Vocations a result of lots and lots of prayers
From Bishop Vasa's latest letter.
...There is no doubt in my mind that some of the young men in this class have considered and are considering a possible vocation to the priesthood as an option for them. Whether their initial hearing of that gentle call will ultimately result in a definitive affirmative response depends upon parental support, pastoral encouragement and prayers; lots and lots of prayers.
Vocations do come from families but vocations also come from Parishes. It often happens that several vocations will come from the same Parish several years in a row. It often happens that small rural Parishes produce three of four priestly vocations in a span of as many years. It often happens that a number of religious vocations will spring from the families of one Parish. It is, in part, a mystery of God's grace but it is also a sign that, in those Parishes where vocations are prayed for, esteemed and actively encouraged young men are more likely to hear and heed the Lord's invitation to be priests and young women are more likely to hear and heed the Lord's invitation to serve as Religious. The promotion of vocations to the priesthood and religious life needs to be a routine activity of every Parish, a routine activity of every parishioner.
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The pay off of this is clear: families that encourage vocations among their children have vocations. Those who praise "being at doctor" "being a lawyer" "having grandchildren for me" don't. Parishes that have families who encourage vocations (who are usually not "city" people) and support those families and talk up vocations, have vocations.
Other than under those conditions, vocations are young adults who go against their parents' values (even if they are "good Catholics" but value worldly success more than consecrated life) and probably also overcome the indifference of their secularized clergy and the few "with-it" nuns over 60 that they meet.
Sorry, but what is so complex about this? Vocations start with parents who tell there children that being a priest or nun is the greatest thing they could do. Then the priests and nuns the kids meet, support the parents. Again, what is so complex about this?
Amen to that! In our own parish we have a family right now with two children, both boys, one college age & one slightly older. The younger one is in seminary now and the older brother is in the middle of the application process for the coming fall. Announcements were made from the altar about this wonderful news, and the boys and their families know the parish is behind them with prayers and support. In turn, what a witness the generosity of this whole family is, to other families and other young men who may be considering priesthood.
Just Catholic asks what is so complex about this? Nothing at all--but it is certainly "countercultural" these days in parishes in my diocese, where the fad runs toward Lay Pastoral Associates rather than fostering priestly vocations.
Love of God brings vocations.
It is that simple.
The Priesthood does not need those seeking commodities or who are fed up with the world.
Combativeness and intransigent purity are neccesary.
That is only gained by vigilance and prayer.
I take issue with JustCatholic & Barb's comments, only in that it IS complex. Yes, ideally, good Catholic parents would encourage their children to discern their vocation, which would be supported by the example of parish priests and religious in the area. But that unfortunately isn't the case most of the time, yet God's call is still being heard and responded to by young men & women. From a 20-something discerning and with several friends who are discerning and/or in formation (seminary & religious life) and living in a large city, most of my friends and I were not encouraged to discern by our families. The Holy Spirit, however, has worked through other means in each of our lives. And I can assure you that it IS a complex process!
I don't want to belittle the importance of parents and good priest and religious by any means. But the responsibility falls not just on them, but on all Catholics to pray for and support young people who are discerning their vocation.
I think that this is beautiful but saying something like, "Being a priest is the greatest thing they can do" maybe could be changed to "If you are being called, being
a priest/nun is a great and worthy vocation" because I would be a little afraid of kind of "forcing" my child into a priesthood/convent. It seems to me that maybe some were (forced) way back when and that might be part of the problem of rebellious nuns and dissident priests nowadays. Just some thoughts I had reading this post. I really do love you all for your deep faith and prayers, I mean no disrespect for your opinions!
It is so much more complicated that just praying for vocations. Sure that is a start but you need inspire people. A good priest can do that or sometimes a good father. There needs to be some example of radical obedience to God producing a beautiful, joyful person. Beyond that the community should respect the church, respect the sacraments, and model sexual purity and financial generosity. That community can be a family but it is much better if it is a parish.
Though I did meet a great deacon from the North American College in Rome who happened to be a former commodities trader.
Funny thing is happening in my parish. We're the most high-church, catholic, orthodox Episcopal church in our diocese, so of course we're constantly being told we're out of touch, restrictive, dead, etc....
And yet we have 10 vocationers, to the diaconate, the priesthood, and religious orders. Most parishs in the diocese have NO vocationers...
Yep, a sure sign of a dead stuck-in-the-past church.
Joi
Great piece by Bishop Vasa...but what about the middle-agers who never subscribed to the crazinesses of the '60s and '70s, and who might be considering a priestly or religious vocation? I'm 52...why are vocations only a thing for the young?
Irishgirl: I feel your pain. I'm 36 and find very little encouragement when I tell folks in my parish that I'm discerning a monastic vocation. They look at me like I've got a 3rd eye. "What?! You wanna go live in a cloister?! But you LOVE people!! Why would you DO that?!" They just don't get it. And there ARE communities that will accept "2nd-career vocations" relatively late/r in life; you just gotta keep searching & praying. And maybe contact Vocations Placement Service. That's what I did. 'Cuz my diocesan vocations office is all about the young 'uns. Start with VPS.
IrishGirl -- I agree: vocations are not just for the young. And JustCatholic, you don't *really* mean to say that being a priest or a nun is the greatest thing a Catholic can do, do you?
One of the biggest problems in the vocations conversation is that the word "vocation" is used to refer only to religious life. The truth of the matter is that any baptized Christian has a vocation. You're baptized? You've got a vocation! God has called you, and now you've got the grace to respond!
Now: if you hear a further call to the religious life, respond to this second call. But let's not forget that marriage (and consecrated virginity, if you didn't count that in with 'religious') is as much of a vocation as religious life is. And that you can make your life pleasing to God in the temporary vocation of being a single person, too.
We need a revised/updated vocabulary and approach to fostering vocations. "Fostering vocations," by Vatican II standards, ought to mean "helping each baptized Catholic find out how God wants to evangelize through him/her." Evangelize? Sure! What else did you think God was calling you to, if not to (besides your own holiness) the mission of the Church?!
What I'd like to give, some day, is a seminar on 4 documents from Vatican II: Gaudium et Spes, Lumen Gentium, Sacrosanctam Concilium, and of coure Apostolicam Actuositatem; that is, the 2 Constitutions on the Church and how it is to relate to the world; 1 on the Liturgy (so integral to how we build society), and 1 on what the laity are to be up to.
For a similar take on this topic, see the Intentional Disciples blog...
Jeron-thanks for your response. I had been in touch with VPS on a few occasions, and I received info on several communities. But I'm not working now, and all the retreat locations were far away.
Margo-I agree with you, too. But why call the single state 'temporary'? For a lot of us-like me-it looks like it's pernament. I even looked into consecrated virginity-but I don't have a spiritual director. So I haven't the foggiest notion of WHAT MY VOCATION IS!