In honor of the 2015 Year of Consecrated Life, the National Religious Vocation Conference hosted an unprecedented gathering in Rome February 23-27 of national vocation and religious leaders from the developed world.

The goals of the gathering, being funded by a grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, were to share vocation-related information, identify common needs and challenges, and explore future areas for worldwide collaboration in promoting vocations to consecrated life.

"Rome Reports" covered the conference, releasing this short video of the topics being discussed.

Sister Gemma Simmonds, C.J., director of the Religious Life Institute at Heythrop College in London, served as facilitator. Father Gerard Whelan, S.J., associate professor at Pontifical Gregorian University, was the theological reflector.

Those scheduled to participate:

Sister Viviana M. Ballarin, O.P., vice-president of the Union of the European Conferences of Major Superiors, Brussels

Sister Nathalie Becquart Xavière, 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., board member, 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

Father Hank Lemoncelli, O.M.I., 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

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.

A U.S. study of family and vocation, sponsored by the National Religious Vocation Conference, is now under way. The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate is working with NRVC to conduct the following research:

• A survey of recently professed religious and recently ordained clergy about their family life, and its support and encouragement or discouragement of their vocation.
• A survey of family members of religious and clergy about faith practice, vocational support, and more.
• A random survey of Catholic parents about their attitudes and thoughts regarding church vocations.

The results of the study will be released in time for the World Synod of Families in Philadelphia in September 2015. This study is made possible through the generosity of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

Many NRVC vocation ministers took part in the 2013 NCYC.

Vocation ministers are invited to attend the November 19-21 National Catholic Youth Conference, to take place in Indianapolis.

The National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) is a biennial conference sponsored by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry. It is a three-day, high-energy experience of prayer, community, and keynote speakers for 23,000 teens, parents, and youth ministers from around the country. The 2015 NCYC theme is "Here I Am Lord/Aqui Estoy Senor."

Two ways to participate

NRVC invites its members to be part of this faith celebration. Two options are available to promote vocations. A religious institute may register as an informational exhibitor to rent a 10 x 10 booth to display and give away promotional items. Four credentials will be issued for each booth at a cost of $750 per space. Registration for exhibit booths must be completed online beginning in May 2015. The other option is to be present to youth as a volunteer on a registered volunteer team.

To meet the growing need of participants who desire to have a direct experience and meaningful conversation with women and men religious, vocation teams of up to six members will volunteer throughout the thematic park in assigned areas of service, crafts, prayer, and other interactive events. Each vocation team member will be given a T-shirt to wear and to unify religious life.   

Additionally, vocation teams will have access to and will serve as volunteers in the Nook, which is located next to the chapel. The Nook is a welcoming space where teens, parents, and chaperones can have meaningful conversation with and among religious sisters, brothers, and priests. Vocation teams are scheduled daily to be present in the Nook and thematic park throughout the three days. 

Vocation team members will also be encouraged to attend daily liturgies together as a group in the arena to be visible together as much as possible to promote religious life. One website for each vocation team will be placed in the NCYC program booklet.

To register as a vocation team, six credentials will be issued at a cost of $350 per team. Applications for vocation teams must be completed online beginning in May 2015.

Communities have the choice to register for both options (display table or volunteer). Additionally, vocation directors may choose to create a vocation team of six members from a region or from among various religious institutes. NRVC hopes that the ministry of presence of religious sisters, brothers, and priests will be integrated throughout the NCYC experience.

Sponsor a teen

New this year is the option to sponsor a teen to participate in NCYC. The registration for one teen is $215 per person. If your vocation team would like to sponsor a teen, there will be an option on the registration form to select to make a generous sponsorship donation. NFCYM will allocate the funds to the teen. Religious Institutes who choose to donate will be recognized in the program booklet.

To learn more about NCYC and how members can be part of it, please contact NRVC's Sister Deborah Borneman, SS.C.M. at (773) 363-5454 or debbiesscm@nrvc.net.

Comments from past participants

“I’m excited to have participated as a member of a team promoting vocations. This new model gave me many more opportunities to engage the young people in deeper conversations around the concept of their vocational call. I noticed that more of the teenagers approached me with their questions, observations, and overall desire to learn more about religious life. I also enjoyed the camaraderie among the vocation directors.”

—Sister Linda Markway, C.S.J., team leader for the St. Louis Archdiocese Vocation Directors

“This was my first NCYC and I had such a good time, I’m already looking forward to 2015! Being present at the Spirit Station and Inspiration Nook, our vocation team met countless youth who stopped by to talk with us and learn more about our way of life. We were inspired by their deep faith and their desire to put it into practice!”

—Father Adam MacDonald, S.V.D., team leader for a variety of religious institutes

Global Sisters Report, a project of National Catholic Reporter, published an interview of NRVC's Sister Deborah Borneman, SS.C.M. on March 5, 2015.  Be sure to check out this excellent coverage that focuses on NRVC's core mission: to promote religious life as a viable option.

Read the full report here.

Region 10 coordinators, Sisters Pat Connolly, D.C. and Joyce Detzel, C.D.P., met recently with Father Joseph Lopez from the Archdiocese of Corpus Christi to plan a joint meeting of NRVC Region 10 and the National Diocesan Vocation Directors Region 10.

NRVC members are encouraged to participate in regional meetings to plan collaborative vocation promotion events, to acquire new skills from presenters, to pray for and with one another, and to network.

Feedback from regions is also needed by the NRVC board as it considers the possibility of reconfiguring regions. Concerns of regions will be addressed at each of the following spring meetings to give adequate feedback to the board liaisons before the August board meeting.

Please contact your regional coordinator for more information.

Region 1   May 2
Region 2   March 10, May 5, May 7
Region 3   April 29
Region 4   March 25, May 5-6
Region 5   Met January 15, next meeting September 18
Region 6   May TBA
Region 7   April 28
Region 8   June 22-23
Region 9   April 27-29
Region 10 Met February 9-10
Region 11 May 12
Region 12  May 15-17
Region 13 TBA

Father Ray Carey (second from right) makes a point during the Behavioral Assessment I class held in 2014.

In Behavioral Assessment II presenter Father Ray Carey will go in depth regarding the assessment skills taught in Behavioral Assessment I (a prerequisite for this course). Vocation directors are encouraged to bring their own questions, concerns, and case studies to this course in order to reach a new level of skill in assessing candidates and inquirers. Learn more about this workshop and others by clicking here.

Catechetical Sunday is September 18. This is a wonderful resource  to share with parish catechists, who are some of the best religious life ambassadors in the church. Consider ordering this excellent resource for community members who work in parish ministry.

This sharp, 8-by-11-inch, laminated brochure is designed to encourage DREs and catechists to promote vocations in religious education classes and retreats. It helps them reflect on the role each person has to pass on the faith, including vocations.

You can also leave this brochure behind during classroom visits in parishes and schools. It has space to place a label with your contact information.

Available in packs of 50. Member price: $10 for 50. Non-member price: $15 for 50. Click here to purchase, or call 773-363-5454.

Brother Jim is the vocation promoter for the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers North America. He also served as one of two regional coordinators for Region 7 from May of 2009 to May of 2013. 
 
How long have you been involved in vocation ministry?

I've been in vocation ministry for my community since 2000. The configuration for the ministry has changed, and since 2007, I've been the only vocation promoter for our North American province. However I do have a team consisting of two other brothers and the layman who does public relations for the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers.

Has being a member of NRVC been helpful to you?

I have made lifelong friends with many present and former members of the NRVC. I gain my strength and energy from working with these fine individuals. In fact I firmly believe that my faith life would not be the same without the friends and acquaintances from the NRVC that have nurtured me through these many years. I never cease to be amazed by the wonderful companionship I experience wherever I travel promoting vocations.

I have been privileged to attend many NRVC workshops. Any occasion I have to interact with other members is always an opportunity to learn new techniques and to benefit from the experiences of others. These are also opportunities to share best practices, what works, and what does not. All of the material that is available online is also a valuable tool in my ministry.

Both Paul Bednarczyk and Debbie Borneman are great friends, and they are always willing to respond to any questions that may come up. Frankly I cannot think of a better organization than the NRVC to help promote vocations throughout the world.

What has been your best vocation effort?

I think I am at my best when I am present to young adults in their world. I like to hope that who I am and who I represent as a Christian Brother is best represented through my actions and not by my words. When I am on campus, I believe I can be most productive when I am involved in their outreach ministries as well as their prayer life. I feel very much alive and invigorated when I am working with young adults.

We have an extensive database created from the many inquiries we get through VISION Vocation Guide. Our plan is to collate the zip codes into groups where we can offer a retreat/workshop in that area related to being a brother in today’s world. Once we are able to determine the best location to meet, then we will invite other groups of religious brothers to be present as well. In this way any inquirer will be able to interact on a face-to-face basis with consecrated religious brothers. Hopefully this will enhance their experience of religious life and of brotherhood.

In a similar vein we are in contact with our own school ministry sites to determine where our graduates are attending college. If we find a decent concentration of young men who are familiar with the brothers because they attended one of our schools, then we will go to that institution and offer a similar opportunity for retreat and/or discernment. 

If the time is right we plan to establish a branch of the Edmund Rice Society. Hopefully we can develop an opportunity for them to gather from time to time to both pray and share their experiences with the brothers. We hope to have a brother present for these gatherings to both facilitate and be a presence among them
 
What do you find most rewarding about vocation ministry?

The most rewarding aspect of vocation ministry is undoubtedly the many folks both religious and lay as well as the young adults that I have been privileged to meet and work with over the past 15 years or so.

I am surrounded by a group of dedicated, faith-filled individuals who have kept me both focused and spiritually nourished. I love working with the friends in the various regions of the continent to plan and execute any opportunity to promote vocations. I am energized and fulfilled both spiritually and physically. To put it simply I feel blessed by the Holy Spirit.