U.S. religious communities are experiencing a subtle disconnect when it comes to welcoming new members who are not from the dominant race and culture. Leaders and vocation ministers tend to be more open to receiving diverse members than are other community members. That is one of several key findings in the 2014 study, “Incorporating Cultural Diversity in Religious Life,” which was released in October 2014 by the National Religious Vocation Conference. On behalf of NRVC the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate surveyed the leaders of all 835 religious institutes in the country, of which 42 percent responded.

NRVC commissioned the study to learn from leaders about the policies and procedures communities use and the experiences they have had with the formation and integration of culturally diverse candidates. The full report on the study is online here.

Asked to name what they have done well to integrate culturally diverse new members, leaders reported four steps: 1) having bilingual formation staff; 2) having multicultural formation communities; 3) establishing formation houses in other countries; and 4) educating membership in cultural understanding.

Although the study focused on cultural concerns during formation, given an open-ended question about what their biggest formation concerns are, leaders reported concerns linked to age. New members often lack age-peers, and (with fewer religious still in the workforce) communities have difficulty maintaining a formation staff.

The study was commissioned by NRVC and underwritten by an anonymous grant. The full study can be downloaded or viewed. The two-page summary can be downloaded or viewed.

The compendium video below is a compilation of input from communities around the country on the challenges, benefits, and best practices for incorporating cultural diversity into religious life.

More than 300 people from throughout the country and beyond will gather in Chicago November 6-10 for the 25th convocation of the National Religious Vocation Conference.

If you have last-minute questions or concerns, please feel free to contact NRVC: Sister Debbie Borneman, SS.C.M. at 773-363-5454 or debbiesscm@nrvc.net.

Two things you may want to plan for in advance are tipping the service staff (porters and room maids, who, as service laborers, rely on this additional income) and contributing to the collection that will take place at the final liturgy. The monies collected at the final Mass will go to the Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation, pbmr.org. This is a ministry of the Precious Blood men and women religious operating on Chicago's South Side to promote reconciliation in an environment where poverty, gangs, and violence are prevalent.

Thank you convocation sponsors!

NRVC takes this opportunity to thank the organizations whose generous assistance has made the convocation possible. They include:

• Christian Brothers Services for the sponsorship of keynote speaker Father Bernhard Eckerstorfer, O.S.B.

• Dominican Sisters of Peace for its contribution to Sunday’s coffee and tea break.

• Guest House for sponsoring the following two workshops: Discernment and Male Spirituality and Self-care: Achieving Balance and Avoiding Burnout.

• J.S. Paluch Company and World Library Publications for sponsoring Friday evening’s concert.

• Paluch Family Foundation for its contribution to the Opening Reception.

• Praesidium, Inc. for the sponsorship of Dr. Mary Gautier and our panel presenters.

• Presence Health for the sponsorship of keynote speakers Sister Theresa Rickard, O.P. and Sister Colleen Mary Mallon, O.P.

• Saint John Vianney Center for its contribution to Sunday’s coffee and tea break.

• Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth

• Sisters of St. Francis of the Immaculate Conception for providing our convocation centerpieces.

• Society of Mary (Marianists) for our Thursday and Friday coffee and tea breaks.

• TrueQuest Communications for its contribution to the Opening Reception.

National Vocation Awareness Week, November 2-8, is an opportunity to celebrate and promote ordained and vowed vocations. Dioceses, parishes, and religious communities honor vocations this week in many forms, including holy hours, homilies, prayers for the faithful, post-communion talks, etc. Some resources:

VISION Vocation Network articles on prayer & discernment; Vocation Calendar of Events--remember to post your upcoming events there; sample homiles; vocation prayers; and more.

U.S. bishops: prayers, videos, homilies, and more

Serra USA: liturgy planning guide, Spanish materials, etc.

NRVC resources for purchase: such as Year of Consecrated Life banner, video of young religious, prayer cards, Spanish materials, etc.

Education/awareness resources: for parish and classroom

Vocation song, "Wake the World with Dawning Joy." Free download of the audio and sheet music.

Photo by Bert Knottenbeld https://www.flickr.com/photos/bertknot/

Pope Francis announced the Year of Consecrated Life to encourage vocations, renewal, and gratitude for the way of life. (Photo from Korea.net.)

The Year of Consecrated Life (YCL) begins on the first Sunday of Advent, November 30. Internationally the church will be commemorating the year in a wide variety of ways.  Many dioceses are marking it with special events recognizing and encouraging the men and women religious who minister within their boundaries.

Communities themselves are planning special prayers, liturgies, study circles, and public events as part of the year. Vocation ministers have already reported to NRVC many types of plans for the year. Following are free resources related to the special year, aimed at recognizing, celebrating, and renewing religious life.

Logo for use with materials related to the year.

Song for YCL

VISION Vocation Guide's special YCL edition

HORIZON YCL section with ideas for celebrating

Tentative international schedule

Summer 2015 workshops in Chicago

Fall 2015 workshops at Marrillac Center in Leavenworth, Kansas

The NRVC leadership team remains the same. The members of this sub-group of the board are Brother Ronald Hingle, S.C.; Sister Michele Vincent Fisher, C.S.F.N.; and Sister Maria Iannuccillo, S.S.N.D. The three are pictured here with Executive Director Brother Paul Bednarczyk. C.S.C.

The board for the National Religious Vocation Conference met in October, focusing on preparation for the convocation November 6-10. The following new members began their official term of service:

Sister Gayle Lawanga Crumbley, R.G.S.

Sister Anna Maria Espinosa, I.W.B.S.

Mr. Mark McGuthrie, M.C.A.

Sister Anita Quigley, S.H.C.J.

NRVC extends its warmest thanks to outgoing board members for their many hours of service to NRVC and its mission of supporting vocation ministers and building the future of religious life.

Sister Elsa Garcia, C.D.P.

Sister Marcia Hall, O.S.P.

Sister Jo-Anne Miller, C.S.J.P.

The board also voted to reinstall the following leadership team:

Brother Ronald Hingle, S.C.

Sister Maria Iannuccillo, S.S.N.D.

Sister Michele Vincent Fisher, C.S.F.N.

Left: Pope Francis accepts a book of English translations of his talks on family themes. Father Chris Gibson, C.P. (in red plaid in right photo) did the translation. Right: The NRVC editorial board gathered Oct. 2 in Chicago.

Editorial board gathers for brainstorming

The NRVC editorial board held its fall meeting October 2, during which members representing a cross-section of the organization brainstormed for future editions in HORIZON and reviewed previous editions.

Members also congratulated Father Chris Gibson, C.P., whose work translating Pope Francis' family-themed talks and homilies was recently published and presented to the Holy Father.

Sister Gemma Simmonds, C.J. of Heythrop College in London will be the facilitator for the international meeting.

A first-ever gathering of national vocation leaders representing most English-speaking countries in the developed world will gather during the Year of Consecrated Life in Rome in February 2015.

Initiated by NRVC, and with the generous support of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the purpose of this meeting is to explore ways in which we can globally promote vocations to religious life. Participants will include representatives from the United States, Canada, England/Wales, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific Islands. (France and Germany are also included because of their prominence in Europe). Both general secretaries from the Union of Superiors General and International Union of Superiors General will be attending as well.

Back editions of the "Focus on Vocation Ministry" newsletter are available online.

Enter the month and year you are looking for in the search box at the upper right of the home page. Please note, for archived newsletters prior to November 2013 click here. 

College students taking part in Busy Person's Retreats can use this colorful booklet with 17 themes. They can choose from eight scripture choices and a variety of reflection questions. The bountiful themes give this booklet ongoing relevance. Themes include: All About Mary, Balancing Sports & Fitness with Faith and Studies, Caring for God's Creation, Christian Leadership on Campus, Eradicating Global Poverty, Following the Voice of the Spirit, Growing through Failure, Inviting God into Decision Making, Praying in Times of Stress, Praying with Music, Promoting Global Peacemaking, Relationships, Time Management, Transitions, Seeking Solitude, Vocation Discernment, and Women in Scripture. $1 each for members; $1.50 each for non-members.

1. How long have you been involved in vocation ministry?

Six years.

2. Are you part of a vocation team?

Sisters in every part of the province are involved in our vocation ministry. Their involvement amazes me every month when I publish their work in my vocation ministry newsletter.

In 2013 I created a vocation committee of laity and religious here in Wisconsin. I interviewed all of them, asking how they knew S.S.M.s, what of S.S.M. do they value, what they thought they could contribute to a vocation committee, etc. We meet three to four times annually. Members of this committee are responsible for keeping literature in parishes, soliciting opportunities for promoting religious life and priesthood, and co-partnering with me in speaking to groups, visiting high schools and grade schools. One member is launching a project whereby we are featured on hospital TVs--two- or three-second spots, keeping S.S.M. in the minds of viewers as they await doctor visits or medical procedures.

One member is our province communication specialist. She keeps us posted on Facebook, YouTube, and other social media sites and assists me in website advertising that targets Catholic youth.

3. Has being a member of NRVC been helpful?

The NRVC gives credence to my vocation ministry and is a vehicle whereby every member of the province receives up-to-date, pertinent information about this important ministry: every local house receives HORIZON. Maybe that is one reason so many sisters take seriously their role in promoting religious life.

Having been part of Moving Forward in Hope and then carrying the message of that seminar to the sisters throughout the province was a powerful experience: It energized the sisters in their commitment to religious life and their desire to guarantee that this way of life is an option for future generations. I believe strongly and passionately in the future of religious life, and being a member of the NRVC feeds that passion, keeps our hopes alive, and energizes us to continue our commitment to this important ministry.

The Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother are a small but significant religious community, and being part of something bigger than ourselves is important to us. When the going gets rough and we need a push, having this “engine” of NRVC pushing us from behind or being in front of us pulling us forward is important.

4. What has been your best outreach effort?

That is a difficult question to answer and I am not sure I have a “best,” but I do have several that are very rewarding to me.

•   Blogging. I do a scripture blog and a religious life/discernment blog, published on www.becomingasister.org. I publish the scripture blog almost daily to keep persons coming to this website (this is our vocation website). This type of evangelizing is very energizing for me.

•   Creating personal responses to inquirers. There have been times when an inquirer will say: “I am overwhelmed with the number of responses I received and I was going to wait until I received all of them and then respond. But when I read your personalized letter, I had to respond to you immediately. I was so touched.”

•   Collaborating with campus ministry personnel (now at two colleges) in doing Busy Students’ Retreats. I am a spiritual director at heart, so this part of vocation ministry touches me deeply.

•   Creating “Come and See” programs. This is fun, as is conducting them. I have had the vocation office relocated to our province headquarters, so many of the retired sisters here are involved. The best part of some of these programs, for inquirers, is hearing the senior sisters tell their call stories.

•   I have created several PowerPoints in collaboration with others. (“A Purpose-filled Life,” “My Whole Self—Tuning into God by Tuning into Self,” “Four Basic Human Needs: Becoming One’s Best Self,” “Becoming My Best: What Inspires Me,” and “Discovering Your Purpose in Life”). I will be sharing these with parish personnel and also one of the campus ministers for feedback and suggestions. This project excites me and has many possibilities, one of which could be mini-retreats here at our headquarters for all age groups. Other possibilities are emerging in my consultation with persons in parishes and in campus ministry settings.

•   Visiting grade schools and high schools. These visits give us a chance to share our passion for religious life and answer questions the children and youth have concerning our lifestyle.

5. Do you have any words of wisdom to those who are new to this ministry?  

Develop a strong prayer life, and engage all your members. I tell our senior sisters that the core element of vocation ministry is prayer. They do this so well, and it is to them that I attribute the success I am experiencing, as we have five women requesting to enter the postulancy. It is their prayers, nothing else. I would tell persons new to this ministry to remember that important fact.

6. What do you find most rewarding about vocation ministry?

Witnessing a young person discover her call, be that marriage, religious life, or the single life.

Contact Sister Dorothy at ssmvoc@gmail.com.

The staff of the National Catholic Sisters Week (NCSW, stkate.edu/ncsw) is inviting sisters to submit a short description of a single blessing in their lives for use in what they call a “gratitude movement.”

The movement was inspired by Ann Voskamp’s bestselling book, One Thousand Gifts.

“We see a chance to convey the joy of religious life and provide intimate glimpses into the lives of sisters, in their own words,” writes the NCSW team. NCSW will share the submitted blessings with the public via social media, including a Pinterest board specifically for this purpose.  

To submit a blessing:

1.    Write out the blessing, keep it brief, just a phrase or sentence fragment. It can describe any blessing, however dramatic or mundane, and consider being detailed in the description to help create a rich picture.
2.    Write your name including your congregation initials.
3.    The name of your religious community.
4.    Your city.
5.    If possible, please include a photo of yourself; web-sized head shots are what we are looking for. However, the blessing is more important than the photo, so do not let this be a hindrance.
6.    E-mail all of the above to 1000nungifts@gmail.com.
7.    Deadline for submissions is Wednesday, November 26.
8.    Please send one blessing per sister, but all sisters in your community are welcome to participate.

Examples from the book One Thousand Gifts:

1.    Morning shadows across the old floors
2.    Jam piled high on the toast
3.    Cry of blue jay from high in the spruce

For more information, contact Sister Mary Soher, O.P.: 651-690-6762 (office), mpsoher@stkate.edu, stkate.edu/ncsw.