NRVC marks its 25th anniversary this November. A year-long commemoration will take place, culminating at the Novem­­ber 6-10, 2014 convocation in Chicago.

The convocation will take place at the Marriott Hotel at O’Hare, Chicago, IL. Its theme will be: “It is good that we are here.  Rise, and have no fear.”  Matthew 17:4;7 

The keynote speakers will  be Father Bernhard A. Eckerstorfer, OSB, director of vocations, novice master and formation director for the Kremsmünster Abbey in Austria; Sister Colleen Mary Mallon, OP, faculty member of Aquinas Institute of Theology, Berkley; CA; and Sister Theresa Rickard, OP, former vocation director and current executive director of Renew International.

Three  full-day, pre-convocation workshops will be offered on November 6, 2014 
   • “Building Intercultural Competence for Vocation Ministers,” by Sister Teresa Maya, CCVI.
   • “Canon, Civil and Immigration Law,” by Father Daniel J. Ward, OSB and Mr. Miguel Naranjo   
   • “Life Questions: Screening for Candidates,” by Brother John Mark Falkenhain, OSB    

On November 7 of the convocation, a panel discussion with newly professed men and women religious will examine the NRVC/CARA study “Integration of Multicultural and Multiethnic Candidates in Religious Life.”  

Workshops to be held during the convocation on Saturday, November 8 include: 
 
• “Beauty Ever Ancient, Ever New” and “This Little Light: A Celebration of Sister Thea Bowman,” by Brother Michael McGrath, OSFS
• “Discernment in Male Spirituality,” by Father Dennis Billy, CSSR
• “Peer Supervision,” by Sister Beth Saner, FSPA
• “Ramifications of Reconfiguration for Vocation Offices,” by Father Chuck Frederico, SJ; 
Sister Pat Twohill, OP and Brother Tom Wendorf, SM 
• “Self-Care: Achieving Balance and Avoiding Burnout,” by Dr. Timone Davis 
• “Ten Effective Ways to Use Media in Vocation Ministry,” by Deacon Pedro Guevara-Mann

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It is good that we are here. Rise, and have no fear! --Matthew 17:4,7

Gratitude. Courage. Transformation.This was the experience of the disciples as they glimpsed the glory of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ. While Peter recognized that it was good for them to be there, Jesus knew that their journey was far from complete. Strengthened in their faith and fortified for the road ahead, the disciples had to rise and descend the mountain so that they could fearlessly embrace the path of service that God had prepared for them.

We celebrate 25 years of vocation ministry, and while it is “good for us to be here,” we, like Peter, James, and John, are called to rise and give witness to the transfiguration God desires for our own religious lives, for our religious institutes, and for NRVC. This convocation will provide an environment conducive to prayer, creative dialogue, reflection, and celebration which will allow participants to see what is possible in their lives and their ministry. Our hope is that participants will leave with a renewed sense of conviction and a fearless desire to continue to invite other women and men to a life of transfiguration in our Lord, Jesus Christ.

A few spaces are still available to enroll in “Rest Stops for the Soul: Transformation for Vocation Ministers,” led by Father Joseph Nassal, CPPS, to be held December 10-13 at the Redemptorist Renewal Center in Tucson, AZ.

For details or to enroll, click here.

Members of NRVC consistently tell us that their membership is a source of education, connection, support and wisdom. Renew (or initiate) your membership today by clicking here.

Learn about the changes in NRVC membership

Why the NRVC is important: Members weigh in

How long have you been involved in vocation ministry?

I’ve helped with vocation ministry  since 1996. I’ve been our  vocation director since March 2003.

Are you part of a vocation team?

I am a solo director, yet I have what we call the “Vocation Think Tank,” made up of 16 Sisters who volunteer their time in vocation ministry. We meet about every 6 weeks and together plan events.  They help launch our ideas into action, assisting with things like Busy Person Retreats, opportunities for adoration or compline, etc.

How has being a member of NRVC been helpful to you? 
NRVC has helped me become educated for this ministry and helped me network with other vocation directors. 

What has been your best outreach effort? 
Our “Weekend Service Retreat” has helped us introduce folks to ministry, community and prayer—all within a short timeframe.

Do you have any words of wisdom to those who are new to this ministry? 
Listen, listen, listen. Be available to young people. Go where they are and stay awake, literally as well as figuratively. Their schedule is not 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday!  Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions, especially of seasoned vocation directors. Don’t get stuck on numbers. Be faithful to your call as a vowed religious, and live with joy!

This 1998 resource was created by the Asian Pacific Standing Committee of NRVC to help vocation directors work with people from Asian Pacific backgrounds. It covers Asian culture in general and gives specifics about the values, customs, communication styles and spirituality of the following cultures: Filipino, Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean. Order online for $12 for members; $18 for non-members. 

Infographics are a great way to convey lots of information in a lively, graphic form. (See VISION's infographic here.) Consider working with a graphic designer to develop one for your community. Or perhaps a community member, an associate or you could use this free software for creating one: http://infogr.am/

This winter, 2014, the National Religious Vocation Conference will begin formally surveying the major superiors of U.S. religious communities on the topic of integrating candidates of non-Caucasian, non-Anglo descent. The study will be conducted for NRVC by the Center for Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown (CARA), with senior research associate Dr. Mary Gautier leading it.

The study will examine how communities welcome and retain non-Caucasian candidates during formation. NRVC hopes to identify what is helpful and eventually to develop resources that can help communities successfully welcome candidates from a variety of ethnic and racial backgrounds.

The first of two vocation-focused gatherings of men religious will take place December 9-11 at St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana. Sponsored by the National Religious Vocation Conference, the meetings are aimed helping participants learn about contemporary social and demographic conditions affecting men’s communities. Each participant will receive a tool to assess the vocation culture within his own institute.

The second gathering will be at Holy Name Retreat House in Houston, TX in January. The proceedings will be recorded, and a final report will be made public. This initiative is being underwritten by an anonymous donor.

Photo: De La Salle Christian Brothers at World Youth Day, July 2013.

Pictured here are participants taking part in a discussion  during the orientation workshop.

One hundred twenty-five new NRVC members attended the NRVC Fall Institute, held October 24 to November 3 in Techny, Illinois just outside of Chicago. Participants took part in workshops on vocation ministry, new evangelization, and youth and behavioral assessment.

In late October the Daughters of Charity held their second of three community gatherings using the “Keys to the Future” process, which is a way to build community consensus and involvement in vocation ministry . “The Sisters at both locations were very pleased with the workshop, and we had a lot of good discussion, which continues,” reported Sister Denise LaRock, DC. The congregation gathered in late October to use the “Keys” process.

In keeping with the car theme of “Keys to the Future,” a group of Daughters of Charity pose with a car belonging to the groundskeeper at a community facility.

During their October meeting, the NRVC Board selected from among its members the 2014 NRVC Leadership Tea. These are the board members who will convene more frequently and make additional day-to-day decisions in NRVC operations.

Leadership Team members pictured here: Brother Paul Bednarczyk, CSC, executive director; Sisters Michele Vincent Fisher, CSFN and Maria Iannuccillo, SSND; and Brother Ronald Hingle, SC.