Vocation Promotion
- Qualities to look for in potential candidates for priesthood
- Qualities to look for in potential candidates for religious life
- Forming a Parish Vocation Committee
- 100 Parish Vocation Projects to try
- The Serra Club
- Prayer campaign (Adobe pdf file - prints like a booklet)
- Student Prayer campaign (Adobe pdf file - prints like a booklet)
- What parents can do to foster vocations
- Que pueden hacer los padres de familia para fomentar las vocaciones
- Oraciones de Vocaciones
- 100 General Intercessions for Vocation Awareness
Forming a Parish Vocation Committee
(Excerpted from www.fallrivervocations.org/PVT.htm)
- Introduction
- Structure
- Membership
- Roles
- Meetings
- Projects
- Forming a Team
- Goals
- Mission Statement
- Resources
Introduction
In the National Strategy for Vocations, A Future Full of Hope, the Bishops of the United States, with other vocation organizations, have responded to the Holy Father's invitation to collaborate with prayer and action for the desire to increase vocations. This National Strategy for Vocations encourages parishes to establish Parish Vocation Teams as a way to help every member of the parish, realize their responsibility for encouraging and calling forth vocations.
The duty of fostering vocations falls on the whole Christian community, and they should discharge it principally by living full Christian lives. The greatest contribution is made by families which are animated by a spirit of faith, charity and piety and which provide, as it were, a Formation Program, and by parishes in whose abundant life the people themselves take an active part...Parishes should endeavor to train the people entrusted to them to recognize a divine vocation and to follow it willingly. (Vatican Council II, The Decree on the Training of Priests.)
We cannot create a vocation; only God can do that. A few hardworking parishioners, however, can, through prayer and well-planned programs, make the whole parish community more vocation conscious.
Structure of a Vocation Committee
In consultation with the Pastor, the Parish Vocation Committee can be a part of the Parish Pastoral Council, a branch of the Spiritual Life Vocation team, or a separate organization. The size and structure of the parish will be part of the consideration. The Pastor of the parish should be acquainted with and approve the plans of the Parish Vocation Committee. Individual members act as liaisons to bring the concern for vocations to specific organizations or events of the parish, e.g., Catechist for the Religious Education Program, Parent/teacher for the Parish School, young member for the Youth group, adult member for bulletin/publicity, etc.
The Committee may want to keep records of activities, minutes of meetings, or any correspondence regarding vocation work. Keeping the Pastor, and/or Parish Council, informed of the Vocation Committee’s activities is also important.
Membership
Ideally, the Vocation Committee includes any parishioners who are interested in supporting and praying for vocations. A suggested number of members is eight to twelve, depending on the size of the parish. It is valuable to have a wide variety of parishioners, e.g., priests, lay and religious, married couples, senior citizens and youth, etc., to ensure that the plan touches all members of the parish family. Parents are important partners in any parish.
While a bulletin notice reaches the greatest number of parishioners, a personal invitation from the Pastor, or Committee Chairperson, may yield more positive results. Invitations to membership also could be extended to the parents of any seminarians, religious, or priests living in the parish community.
The value of the Committee's work will be enhanced by the endorsement and participation of the clergy and religious of the parish. A chairperson should be chosen to assume the responsibility for coordinating the Committee. Members could be asked to make a commitment for a specific period, e.g., one year.
Role of Individual Team Members
Once the Committee is formed, the role of each member may evolve. These guidelines are simply suggestions to help the Committee get formed.
Chairperson: An initial chairperson may be selected who will help define the mission of the committee.
Once a chairperson is selected he/she assumes leadership of the committee; calls the meetings; assigning various responsibilities; reporting to the Pastor.
Priest / Deacon / Religious: To act as resource persons for committee members; support for committee members; presence at events.
Vocation Committee Member: Volunteer for various activities sponsored by the Vocation Committee; provide feedback regarding activities; liaison with the Diocesan Vocation office.
Meetings
It is suggested that at least four meetings be held each year, depending on the activity of the Vocation Committee. An agenda and meeting format may be helpful (cf. appendix). Since prayer is an integral part of the Vocation Committee’s work, the meetings may include a brief prayer service, or these can be held apart from the regular planning meetings.
Projects
There are various ways which the Vocation Committee can promote vocation awareness. Through prayer, reflection and discussion, the Committee can best determine how to promote vocations in the parish. Listed below are some sample activities:
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Parish Mass
- Regularly announced Sunday Mass for the intention of Vocations (monthly, bi-annually, etc)
- Regular petitions in the Prayers of the Faithful at Mass
- A weekday Mass for vocations, weekly if possible
- An annual weekend dedicated to vocations (Visit from vocation personnel, vocation flyers, prayer cards at Masses, etc)
- Devotions
- Vocation Prayer Service
- Holy Hour of Prayer
- Encouragement of prayers in the home as a family
- Parish-sponsored Rosary for Vocations
- Parish Activities
- Vocation Personnel Panel Discussion for the parish school & religious education program
- Monthly Prayer Calendars
- "31 Club"
- Prayer Partners for Seminarians/Religious
- Religious Education/School Vocation Slogan or Poster Contest
- Vocation Presentations to Parish Organizations, e.g. Women's Guild, Parish Council, etc.
- Correspondence with diocesan seminarians and novices
- Family Vocation Candle
How to Form a Team
As Catholics, in the past we have been spoiled by the number of men and women who have chosen to heed the call of a religious vocation. This trend has diminished. Members of the Church today must recognize this reality and create an awareness of the importance of encouraging God’s people to serve as priests, sisters, brothers and deacons.
Like Samuel in the Old Testament, some of the people in our family and parish may have a call from God but are unable to hear or understand what our Lord is asking them to do. Let us pray and encourage each individual to hear this call. (Future Full of Hope, National Conference of Catholic Bishops.)
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After a group of parishioners has been identified and expressed interest in forming a Parish Vocation Committee, the members are asked to choose a member to serve as the “Chairperson” of the committee, for a specific period.
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The Vocation Committee reviews, if necessary adapts, and accepts the responsibilities of members of the Parish Vocation Committee:
- Responsibilities of Vocation committee members:
- To pray daily for increased vocations, private and liturgical prayer
- To become aware of the various ministries in the Catholic Church, particularly ordained ministry and vowed to religious life
- To offer support and encouragement to priests and religious within the parish
- To provide example through personal Christian family life as a means of encouraging vocations
- To accept and carry out the tasks assumed by the Parish Vocation committee. Tasks may include working with other parish committees, such as Altar Servers, youth groups, Scouting organizations, rosary and alter societies, Parish Catechetical program, parish school, etc.
- To make available vocation materials and opportunities for discernment that are offered by national or diocesan offices or religious communities.
- Responsibilities of Vocation committee members:
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Using the following guidelines, the Vocation committee discusses and writes a set of goals (no more than 3) for the Parish Vocation Committee.
Sample Goals of Vocation Team
- Awareness: (1) Develop awareness in the parish community of the need for vocations to the Ordained Ministry and Vowed Religious Life and (2) encourage support for those who are in a vocation discernment process;
- Prayer: (1) Raise the parish community consciousness of the power of prayer in promoting vocations and (2) foster a spirit of prayer as the cornerstone of our committee;
- Education: (3) Educate the parish community regarding vocations as defined by the Vatican Council II.
Possible items for the first meeting:
- Select a "Committee Chairperson"
- Review, Amend & Approve responsibilities for membership on the committee
- Articulate the needs of the parish regarding vocation awareness
- Se goals for the Vocation Committee
- Brainstorm ideas for projects
- Prepare calendar of events for the year
Mission Statement
The Mission Statement should answer the following questions:
- What is the purpose of the Parish Vocation Committee?
- To Whom is the group accountable?
- What are the criteria for membership?
- With whom will this group communicate?
Resources
Listed above are "guidelines" to aid a parish in forming a Parish Vocation Committee. The guidelines are meant to provide a starting point rather than “set in stone” rules. They are open to creativity and adaptation to the needs of a particular parish. A Parish Vocation Committee, like a vocation itself, evolves over time through prayer and reflection. For help, and or more information, please contact the Vocations Office, or send us a formal request for more information.