year of consecrated life activity suggestions

franciscan brother Chris Kerstiens  cns bob roller

Franciscan Brother Chris Kerstiens stands outside San Jose Mission Church in Laguna, N.M. CNS Photo/Bob Roller

Suggestions for Dioceses and Parishes to Foster Vocations to Consecrated Life

  1. Invite a woman or a man (brother or priest) in consecrated life to be introduced to the congregation and to greet parishioners at the door of the church after Mass on days celebrating religious life such as the World Day for Consecrated Life or the World Day for Prayer for Vocations.
  2. Suggest that parishioners visit a monastery of cloistered monks or nuns to join in prayer or perhaps to make a spiritual retreat.
  3. Encourage members of the church to pray for vocations to religious life at the Prayer of the Faithful.
  4. Urge the diocesan vocations office to promote vocations to religious life.
  5. Commit resources for promotion of religious order sisters, brothers and priests.
  6. Provide space in diocesan newspapers and on websites for regular columns by religious about their ministries.
  7. Highlight religious profession of vows and jubilees in diocesan media.
  8. Educate seminarians and priests about the history and development of religious life in the Church and integrate these programs into the seminary curricula, post ordination formation and other venues to assure education about the place of religious life within the life of the Church.
  9. Sponsor diocesan adult education programs that teach about the role of religious in the Church.
  10. Host annual gatherings of young religious within the diocese and/or region.

 Suggestions for Families to Foster Vocations to Consecrated Life

  1. Pray for vocations to religious life as a family.
  2. Talk with a religious about her/his vocation.
  3. If your parish has a vocations committee, learn about their activities and participate in at least one program. If there is no vocation committee, work with other parishioners and the pastor to begin one.
  4. Discover a ministry in your area that is sponsored by a religious community and talk with the Mission Director about what makes this ministry unique. If possible, volunteer at the ministry site as a family.     
  5. Suggest to a single person in your parish the possibility of considering a religious vocation.
  6. Write a letter to your local bishop suggesting a Vocations Fair or Adoration Hour for vocations. Offer to help organize this.
  7. Make 10 minutes for silent reading of Sacred Scripture. Offer this time for the intention of those considering Consecrated Life.
  8. Pray in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament for the intention of vocations to the Consecrated Life.
  9. At grace before meals, add the following: “We ask, O Lord, that you let more men and women hear the call to serve you as a priest, brother or sister.  Amen.”
  10. At supper some night, tell family members about a religious who has meant something to you, perhaps someone you met in school, in the hospital, in the parish or elsewhere.