2025 Orientation Program for New Vocation Directors

Spring & Summer events

2025 Orientation Program for New Vocation Directors

July 9-13, 2025 on-site

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Workshop description

This foundational workshop is essential for all newly appointed vocation directors and teams. Its goal is to provide participants with the foundational skills, context, theory, challenges, and practicalities of contemporary vocation ministry. Topics will include accompaniment with inquirers, assessment of discerners, application and admission processes, vocation promotion, canon law, boundaries, animating vowed membership, relevant resources, current research, and establishing resiliency and promoting self-care of the vocation director.

Arrival and departure days/times

Please note this five-day workshop begins on July 9 at 9:00 a.m. and ends on July 13 at 4:30 p.m. CST. Overnight accommodations are included, with arrivals after 3 pm on July 8 and departures before 9 am on July 14. If you are registered for the next workshop, you do not have to check out, your room and meals are provided between workshops.

Venue

This workshop will be the first workshop available at our annual Summer Institute at the Marillac Center, in Leavenworth, KS. It is the home of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. The nearest airport is Kansas City (MCI) and ground transportation is available through Lyft, Uber, and Super Shuttle. The airport is 16 miles from the retreat center.

Liturgy

Eucharistic Liturgy for workshop participants will be offered each day at 8:00 a.m. in the Chapel, which includes Sunday Mass. All participants are invited to be Liturgical leaders for Mass.

Presenters

Sister Deborah M. Borneman, SS.C.M. began working for the NRVC in 2011 and presently serves as the Director of Mission Integration. A Sister of Saints Cyril and Methodius, she previously served as vocation director for her community and on her congregational leadership team. Sr. Debbie has ministerial experience in pastoral care, youth ministry, college campus ministry, and immigration advocacy. She has presented on various topics in vocation ministry in Ireland and throughout the United States. Sr. Debbie holds a Master of Divinity degree and a Master of Arts Degree in Pastoral Studies (Loyola University, Chicago).

Friar Mario L. Serrano, OFM Conv., has experienced fraternity locally and globally. As a Franciscan friar, he was privileged to have mission experiences in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Kenya, Mexico, and Zambia. His ability to speak Spanish gave him the unique experience of gathering with friars from around the world in Assisi for the 2019 and 2025 General Chapter as an English-Spanish translator. Before becoming the Province Secretary and Vocation Director for the Franciscan Friars Conventual, Province of Our Lady of Consolation, Friar Mario engaged in university ministry for 12 years in three different settings: at a Catholic University, a University Parish, and a Diocesan University Student Center.

Workshop fees

Workshop fees include materials, speaker stipends, facility fees, all meals, and breaks. The workshop fee also includes overnight accommodations for 6 nights, arriving after 3:00 p.m. on July 8 (the afternoon before the workshop begins) and checking out by 9:00 a.m. on July 14 (the morning after the workshop ends). If you are registered for the next workshop, you do not have to check out, your room and meals are provided between workshops.

NRVC member: $1,600 Non-member: $2,075

Become an NRVC member here to save on workshop fees.

Late fees

All workshop registrations received after June 30 incur a $100 late fee.

Cancellations

Cancellations for workshops must be received in writing to dinasp@nrvc.net before June 30 to receive a full refund minus a $100 processing fee. After June 30, all fees are non-refundable.

Financial assistance available

The Misericordia Scholarship Fund is available to assist NRVC members with their professional development. Scholarship funds can be applied to NRVC workshops; however, they do not cover the cost of transportation, accommodations, meals, or personal expenses. If you need financial assistance to attend an NRVC workshop, please apply here.

Workshop terms and conditions

Please read our NRVC terms and conditions for all events and programs.

“The Orientation Program went above and beyond my expectations. I believe it has given me a great starting point for the future of my ministry.”
--Brother Peter Lamick, C.S.V.

“I enjoyed meeting other members of religious congregations, learning best practices, and articulating our own, so that expectation was certainly met. The resource binder will certainly be valuable moving forward, especially as a reference to what is already implemented on a province level.”
--Father Dan Nevares, SJ

“Both Sr. Debbie and Fr. Adam are excellent speakers. The materials shared with us new Vocation Directors were perfect. I appreciated the sensitivity of their presentation and practical stories to make the information as clear as possible. Sr. Debbie and Fr. Adam also complemented one another with humor and respect.”
--Srister Kieran Williams, I.H.M.

“I came in with no expectations other than gaining pertinent information. This program not only provided a lot of information and resources, but it allowed for time to dialogue and form questions to take back to my community.”
--Mrs. Molly Hynes, representing
the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, TX

Workshops are designed from the NRVC curriculum for those who wish to deepen their understanding of the complex theological, spiritual, psycho-sexual, ethical, and diversity issues often present in contemporary vocation ministry. NRVC recommends that vocation ministers participate in ongoing educational opportunities to attend to their own vocation, faith formation, and to further develop their professional competencies.