Theology of Vocation

Theology of Vocation

Theology of Vocation

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"Here I am!" Call in the Old Testament

By Dianne Bergant C.S.A.

The stories of Moses, Deborah, Jeremiah and Esther reveal much about how and why God calls human beings. Read more...

Theology of vocation from a liturgical perspective

By Gil Ostdiek O.F.M.

Call and response lie at the heart of liturgy. In that respect, and others, liturgy and vocation have much in common. Read more...

Call and commission in the New Testament

By Jerome Neyrey S.J.

The vocation stories of Jesus, the apostles and Paul are rich with meaning. Read more...

Theology of vocation through the centuries

By Paul Holland S.J.

As the church and culture have changed, so, too, has the way we’ve understood “vocation.” Read more...

Vocation as a lifelong, personal adventure for every Christian

By Archbishop Jean-Louis Brugués OP

God’s calling may come early; it is very personal; and it needs to be confirmed by others in the church. Our lives are an adventure spent plumbing the depths of that call. Read more...

Overcoming the influence of consumerism on vocation

By Edward P. Hahnenberg

Consumer culture—with its emphasis on choice—colors our perception of everything, including faith and vocation. However, we can combat this commodification and sharpen our discernment of God’s call by engaging in Christian practices. Read more...

What do the popes say about vocation?

By Fr. Brendan Leahy

For 48 years, the church has celebrated an annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Each year the pope offers a message. What themes have those messages stressed, and what kind of theology of vocation do they offer? Read more...

Exploring images of God during discernment

Exploring images of God during discernment

By Fr. Harry Hagan O.S.B. and Carol Schuck Scheiber

The way we envision God affects our vocational discernment, and simply talking about those images deepens our theology. Here are ideas on exploring this rich venue. Read more...

Same God, different ways to love

Same God, different ways to love

By Father Timothy Radcliffe O.P.

The vocations of marriage and consecrated life are complementary. Each is rooted in God’s love and reflects different dimensions of that love. Read more...

Jesus' deep invitations to contemporary religious life

By Father Ronald Rolheiser O.M.I.

We can only call others—and attract others—to this life when we live it with compassion and self sacrifice. Read more...

What Vocation Shortage?

By Russell Shaw

Despite all the talk about a vocation shortage, there is in fact no such thing in the Catholic Church. The real shortage is that of vocational discernment, and that is a very different problem. Read more...

Vocation

By Craig Dykstra

In 1999, Lilly Endowment launched the first round of its grants initiative on “The Theological Exploration of Vocation.” By late 2002, at the end of three rounds of funding, 88 church-related colleges and universities all across the country had received grants to enable them to mount programs focused on this theme. Read more...

Book notes: Emerging theologians offer insights

Book notes: Emerging theologians offer insights

By Sr. Judith Schaefer OP

The dense reading in this book gives way to valuable insights for those who work with future church ministers. Read more...

Book notes: Sorting out the complexity of vocation

Book notes: Sorting out the complexity of vocation

By Sister Judith Schaefer O.P.

The reader can quickly see that “vocation,” in a general sense, and in particular realities, offers more questions than answers. Read more...

NRVC Vocation Vocabulary

In our Judeo-Christian tradition, we know by heart the scripture stories of call and countless vocation stories of Catholic women and men who have been inspired by the Spirit to answer God’s call to discipleship through vowed communal life as sisters, nuns, brothers, priests, monks and friars, in religious institutes that are apostolic, cloistered, evangelical, missionary, monastic or societies of apostolic life. Read more...

The vocation encounter: ministry at the Beautiful Gate

The vocation encounter: ministry at the Beautiful Gate

By Father Kevin DePrinzio O.S.A.

Listening to the stories of people’s lives. Telling our own. These encounters can stretch us and open us to God’s action. Read more...

Participating in our own abundance

Participating in our own abundance

By Sister Sarah Kohles O.S.F.

How we frame our thoughts about this moment in religious life affects the vitality of communities and ministry. Beginning with a sense of abundance can create a ripple effect. Read more...

A quick guide to Catholic teaching on vocation

A quick guide to Catholic teaching on vocation

By Cardinal Vincent Nichols

Catholic teaching on vocation begins with God as the source of every vocation, goes on to see the Trinitarian root to each vocation, and leads each individual toward missionary discipleship. Read more...

Discipleship: The key to vocations

Discipleship: The key to vocations

By Sherry Weddell

The more our church helps form committed disciples, the more that Catholics will be ready to fully live their vocations. Read more...

Book notes: A hopeful, if undefined, view of refounding

Book notes: A hopeful, if undefined, view of refounding

By Sr. Judith Schaefer OP

One of O’Murchu’s strongest ideas is his reclaiming of the purpose of religious life as “our allegiance to the new reign of God.” O’Murchu proposes a new phrase to describe this priority—the Companionship of Empowerment. Read more...

Our witness to communion

Our witness to communion

By Sister Mary Pellegrino C.S.J.

Consecrated life, at its heart, is meant to give witness to our union with God and with each other. Read more...

HORIZON Fall 2024 ...

This edition focuses on discernment, particularly how vocation ministers can accompany ... More

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World Day for Consecrated Life ...

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Sister Jenny Wilson, R.S.M.

Sister Jenny Wilson, R.S.M.

Short-term volunteer stints have proven to be a good way for Sister Jenny Wilson, R.S.M. to get to know women who might consider religious life. Building a relationship with people is key, she says, and the volunteer experience allows time for that. Read more...

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