rather, it is a question of identity, the unique identity and witness which diocesan and religious priests, religious sisters and brothers, as well as members of secular institutes offer the Church and the world. We certainly need a sufficient number of ordained priests for the celebration of the sacraments, but also the Church would be diminished without the evangelical witness of religious and priests.

 

What is the difference between a religious order priest and a diocesan priest?

A religious order priest belongs to a religious community, such as the Franciscans, Dominicans, etc., who strive to live out the charism of their founder and often have a particular type of ministry, e.g., education, health care. They usually live in community and they take the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Diocesan priests, also called secular priests, are ordained for a local church, a geographical area, and generally serve in parishes, although they also assist in schools, hospitals, prisons, etc., depending upon the local needs. Although they do not take the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, diocesan priests do promise: to lead a celibate life; to respect and obey their diocesan bishop; and to live a simple lifestyle.

 

Do priests take a vow of chastity?

Religious priests take a vow of chastity and diocesan priests promise celibacy.

 

Why are there so many different religious orders?

Each religious order has a founder who was inspired to meet a certain need or respond to a specific situation in the history of the Church. Those orders whose mission or charism addresses ongoing concerns, tend to survive, but many religious orders have gone into and out of existence in the Church’s long history. New religious orders are even beginning in our day and age as women and men strive to apply and live the Gospel in these circumstances.

 

What is the difference between a priest and a brother?

A priest is ordained and is the ordinary minister of the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, Penance (confession), Matrimony, and the Anointing of the Sick. The life of a brother is more like that of a religious sister: he lives in a religious community; takes the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience; and, engages is some pastoral or contemplative way of life.

 

What is a deacon?

A deacon is an ordained minister of the Church who can preach, baptize, witness marriages, and preside at burials. There are two types of deacons: permanent deacons, who are often married and have another occupation to support themselves; and transitional deacons, who are studying for the priesthood. Deacons provide a sacramental witness to the Church in three areas: word (preaching, teaching, etc.); liturgy; and service.

 

What is the difference between a deacon and a priest?

Both are ordained, but a deacon is a sacramental sign of the service which all Christians are to offer to the world and a priest is to represent Christ as the head of the Church through the three-fold ministry to teach, sanctify and lead. In terms of the sacraments, both deacons and priests can preach, baptize, witness marriages and preside at burials; only priests can celebrate the Eucharist, Penance (confession) and anoint the sick.

 

What is the average age for a man entering the seminary or a religious order?

According to the study entitled, “Seminarians in the Nineties,” the average age for seminarians in 1993 was 32, whereas it was 25 in 1966; it notes that religious order seminarians tend to be somewhat older than diocesan seminarians.

 

What is the average age for a woman entering a religious order?

According to a study in 1994-95, the average age for those entering the first stage, the pre-novitiate, is 29.5, and for temporary profession, 33.6. This is older than in the past.

What do the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience mean today?

These three vows are also called the evangelical counsels and describe a radical way to live out the Gospel. In each age, they can provide a strong witness to Gospel values in the face of competing or even contrary values in the prevailing culture.

Poverty

A religious chooses to share all in common rather than have personal ownership of material goods. In the face of a materialistic, consumer culture where one’s value is often determined by earning power or the acquisition of wealth, poverty testifies to our dependence upon God as the source of all gifts and our solidarity with one another, especially the poor. When so many are ignoring people who are on the fringes of society, religious with a vow of poverty can connect with the poor, work with them and speak about their needs and concerns.

Chastity

A religious chooses a celibate way of loving rather than entering into a conjugal relationship. Sex is used in our society for so many purposes, including the selling of products and recreation, and the prevailing message is that one must be sexually active to be fully human ... even if that means promiscuity. Chastity reminds us of the deeper meaning of sexuality. A genuine witness of chastity expresses a unique way to love, a way to serve others, and invites others to consider that there is more to life that meets the eye, that our relationship with God is indeed primary.

Obedience

A religious chooses obedience to indicate a preference for the common good over personal desire. The contemporary definition of freedom is to be able to do whatever one wants to do as long as it does not interfere with the rights of others - freedom from responsibility. Obedience demonstrates that the most perfect form of freedom is that which makes a commitment to another person, divine or human, or a cause. Obedience enables one to truly put his or her life at the service of the Church.
 

What is a secular institute?

According to Canon Law, it “is an institute of consecrated life In which the faithful, living in this world, strive for the perfection of charity and endeavor to work for the sanctification of the world from within.” Members of secular institutes live their daily lives within the different strata of society. Exteriorly, they appear no different from others. Consecration (chastity, poverty, and obedience), secularity (living in the world), and apostolate are the three main characteristics of secular institutes.
 

What is Serra?

It is an organization of Catholic laypersons of all ages from all walks of life who share a deep faith and want to incorporate the teachings of Christ into their daily lives. Their special work is to foster vocations to the priesthood and religious life by offering affirmation to those who already serve the Church and by encouraging new Church vocations through prayer, education, and collaboration with their bishops and Church vocation offices.

Secretariat for Vocations and Priestly Formation
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194
(202) 541-3033

June 03, 2003 Copyright © by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops