From left to right are the newly elected NRVC board members: Sisters Gayle Lwanga Crumbley, R.G.S.; Anna Marie Espinosa, I.W.B.S.; Anita Quigley S.H.C.J.; and Mr. Mark McGuthrie, M.C.A.

The NRVC board has elected four new members to begin serving in October 2014: Sisters Gayle Lwanga Crumbley, R.G.S.; Anna Marie Espinosa, I.W.B.S.; Anita Quigley S.H.C.J.; and Mr. Mark McGuthrie, M.C.A.

The new board members bring a wide range of experience in vocation ministry and organizational development. Sister Gayle Lwanga Crumbley, R.G.S. has belonged to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd since 1988. She has worked in education and parish ministry, and since 2002 has been national coordinator for the National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, which lobbies at the federal level in support of her congregation's ministries. She has also been active in the National Black Sisters' Conference since 1988.

Sister Anna Marie Espinosa, I.W.B.S. is vocation director for the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament. She has worked for much of her religious life in school administration and fundraising. In addition, she has served on various committees and commissions for her community. Sister Anna Marie has also been active in the Religious Formation Conference, including helping to host one of its national conferences.

Sister Anita Quigley, S.H.C.J. has been vocation director of the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus since 2012. Prior to that, she was a member of the Province Leadership Team for six years. Sister Anita worked for many years as a guidance counselor and school supervisor.

Mr. Mark McGuthrie, M.C.A. is vocation director for the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity. Married and a father of five, he belongs to the lay group connected to the community, Missionary Cenacle Apostolate. Mark has a background both in business administration and marketing and in pastoral work, including experience in cross cultural settings.

The World Day of Prayer for Vocations will take place May 11, and NRVC encourages members to have their communities pray for the NRVC by using its Jubilee Prayer, which can be downloaded here.

The theme for World Day of Prayer for Vocations is "Vocations: Witness to the Truth," and Pope Francis' message can be read here.

The U.S. bishops offer resources for commemorating the day here.

On the rooftop of the offices of the French bishops' conference in Paris are Xavière Sister Nathalie Becquart; Brother Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C.; Patrice Tuohy; and Dom Jean-Pierre Longeat, O.S.B.

NRVC and VISION forged closer ties with French efforts to promote vocations during a meeting in Paris on April 16.

NRVC Executive Director Brother Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C. and VISION Executive Editor Patrice Tuohy met in Paris with Xavière Sister Nathalie Becquart, director of the Office for Youth Evangelization and Vocations for the Conférence des Évêques de France (the French Bishops' Conference), and Dom Jean-Pierre Longeat, O.S.B., president of CORREF, the French Conference for Major Superiors.

"The warm welcome NRVC and VISION received led to a very fruitful discussion on ways our organizations can collaborate," said Patrice Tuohy.  

A main impetus for the meeting is that VISION Vocation Network receives visits from several thousand French speakers each year, at least 1,500 from discerners based in France. Plans that stemmed from the meeting include:

• A news feed from the French conference's vocations website will be added to VISION's French language homepage. Several trial community listings from French communities may also be added to the homepage.
• NRVC will share survey questions from its 2009 Study on Recent Vocations as the French prepare their own vocation study.
• In addition there was a commitment to explore collaborative efforts to promote vocations during the 2015 Year of Consecrated Life.

At the most recent “Next Steps” meeting were, back row, from left: Sister Miriam Ukeritis, C.S.J.; Sister Anita Quigley, S.H.C.J.; Sister Patricia McCarthy, C.N.D.; Sister Mary Johnson, S.N.D.deN.; Brother Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C.; and Sister Debbie Borneman, SS.C.M. In the front row, from left are: Sister Margaret Ormond, O.P.; Sister Charlene Diorka, S.S.J.; Sister Maria Therese Healy, O.Carm.; and Sister Kieran Foley, F.S.E.

The "Next Steps in Hope" planning committee met April 4 in Washington D.C. to refine the priorities and concrete action steps developed at its original February gathering. The group's efforts are aimed at promoting new membership to women’s congregations. Three participants in the Next Steps program were also invited to join the day's discussion: Sisters Charlene Diorka, S.S.J., Patricia McCarthy, C.N.D., and Anita Quigley, S.H.C.J. The results of this meeting will be presented to the NRVC board for further consideration.

The Vatican has begun to schedule events related to the Year of Consecrated Life.  NRVC will share details as more information becomes available about the following events.

Jan. 22-24, 2015
Meeting of Catholic consecrated religious men and women and consecrated religious from other Christian traditions (to be held during the week of Christian unity)

During the second week of April, 2015
Conference for religious formation from around the world

Sept. 23-26, 2015
Event for young men and women in discernment and in the process of joining religious orders

Dec. 18-21, 2015
Separate meetings for members of monastic orders and of secular institutes of consecrated life

Jan. 28 - Feb. 1, 2016
Theological symposium on religious life

Editorial Board members at the April 11 meeting, from left to right, are: Sisters Mary Rowell, C.S.J.;  Susan Francois, C.S.J.P.; Virginia Herbers, A.S.C.J.; Father Adam MacDonald, S.V.D.; publications editor Carol Schuck Scheiber; Brother Tom Wendorf, S.M.; and Father Chris Gibson, C.P.  Members Andrew O'Connell of Ireland and Sister Cathy Jones, R.A. of England contributed their ideas via Skype prior to the meeting.

The NRVC Editorial Board gathered at the NRVC offices in Chicago on April 11 to  brainstorm ideas for HORIZON. The Spring edition of HORIZON, due out this month, will feature articles on lay vocation directors. The Summer edition will carry the presentations given at the "Men Religious Moving Forward in Hope" events held this past winter.

This 30-minute, six chapter DVD features eight energetic newer members sharing what attracts and sustains them in religious life. Consider using this DVD with your membership, in schools and parishes, or with employees at your sponsored ministries.  You might show a five-minute chapter and then share your own lived experience to engage your audience in discussion. With a low member price of only $10, you can donate it to libraries with your contact information attached. Non-member price is $15. Order it here.

"Orientation to Vocation Ministry" will be offered July 14-18 as part the NRVC Summer Institute at the DePaul University campus in downtown Chicago. 

This workshop is intended for new and recently appointed vocation directors. Its goal is to provide participants with the skills, context, theory, challenges, and practicalities of contemporary vocation ministry. Topics include: theology of call; candidate issues; discernment, assessment and the application process; the role of membership and religious leadership; advertising and education; ethics and boundaries; and self-care of the vocation director. Click here for details and registration.

Father Daniel J. Ward, O.S.B and Mr. Miguel Naranjo

The day-long workshop, "Vocation Ministry and the Issues of Civil, Canon, and Immigration Law," will be offered  November 6 at the Marriott Hotel at O'Hare, Chicago prior to the NRVC convocation. The presenters are Father Daniel J. Ward, O.S.B., who holds degrees in theology, canon, and civil law and is former executive director of the Resource Center for Religious Institutes, and Mr. Miguel Naranjo, director of the Religious Immigration Services section of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network.

This workshop will examine areas of the law that pertain to vocation ministry. Topics to be covered include: assessment policies and record keeping; internal vs. external forum in can­didate assessment; policies and practices regarding a candidate’s financial assets; salary and tax issues during the formation period; special issues regarding older, widowed, and divorced candidates; re-admission and community transfers.

The afternoon session will focus on immigration law: working and discerning with foreign-born candidates, clarification of key immigration terms, documentation and tracking immigration status, long-term immigration planning, and legal responsibilities of the religious institute and the candidate.

For details, download the convocation booklet here. To register, click here.

The Institute of Religious Formation (IRF) at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago is accepting applications for the 2014-15 academic year. The IRF prepares men and women for the ministry of formation. The program is set in the context of a formation community and offers a comprehensive, spiritual, collaborative, intellectual, and experiential approach to understanding formation. With more than 1,700 alumni, the IRF is a leading source for formation ministry preparation. For more information, visit here.

In addition, the Hesburgh Sabbatical Program at Catholic Theological Union is accepting applications for the fall 2014 and spring 2015 sabbatical programs. Each semester is a 15-week program featuring an array of learning modules focusing on four key areas of continuing education: intellectual, pastoral, human, and spiritual. With more than 2,000 alumni, the Hesburgh Sabbatical has been providing renewal for clergy, religious, and lay ministers for more than three decades. Learn more here.

Lastly, men religious within the first five years of completing formation are invited to take part in "Ministry: the First Five Years," a workshop to be held June 2-5 at Catholic Theological Union. The workshop is designed for newer priests and brothers to share the triumphs and trials of their early ministry experiences, including a look at identity, supportive relationships, and the changing face of religious life. For more information, contact: Brother Paul Michalenko, S.T. at (773) 371-5481 or pmichalenko@ctu.edu.

An excellent newsletter will reflect well on your community.

A newsletter can be a great way to stay in touch with your vocation contacts. Here are five ways to make yours the best it can be.

1. Keep it short. Ideally, articles should not be longer than a few hundred words. Use bullet points to list your main ideas.

2. Use images. They attract attention to your words, and they carry impact. One photo of a joyful-looking member communicates more than a thousand words about the joy of religious life.

3. Keep your audience in mind. Use language they understand, and write about the things on their minds: prayer tips, advice on decision-making, short features about your members. A strict focus on a single group of readers--such as vocation contacts--is better than a mixed readership that includes donors, graduates of your schools, or former ministry clientele. A singular audience helps you stay focused and keeps you relevant.

4. Recycle content. If you have good material on your website, or a member has published a book of short meditations, or another member has good photos of her ministry, make use of these resources. Repackage them with an eye for what interests your newsletter readers. 

How long have you been involved in vocation ministry?
Seven years, but this is my last year.

Are you part of a team?
I'm full-time, and I have a half-time assistant, Friar Andy Martinez, O.F.M. Conv., who is responsible for the Southwest.

Has being a member of NRVC been helpful to you?
NRVC is one of the most helpful organizations I've ever been a part of. Beginning with the workshops offered to train new vocation directors, NRVC provides continuing professional development, vocation resources, networking and promotion of vocations, particularly through VISION.

What has been your best outreach effort?
The best outreach effort continues to be the relationships that friars cultivate with eligible men. But more and more, our digital presence becomes important. We currently have an online presence with Vision Vocation Match, as well as our own order's website, www.Franciscans.org, and our individual province website, www.franciscansusa.org. We recently took out a Facebook ad and are still waiting to see the effectiveness of that. One very helpful thing has been to coordinate the vocation promotion of all the Conventual Franciscan provinces in North America so we work together to promote our common life.

Do you have any words of wisdom to those who are new to this ministry?
Recognize that it is ultimately the Holy Spirit that moves the hearts of people to give their lives in service to the church, not our efforts. The role of the vocation director is to take advantage of every possible method to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in promoting the community charism, but as long as we're working faithfully, we shouldn't take too much pride in large numbers of vocation prospects, nor take it personally when the numbers are not so large. Be faithful to your own calling, and the rest will follow.