Month of July 2018 – Vocations

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* 1. Which of the following is an example of a “vocation”?

1)  Which of the following is an example of a “vocation”?

The answer is: Husband and Wife

God gives everyone a vocation.  He has blessed each of us with certain abilities and talents, which we use differently depending on whether we’re called to be a priest, religious, consecrated, married, or to remain in the celibate life for the sake of the Kingdom.  One vocation is not better than another.  [for more information see http://www.catholiccincinnati.org/ministries-offices/vocations/]

“Christian marriage, as a reflection of the union between Christ and his Church, is fully realized in the union between a man and a woman who give themselves to each other in a free, faithful and exclusive love, who belong to each other until death, are open to the transmission of life, and are consecrated by the sacrament, which grants them the grace to become a domestic church and a leaven of new life for society.”

[from Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia: On Love in the Family. (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, 2016), ¶292:  https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf ]

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* 2. A vocation is simply another word for career, occupation, or profession.

2)   A vocation is simply another word for career, occupation, or profession.   

The answer is:  False

The word vocation comes from the Latin “vocare,” which is the verb “to call.”  However, a vocation is much more than an ordinary call – it is an important invitation from God where He gives each one of us a particular mission in life.  My vocation is not "what I prefer to do," but rather "what God wants me to be."  One's vocation is not something that can be changed like a profession or a career.  Also, “if there is ever a conflict between our profession and our vocation, it is always the vocation that has to win.”  [from Vocation.com article: “Is it a vocation or a job or profession?”   http://www.vocation.com/qandaitem.aspx?id=3688]

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* 3. When does a person generally first consider a vocation to religious life?

3)  When does a person generally first consider a vocation to religious life?

The answer is:  Teen years (ages 13-18)

“Only about one in ten young Catholics say they ever considered a vocation.  More often than not, the first consideration occurs in the teen years after a child has been enrolled in Catholic schools and has personally known a priest, brother, or sister. They have also likely been encouraged by someone to consider the vocation.”  [from CARA Special Report: “The Impact of College Experiences on Vocational Discernment”

https://cara.georgetown.edu/Spring2016SpecialReport.pdf]

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* 4. Most seminarians are encouraged to consider the priesthood by someone in their life; however, parental concerns and objections can often be an obstacle to priestly and religious vocations.

4)  Most seminarians are encouraged to consider the priesthood by someone in their life; however, parental concerns and objections can often be an obstacle to priestly and religious vocations.

The answer is:  True

According to the USCCB: “Nearly nine in ten candidates for ordination in 2018 reported being encouraged to consider the priesthood by someone in their life (most frequently, the parish priest, friend, or another parishioner).”  The USCCB also states:  “[The vast majority of teens today feel that if they told their parents they were even ‘just thinking’ about priesthood or religious life, their parents would be completely opposed to the idea, laugh at them, or in some other way not take them seriously.”  [from http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/parents/frequently-asked-questions.cfm]

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* 5. Vocation discernment is about discovering what others think would be the best way to use the unique combinations of gifts we have to fulfill God's plan for our life.

5)  Vocation discernment is about discovering what others think would be the best way to use the unique combinations of gifts we have to fulfill God's plan for our life.

The answer is:  False  

“Vocation discernment is about finding our place in life, where God is calling us to be. It is about discovering who we are as children of God, and living out our lives in a way which fulfills and sustains us. It may involve priesthood, religious life, being married or single, but it goes beyond that. It leads us to the place in this world where God can make the most of the unique combination of gifts we have been given. It also leads us to the place of most fulfillment and peace.” [from USCCB, “Vocation and Discernment”:

 https://www.osv.com/TheChurch/Article/TabId/563/ArtMID/13751/ArticleID/11510/16-Questions-about-the-Eucharist.aspx]

"The joy of the Gospel, which makes us open to encountering God and our brothers and sisters, does not abide our slowness and our sloth.* It will not fill our hearts if we keep standing by the window with the excuse of waiting for the right time, without accepting this very day the risk of making a decision. Vocation is today! The Christian mission is now! Each one of us is called – whether to the lay life in marriage, to the priestly life in the ordained ministry, or to a life of special consecration – in order to become a witness of the Lord, here and now." [from MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR THE 2018 WORLD DAY OF VOCATIONS, 3 December 2017, First Sunday of Advent: 

https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/vocations/documents/papa-francesco_20171203_55-messaggio-giornata-mondiale-vocazioni.html]

Watch Bishop Robert Barron provide a succinct guide on discerning the priesthood with four helpful points.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdxYHfExkfo

* According to the Catechism: “acedia or spiritual sloth goes so far as to refuse the joy that comes from God and to be repelled by divine goodness.”  Catholic.com quotes Dorothy Sayers’ good explanation of sloth as "a sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die." Catholic Online goes on to say: “Sloth can masquerade as tolerance. It can also be very busy, but the activity of the slothful leads nowhere, simply marking time in a life that has no ultimate purpose. Many of the slothful end up in despair, a hopelessness that is distinct from clinical depression requiring medical attention.”  [from Catholic Online article:  “Seven Deadly Sins: Sloth or ‘Acedia’”: https://www.catholic.org/lent/story.php?id=32656]

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