Vocations
"Becoming a priest or a man or woman religious is not primarily our own decision.... Rather it is the response to a call and to a call of love." - Pope Francis, Address to Seminarians and Novices, July 6, 2013
Discernment for Men
Watch Bishop Robert Barron provide a succinct guide on discerning the priesthood with four helpful points.
Fishers of Men - film developed by the USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations to encourage men to answer the call to priesthood
DiocesanPriest.com - website to assist men in responding to the call to holiness and to answer the question: "Is God calling me to be a Catholic priest?"
Religious Brotherhood - website to assist men in discerning the call to a religious community
The Melchizedek Project - provides resources to help form discernment groups for young men in elementary, middle, high school, and college
VISION Vocation Network - provides resources for vocational discernment to religious life and societies of apostolic life
Discernment for Women
Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious - provides discernment resources and information on different religious communities for women
United States Association of Consecrated Virgins - provides information and resources for women discerning a vocation to consecrated virginity lived in the world
VISION Vocation Network - provides resources for vocational discernment to religious life and societies of apostolic life
National Vocation Awareness Week
National Vocation Awareness Week is an annual week-long celebration of the Catholic Church in the United States dedicated to promote vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life through prayer and education, and to renew our prayers and support for those who are considering one of these particular vocations. NVAW began in 1976 when the U. S. bishops designated the 28th Sunday of the year for NVAW. In 1997, this celebration was moved to coincide with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which falls on January 13 in 2013. Beginning in 2014, NVAW was moved to the first full week of November. The next National Vocation Awareness Week will be celebrated November 5-11, 2023.
Resources to Celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week
Additional Resources for Discernment
Suggested Prayers
Helpful Websites for Both Men and Women
- Contact Your Diocesan Vocation Director
- Suggested Reading List for Discerners
- How to Discern Your Vocation Infographic
- Official Vatican Website
- Religious Ministries
- United States Conference of Secular Institutes
- VISION Vocation Network
- National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors
- National Religious Vocation Conference
- Serra International
- Institute on Religious Life
- Cloistered Life
- Find a Retreat House