Strategic Planning for Vocation Culture

In my years as executive director of NRVC, there are two questions that I’m asked most often. What signs of hope do you see regarding the future of religious life? And which communities are attracting new members? This article will attempt to answer the second question, and in doing so may shed some light on the first one as well. Read more...

What would American Catholic life be like if vocations were a high priority in every parish, school and Catholic institution? In the following article, Bishop Robert J. Carlson reflects upon what a “culture of vocations” would mean for our church. Read more...

What has taken place in thought and action since the North American church gathered in Montreal for the 2002 Continental Congress on Vocations? Read more...

Young adult communities and a year-long discernment program: these are just two examples of creative ministry aimed at fostering a vocation culture. Read more...

A true sense of mission will attract people ready for more than a casual commitment. Read more...

The internal “vocations culture” of a community has huge significance. Learn how to assess and build a culture that attracts and retains new members. Read more...

Communities can forge a future if they can let go of the past, explore new options, and embrace fresh ways of attracting the young. Read more...

Reflecting on this title and its reality in the life of a vocation director reminds me of a T-shirt I see around Minnesota during the summer. A shirt covered with golf clubs says, “So many clubs and so little time. Read more...

A young monk was called upon by his superior to give an accounting of his meager efforts as the vocation director of his community. His answer, well rehearsed, was this: “The Lord didn't ask us to count his sheep, he asked us to feed them. Read more...

This strategic plan for vocations was created through a one-year process of consultation with membership of the Philadelphia-based Eastern Province of the Congregation of the Mission (commonly known as the Vincentians). The impetus for developing the plan came during a province-wide convocation to discuss community renewal and vocations spearheaded by a newly-elected provincial. Read more...

As with most communities, it took time to create this strategic plan for the English speaking North American provinces of the Congregation of Notre Dame. In 1996, the worldwide congregation of CNDs chose vocations as one of their “directions” during a general chapter. Read more...

The Crosier’s strategic plan grew out of a former recruitment plan the office had been using and out of a decision at a provincial chapter to make the “quality and care of Crosier life” a priority. After the chapter the provincial asked province department heads to develop strategic plans for their respective ministries. Read more...

Our community uses a process for planning that centers on asking two basic questions around an issue: why do we want this, and what’s stopping us from achieving it? By answering these questions we can formulate a goal map. Certain pieces of this map are chosen for special focus, realizing that we cannot attend to all these needs or issues during any one year. Read more...

In preparation for a provincial chapter of the Dominican Friars of the Central Province, chapter delegates, with the support of leadership, proposed having a commission specifically dedicated to planning for vocation promotion. The vocations commission prepared a strategic plan, which was then revised and approved by the membership during the chapter. Read more...

The Toledo Province of the Sisters of Notre Dame decided to create a five year plan-including a significant section on vocations-following a general chapter of their international congregation. At the chapter, the sisters designated “to build vibrant communities for the sake of mission” as one of their three goals for a six-year period. Read more...

This operating plan was developed in 1998 once the Adorers decided to make vocations a major priority. The plan has been updated annually since then. Read more...

When the Felician Sisters surveyed communities that had substantial numbers of young adults entering, they learned plenty about best practices in vocation ministry. Read more...

Strategic planning can help your community to develop its strengths and focus its resources so vocation ministry has greater impact. Read more...

Strategic planning helped this vocation director to focus her energies where they count. Read more...

These best practices were gleaned from the results of the NRVC-CARA study of new members released in 2009. See nrvc.net/best_practices to read the full report. Read more...

Let's believe in a future for our congregations and make vocation ministry a top priority. Read more...

Want to leave gracefully when it’s time to go? Try these tips from someone who has been there. Read more...

The end of June, 2002 may hold no special significance for most people, but for me it meant the end of my 10 years as executive director of the National Religious Vocation Conference. Before I left I was invited to write about my observations, gleanings, learnings and projections. Read more...

What are the essential elements to include when planning for a vocation program? How do you determine strategies to help you reach your goals? How can you create a plan that you are able to accomplish and that also is energizing? Read more...

Click here to download a pdf of "Developing a Vision and Plan for Vocation Ministry" form. Read more...

Click here to see a pdf of "NRVC National Action Plan." Read more...

A strategic plan for communications can help vocation directors be more focused and effective. Read more...

The three of us decided we had two choices: do nothing and ultimately die as a province or do something. We decided to do something. Read more...