Mission and Support
Mission and Support
The National Religious Vocation Conference has a vision to set the world ablaze with the fire of God’s love through the prophetic, joyful witness of religious sisters, brothers, and priests as radical disciples of Jesus.
The National Religious Vocation Conference is a catalyst for vocation discernment and the full flourishing of religious life as sisters, brothers, and priests for the ongoing transformation of the world.
To accomplish its mission, the National Religious Vocation Conference, in collaboration with its members and strategic partners, provides professional development, advocacy, education, resources, and networking opportunities to support vocation ministry and religious life.
In presenting religious life as a viable, prophetic option that remains mystery and gift, the NRVC seeks to:
The National Religious Vocation Conference is a professional organization of vocation ministers that promotes vocation awareness, invitation, and discernment to life as a religious sister, brother, or priest. NRVC reflects all forms of religious life and provides educational opportunities, resources, and other supportive services for spiritual, professional, and personal growth. NRVC has an annual membership of nearly 1,000 women and men representing over 300 religious institutes, organizations and dioceses, most of whom are vocation ministers for religious congregations.
NRVC's Global Reach infographic
National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC)
5416 South Cornell Avenue
Chicago, IL 60615-5664
Phone: 773.363.5454
Email: nrvc@nrvc.net
Click here to see a map showing where we are located.
We are pleased to announce the publication of the Religious Life Today Storymap based on the NRVC's 2020 Study on Recent Vocations. The Religious Life Today Storymap brings the research to life and we hope to inspire broad engagement around the results of this Study.
Please be assured of the viability of religious life today.
As you scroll through the features of the storymap, we hope you will experience renewed hope in the future of religious life.
For more information contact
Phil Loftus, Director of Development
ploftus@nrvc.net
The National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC) is pleased to announce that a generous grant recently received from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Catholic Sisters Initiative will support ongoing efforts toward the achievement of two major objectives from its 2019-2023 strategic plan.
The first objective is to create sustainable solutions to challenges in the organizational structure and financial model needed to build for the future of NRVC in its leadership, mission, and vision. The NRVC Board and staff will commit to operational and strategic decision-making criteria to integrate the new team leadership model for its national Board and staff with standards of accountability in its Articles of Incorporation, Constitution, Bylaws, Board Manual, and Member Area Coordinator Binder.
The second objective is to continue to offer lifelong formation and education for Catholic sisters that fosters spiritual renewal and leadership skill-building. As part of the grant, the NRVC invited 35 newer entrants, 61 elected congregational leaders, and 10 collaborators to its bi-ennial Convocation in October 2020. In additiona, 51 Abundant Hope videos were recorded by newer entrants on how they experience intercultural and intergenerational vowed life.
Through the Conrad N. Hilton grant, the NRVC is extending invitations to members of the following collaborating organizations to participate in Summer and Fall Institute workshops: Association of Latin American Missionary Sisters, Giving Voice, National Black Sisters Conference, and the National Conference of Vicars for Religious.
For more information about the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation grant, please email Sister Deborah Borneman, SS.C.M. at debbiesscm@nrvc.net.
The National Religious Vocation Conference is delighted to announce that the board of directors of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation has awarded NRVC a $2 million dollar grant to continue to build the organization’s capacity and sustainability. This generous grant will provide NRVC with additional personnel, the ability to create an effective development program, resources for the Year of Consecrated Life, and other important vocation-promotion services over the next three years (2014-16). Further details are here.
Published on: 2014-06-19
Updated on: 2020-05-19
The GHR Foundation awarded a $200,000 grant to the National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC) to provide extensive data mining and visual display of the responses to its 2020 Study on Recent Vocations, to be released in Spring 2020, which the GHR Foundation also helped fund.
With the goal of helping vocation directors in their ministry and using the most current data-mining and story-mapping software, NRVC will gather information on the newest entrants to religious life to create a vivid portrait of the characteristics, influences, and touch points that help shape the individual vocation journeys of men and women who chose to become Catholic religious sisters, brothers, and priests.
NRVC Development Director Mr. Phil Loftus recognizes this major gift “not only as an investment in NRVC, but as a commitment to using the latest technology to capture and share a fuller picture of religious life today. We are very grateful to GHR Foundation for their continued support of our mission."
NRVC hopes that the data-mapping program to be developed will have a broader application among religious communities and dioceses in creating up-to-date information about contemporary men and women religious and the ministries where they serve and the people whose lives are enhanced by their work.
The National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC) was founded in 1988 as a professional organization of men and women committed to vocation awareness, invitation, and discernment to consecrated life as brothers, sisters, and priests. The NRVC serves its 1,000 members by providing continuing education, resources, and services for professional growth. The National Religious Vocation Conference serves as a catalyst for vocation discernment and the full flourishing of religious life as sisters, brothers, and priests for the ongoing transformation of the world.
GHR Foundation applies entrepreneurial creativity and universal Catholic values in the areas of health, education, and global development. Started in 1965 by Opus founders Gerald A. and Henrietta Rauenhorst, the Foundation seeks transformational change, and partners with the world’s experts to achieve impact. This results in a powerful exchange of ideas, and a community of thought leaders providing locally-driven solutions. GHR is anchored with a belief in responsibility, action, and the knowledge that we are all deeply connected. Despite global challenges, GHR meets each task with entrepreneurial optimism because the Foundation has seen the impact of strategic, thoughtful change.
NRVC has traditionally enjoyed the collaboration and support of other national organizations within the Church. The groups featured include those organizations or focus groups whose concerns, projects, and events are consistent with the NRVC mission, vision, and goals. Any other organization seeking a collaborative relationship with NRVC must submit a request in writing. All requests will be reviewed and a decision will be made by the National Board.
The Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM) through the leadership of the religious institutes, monastic communities, and societies of apostolic life, addresses the life and concerns of the members of the institutes and societies in the United States, and the evangelizing mission of the institutes, monasteries and societies in the context of church and culture in this country. NRVC actively participates in the Brothers Think Tank and Formation Committee. Sister Debbie attends the CMSM annual assembly.
The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apstolic Life (CICLSAL) is the congregationo of the Roman Curia responsible for everything which concerns Institutes of Consecrated Life of both women and men, as well as secular institutes and Societies of Apostolic Life, regarding their government, discipline, studies, good, rights and privileges. NRVC was invited to meet with CICLSAL at the Vatican in Rome in 2015.
The mission of the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR) is to establish an effective collaboration among major superiors; to cooperate closely with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and with individual Bishops; and to nurture “a renewed appreciation of the deeper theological reasons for this special form of consecration.
The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) is an association of the leaders of congregations of Catholic women religious in the United States. The conference has more than 1350 members, who represent nearly 80 percent of women religious in the United States. Founded in 1956, LCWR assists its members to collaboratively carry out their service of leadership to further the mission of the Gospel in today’s world. Sister Debbie attends the LCWR annual assembly.
The National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors (NCDVD) promotes diocesan priesthood, providing resources for the formation, support, and advocacy of diocesan vocation directors as they work within the Catholic Church to foster a culture of vocations, raising up new priests for the Body of Christ. Sister Debbie attends the NCDVD annual conference.
The Religious Formation Conference (RFC) is a national Roman Catholic organization serving religious institutes of women and men with programs and services for those in the ministry of initial and lifelong formation, and general congregational membership. Sister Debbie attends the RFC biennial Congress.
The Resource Center for Religious Institutes (RCRI) serves its member institutes by providing integrated education, advocacy, consultation and collaborative initiatives to support religious institutes in meeting their current and emerging stewardship responsibilities. Mr. Phil Loftus and Mrs. Maureen Cetera attend the annual conference.
The USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations seeks to foster and encourage the various forms of consecrated life in the Church today. These diverse forms include: Monastic Life, the Orders of Virgins, Hermits, and Institutes completely devoted to contemplation, Apostolic Religious Life, Secular Institutes, Societies of Apostolic Life, and new or renewed forms of the consecrated life (cf. Vita Consecrata, 6-12). Sister Debbie attends the annual USCCB CCLV meeting in November.
A Nun’s Life Ministry helps people discover and grow in their vocation by engaging questions about God, faith, and religious life. A Nun’s Life Ministry is founded on the belief that each person is called by God to a vocation that enriches the individual and the world.
The mission of the Catholic Campus Ministry Association (CCMA) is to be the voice and promote the mission of the Church among its students in higher education by empowering campus ministers through formation, networking and resources.
Embracing the Gospel value of welcoming the stranger, CLINIC promotes the dignity and protects the rights of immigrants in partnership with a dedicated network of Catholic and community immigration legal programs. Marge Argyelan is the NRVC liaison for CLINIC.
The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) is a national, non-profit, Georgetown University affiliated research center that conducts social scientific studies about the Catholic Church. The mission of CARA is to: increase the Church's self understanding; to serve the applied research needs of Church decision-makers; and to advance scholarly research on religion, particularly Catholicism.
The Communicators for Women Religious (CWR) is a professional organization of personnel responsible for communications within religious congregations of women. Their mission is to be a network of professional support and education for members who promote understanding of women religious, enhance their image and advance their mission. Carol Scheiber is the NRVC liaison to CWR.
The Mission of the Mexican American Catholic College is to empower and educate leaders for service in a culturally diverse church and society. The Mexican American Catholic College is an independent, Catholic institution of higher learning.
The National Conference of Vicars for Religious serves individuals who are appointed by their diocesan bishops to provide pastoral services to men and women who are members of religious institutes and other forms of consecrated life.
The mission of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) is to support and strengthen those who accompany young people as they encounter and follow Jesus Christ. Sister Debbie attends the NFCYM annual membership meeting in February.
The Religious Brothers Conference (RBC) is a service organization in the Catholic Church. The mission of the RBC is to promote an awareness of the calling of Brothers in the Church and society. Mr. Phil Loftus attended the Religious Brothers Conference in July 2019.
NRVC is grateful to the following foundations and benefactors for their generous financial support to advance the mission of NRVC to be a a catalyst for vocation discernment and the full flourishing of religious life as sisters, brothers, and priests for the ongoing transformation of the world.
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is a family foundation established in 1944 by the man who started Hilton Hotels. We provide funds to nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people throughout the world.
Founded in 1965 by Gerald and Henrietta Rauenhorst, GHR collaborates with a community of thought leaders to exchange ideas and locally-driven solutions, anchored in responsibility and the knowledge that we are all deeply connected. With our partners, we meet each challenge with creativity and optimism because we have seen the impact possible through design-build philanthropy.
The J.S. Paluch Company Inc. is dedicated to serving Catholic parishes and organizations as well as local and national church bulletin advertisers throughout the United States. The J.S. Paluch's National Vocations Awareness Division (NVAD) promotes vocation awareness through a fully-funded annual seminar for leaders in diocesan and religious vocation ministry, collaboration with vocation directors, vocation prayers in calendar and periodical publications, and media support.
Center for the Study of Consecrated Life
Institute for Religious Formation
National Black Sisters Conference
NRVC has members in 20 countries and values an intercultural and global approach to vocation ministry to promote all of religious life. The following national vocation offices collaborate with NRVC on a consistent basis. NRVC workshop participants often include international vocation ministers from English speaking countries.
In the Year for Consecrated Life in 2015, NRVC hosted an international vocation conference in Rome and the following organizations sent representatives:
Sister Viviana M. Ballarin, O.P., Vice-President of the Union of the European Conferences of Major Superiors, Brussels
Sister Nathalie Becquart, Xav., Director, National Service for the Evangelization of Youth and for Vocations, Bishops’ Conference of France, Paris
Brother Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C., NRVC Executive Director, Chicago
Sister Deborah M. Borneman, SS.C.M.,NRVC Director of Member Relations and Services, Chicago
Father Anthony Cox, S.S.C., Executive Officer, Catholic Vocations Ministry Australia (CVMA), Essendon, Victoria, Australia
Sister Nanise Degei, S.D.N., President, Religious Leadership Conference, South Pacific Islands, Fiji
Sister Gabrielle Farrell, O.L.A., Executive Board Member, Vocations Ireland, Dublin
Father David Kinnear Glenday, M.C.C.J., General Secretary, Union of Superiors General (USG), Rome
Brother Ronald Hingle, S.C., NRVC Executive Board Chair, New Orleans
Father Christopher Jamison, O.S.B., Director, National Office for Vocation, Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, London
Sister Katharina Kluitmann, O.S.F., Provincial Minister, board member of Religious Leadership Conference, committee member of German Bishops’ Conference for Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Laity, Münster, Germany
Father Hank Lemoncelli, O.M.I., English-language Official, Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Vatican City
Sister Patricia Murray, I.B.V.M., General Secretary, International Union of Superiors General (UISG), Rome
Mr. Brad Myers, Senior Program Officer, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Agoura Hills, California, U.S.A.
Sister Lusiana Raratini, D.O.L.C., Delegate, Congregational Leaders Conference, Aotearoa-New Zealand (CLCANZ), Wellington
Sister Mary Rowell, C.S.J., President, National Association of Vocation and Formation Directors, Toronto
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