Some of the young adults who were recently commissioned by NRVC to serve as Vocation Ambassadors. Photo by Chris Irr.

From June 10-13, NRVC sponsored a workshop in Notre Dame, Indiana called "Share the Sacred," which kicked off an ongoing project of young adults serving as Vocation Ambassadors around the country.

Twelve religious communities prepared a young adult to serve as a spokesperson for their community and for religious life in general. The communities attended in teams of three: young adult ambassador, communications professional, and vocation director. Three representatives from Vocations Ireland also took part in the event, along with several individuals who were on the Vocation Ambassadors design team.

Participants learned communications strategies and tactics, and each team devised its own project for sending forth Vocation Ambassadors to promote religious life. In addition to commissioning ambassadors, the workshop helped vocation directors and communications professionals to better work and plan together.

Because of the positive response of participants, NRVC is considering offering the Vocation Ambassadors kickoff workshop again next year. Photos of the event are on NRVC’s Flickr site: flickr.com/nrvc

VISION Vocation Guide is now at the printer, so this is the ideal time to order your copies, along with multilingual bookmarks and posters.

Remember, if you are a VISION community sponsor, you get free shipping.

New this year: a special Spanish section in the print edition!

Sister Teresa Maya, C.C.V.I. led the group discussion.

NRVC hosted in Baltimore on June 17 a meeting of church leaders to discuss cultural diversity in religious life using the 2014 NRVC-CARA study on the topic. Participants included NRVC board members and representatives from the leadership conferences and the Religious Formation Conference. Other participants included Father Ralph O’Donnell from the USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations; Sister Mary Johnson, S.N.D.deN.; Dr. Arturo Chavez, president and CEO of the Mexican American Catholic College; and Father David Songy, O.F.M. Cap, president of Saint Luke Institute.

Sister Teresa Maya, C.C.V.I., general superior of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, facilitated the day. The frank and candid discussions led the group to decide that all of the conferences represented need to be more intentional regarding cultural inclusivity. Several ideas surfaced about how this may be done collaboratively in the future.

These scenes from Convocation 2014 depict only a few of the many rich moments that make up a convocation. Top: Sister Maria Brizuela, O.S.F., Father Vince Wirtner, C.PP.S., and  Sister Sarah Roy, O.S.F. Bottom photo: Sister Debbie Borneman, SS.C.M. and Sister Charlene Herinckx, S.S.M.O.

Do you minister alone or with few staff?

Do you like discovering what's working for others?

Do you appreciate excellent liturgy and prayer with "friends of the heart"?

If your answer is "yes" to any of these questions, then you will serve  your community from sounder footing by attending the 2016 NRVC Convocation in Overland Park, Kansas, October 27-31 

Don't take our word for it. Ask an NRVC member who has attended a convocation in the past. Some of the benefits of attending:

* Excellent workshops

* Special live-streamed panel of young discerners

* Entertaining, informative talk by Vatican insider Father Thomas Rosica, C.S.B.

* Meet your counterparts, learn what you might do together

* Gain a national and international perspective on your daily work

* Outstanding day-long workshops pre-convocation

Learn more or register at nrvc.net.

Debbie Prieto

NRVC staff and members extend their gratitude and congratulations to Debbie Prieto, staff assistant, on her 10-year work anniversary.

We asked Debbie to share her thoughts at this milestone, and here are some of her words:

"During these 10 years, I’ve worn many hats. That is to say, I’m the behind-the-scenes person, the person you first meet when you enter the NRVC office, the voice on the phone, the 'go for' person, and the 'pitch-in' person. 

"I enjoy it even when things are not easy.  I take joy in knowing that I have provided helpful service to a member or to a staff member. In this Year of Mercy Pope Francis has said that we should have mercy in any situation in life. So I continue on with that in mind."

Best wishes, Debbie, on your work anniversary and thank you for all you do to help advance NRVC's mission.

Participants in Summer Institute 2015.

NRVC's popular Summer Institute has the strongest enrollment in five years, but a few seats are still available for this workshop series taking place in Chicago July 13-23. Click below for details and registration. Click here for general information.

Orientation Program for New Vocation Directors,  July 13-17, 2016

Ethical issues in vocation and formation ministry, July 18-19, 2016

Behavioral Assessment I, July 21-23, 2016

Each summer NRVC bids farewell to some regional coordinators as they complete their terms and welcomes new coordinators as they step forward to lead. Our staff and membership extend warm gratitude to those who have helped lead their regions. And we give a cordial welcome to new regional leaders.

Thank you to outgoing regional leaders

Sister Jeanne Marie Gocha, C.S.J. (Region 2);

Mrs. Nancy Costello (Region 3);

Sister June Fitzgerald, O.P. (Region 6); 

Sister Hannah Vanorny, O.S.B. (Region 8);

Sister Joyce Detzel, C.D.P. (Region 10);

Sister Mary Pat White, R.S.C.J. (Region 11);

Sister Mary Elizabeth Nelsen, C.S.J. (Region 11); and

Sister Mary Colleen Schwartz, O.S.B. (Region 13).

Welcome to incoming regional leaders

The newly elected regional coordinators are as follows. Region 10 will be announced later.

Sister Marie Mackey, C.S.J. (Region 2);

Sister Christopher Marie Wagner, O.S.F. (Region 3);

Sister Edith Bogue, O.S.B. (Region 8);

Sister Maribeth Wentzlaff, O.S.B. (Region 8);

Sister Val Roxburgh, S.N.D. (Region 11).

NRVC is pleased to have revised its member directory to include not only the website of  institutes, but their accompanying social media sites as well.

The directory is available at nrvc.net under member resources; you must be logged in to access it. If your sites are not included or if you have revisions, please send them to Marge Argyelan, NRVC database administrator, at margyelan@nrvc.net.

Deacon Pedro Guevara- Mann

NRVC is still accepting candidate applications for our young-adult livestream panel discussion at our convocation in October. This discussion will be broadcast live by Salt + Light TV and will be moderated by Deacon Pedro Guevara-Mann.

Candidates should be either a discerning adult or a religious between the ages of 21 and 35. For further information, please click here. The deadline for receiving videos is August 1. 

NRVC and a number of its members will be part of World Youth Day, to be held in Krakow, Poland July 25-31.

If you are part of this large and joyful event–which has been vocationally inspiring for many young people through the years–be sure to stop by the Vocation Cafe in the English Speaking Pavilion and greet representatives from VISION, NRVC, and religious communities connected to NRVC. The theme will be "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."

NRVC and VISION will be posting social media updates during the event and will share a World Youth Day report in the August newsletter.

NRVC staff and members extend their condolences to the family and community of member Sister Kathleen Scott, L.C.M., who passed away April 6.

In addition to vocation ministry, Sister Kathy worked for many years in nursing and pastoral ministry, including 15 years in an inner-city parish. She belonged to the Little Company of Mary for 57 years, having entered under the motto "God alone."

Her community wrote this, among other things, in her obituary: "Sister Kathleen Scott was a prayerful, spiritual woman religious, deeply imbued with a sense of mission." May she rest in peace.

NRVC's two main publications, HORIZON and VISION, together received seven honors at editorial award competitions in May.

Congratulations to the talented writers, photographers, and editors at TrueQuest Communications who produce these periodicals and to the NRVC editorial board members who provide creative input for HORIZON. Click here for details.

These colorful business-sized cards make ideal giveaways at Catholic events as a way to begin a discussion about religious vocations. This popular resource has been used at National Catholic Youth Conference and World Youth Day. Designed to promote all religious vocations, these cards come in a pack of 100 with four messages: "You would make a great sister (or brother, priest, or nun)." The backs of the cards simply state, "Imagine the possibilities," with a space to sign the cards. $6 per pack for NRVC members (non-members $9). View and order them here.

Communicators for Women Religious conference

Nicholas Schafer, executive director of CWR

The board of the Communicators for Women Religious has hired an executive director, Mr. Nicholas Schafer, who began working at the organization's newly established Chicago office in June. Funded by a grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the organization will be located in the same building that houses the National Religious Vocation Conference, Religious Formation Conference, and Giving Voice (which represents young women religious).

Additionally,  the Communicators for Women Religious will hold its annual conference in Indianapolis October 4-7. The theme will be "Advance Your Mission! Turbocharge Your Communications." Learn more at c4wr.org.

LCWR offers resource on contemplative dialogue

In response to interest in understanding contemplative dialogue, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious recently created an online resource that demonstrates this practice and highlights its potential as an instrument of transformation.

"Contemplative Dialogue: Unleashing the Transformative Power of Communal Wisdom" is a video of eight women religious who allowed their actual contemplative dialogue session to be filmed so that others could see how this form of communal contemplation and sharing works. The film, as well as transcript of the introduction and a document providing additional information on the practice, are available on the LCWR website as downloadable files here.

LCWR encourages vocation directors to learn this process themselves to use within their own communities, with groups they may be working with, for people in discernment, etc. It’s a process that can be used by any group that wants to have a conversation together about matters of importance.

Religious Brothers Conference Assembly

The Religious Brothers Conference will hold its 45th annual assembly July 23-26 at the Siena Center in Racine, Wisconsin. Brothers from all communities are welcome to attend. The theme will be "The Brother in the Year of Mercy," and the keynote speakers will be Sister Barbara Reid, O.P. and Brother Steve Bevans, S.V.D., both of whom are on the faculty of Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. For more information, see todaysbrother.com.

Catholics on Call extends application deadline for summer young adult event

The Catholics on Call Young Adult Conference will take place August 3-6 at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Learn more about this event aimed at young adults considering a church vocation here.

The Partner Conference for Catholics on Call will take place September 15-16 and is open to religious institutes that are partners to the program. Learn about partnership and the September event here.

Biblical Studies Program at CTU

Catholic Theological Union in Chicago is sponsoring a Biblical Studies Program in August and October. Learn more at ctu.edu. Click on "Programs & Centers," then "Biblical Study/Travel."