The J.S. Paluch Company's National Vocations Awareness Division awarded Brother Ronald Hingle, S.C., board chair for NRVC, the Leadership in Vocation Ministry Award on August 21 at the opening banquet of the 30th annual J.S. Paluch Vocation Seminar.

Each year the National Vocations Awareness Division (NVAD) of the J.S. Paluch Company gives an award to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to vocation ministry. In presenting the 2017 award, Dolores Orzel, creative director of NVAD, noted that Hingle took on the major task of helping lead NRVC during the 2016 sudden absence of its longtime executive director, Brother Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C. (who became a leader in his congregation).

Hingle became the NRVC Board chair in 2013 and, teaming with the board and staff, he led the organization through its 2014 and 2016 convocations and the process of hiring the current executive director, Sister Sharon Dillon, S.S.J.-T.O.S.F.  

"I am honored and grateful for this award, but if anyone deserves an award it's the entire staff: Sister Debbie, Maureen, Marge, Miss Debbie, and Mark, as well as the entire NRVC Board. It was an 'all in' moment, and all these folks were 'in'!" notes Hingle.

Dolores Orzel's contribution also noted

At the same event on August 21 Dolores Orzel was also commended for her many years of organizing the seminar and leading the NVAD. Orzel will retire at the end of 2017. NRVC and many other individuals and groups presented her with tributes and letters of gratitude. Along with personally written tributes,  NRVC gave Orzel a lifetime membership.

NRVC Executive Director Sister Sharon Dillon, S.S.J.-T.O.S.F. looks at what has been happening at the helm of the organization over the summer. She shares thoughts on the national context, highlights of meetings, and impressions of events sponsored by NRVC.

Read her reflections here.

Members of NRVC will gather this fall in Kentucky, California, and Massachusetts for professional development presentations. Any NRVC member may attend events in any region, so please consider attending these opportunities  for ongoing learning.

Professional development presentations

Lake Erie/Ohio River — September 14-15
Covington, KY (near Cincinnati, Ohio)
"Creating visual posts in social media for vocation ministry"
Flyer with details
Coordinators:
Sister Monica Seaton, O.S.U., 270-229-4103, ext. 218, monica.seaton@maplemount.org
Sister Mary Teresita Richards, S.N.D., 419-277-5184, trichards@toledosnd.org

West Coast — October 18-19
San Damiano Retreat Center, Danville, CA
"A Covenant for All Generations: Strategies for Outreach to Young Adults"
Flyer with details
Sister Mary Yun, O.P., 213-760-3085, mary@msjdominicans.org
Brother Chris Patiño, F.S.C., 310-849-1061, cpatino@dlsi.org 

New England — October 15
Worcester, MA
"Making 'the culture of vocation' real" 
Flyer with details
Sister Natalie Cain, S.S.J., 413-536-0853, ncain@ssjspringfield.com
Father Rocco Puopolo, S.X., 508-429-2144, frrocco@xaviermissionaries.org

Other meetings this fall

Hudson Valley — September 27-29
Albany, NY
Coordinators:  
Sister Anna Maria Lionetti, R.S.H.M., 914-631-8872, ext. 215, annamarialion@gmail.com
Sister Marie Mackey, SSJ, 718-791-7911, csjmack@gmail.com

Delaware Valley — October 2
Philadelphia
Coordinators:
Sister Celeste Mokrzycki, S.S.J., 215-248-7200, cmokrzycki@ssjphila.org
Sister Maryanne Tracey, S.C., 973-290-5325, mtracey@scnj.org

Mid-Atlantic — October 31
North Beach
Coordinators:
Sister Mindy Welding, I.H.M., 610-547-9715, sismindy@gmail.com
Sister Diane Roche, R.S.C.J., 504-388-8026, droche@rscj.org

Deep South — October 14
New Orleans
Coordinators:
Sister Monica Gundler, S.C., 513-504-5592, monica.gundler@srcharitycinti.org
Sister Vicki Lichtenauer, S.C., 816-718-2660, VickiL@sls.org

Midwest — September 21
Chicago
10 a.m. to noon, member area meeting
In collaboration with the Catholics on Call Partner Conference. Presenter Mr. Frank Mercadante will speak on contemporary youth and culture.
Coordinators:
Sister Maria Brizuela, O.S.F., 815-325-4183, fsshvocations@aol.com
Sister Connie Bach, P.H.J.C., 574-340-6409, connie.ss@att.net

Full details of all member area activities are at nrvc.net.

The NRVC is offering three workshops for vocation ministers October 11-21 at the Marillac Center in Leavenworth, Kansas. Offered are:

• Orientation Program for New Vocation Directors
• Behavioral Assessment 1
• Behavioral Assessment 2

Find details and registration at nrvc.net. Be sure to register early. Late fees will apply starting September 16.

NRVC members are invited to be active participants in the November 16-18, 2017 National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), to be held in Indianapolis. NRVC is sponsoring a vocation-themed area called Inspiration Nook.

Learn about the different ways you can be part of this event as a chaperone, volunteer, or exhibit booth host. Details are available here.

NRVC Board member Father Toby Collins, C.R. created a 45-minute summary video of a panel discussion about the culture of vocations that took place at the J.S. Paluch Vocation Seminar on August 21 in Rosemont, Illinois, near Chicago. 

Offering their thoughts on the topic, "Creating a Culture of Vocations: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going," were Father Thomas Rosica, C.S.B.; Sister Sharon Glumb, S.L.W.; Father Raymond Lafontaine; and Sister Kathleen Bryant, R.S.C.

Staff and board members of NRVC took part in four religious life assemblies this summer. They included:

• Convocation of Catholic Leaders: The Joy of the Gospel in America
• Conference of Major Superiors of Men
• Leadership Conference of Women Religious
• J.S. Paluch Vocations Seminar.

NRVC's presence at these events helps to cultivate relationships and awareness so that a culture of vocations can be nurtured throughout the church.

Among other business at its August meeting, the NRVC Board thanked and bid farewell to four members who have completed six years of service: Father Don Miller, O.F.M.; Sister Michele Vincent Fisher, C.S.F.N.; Father Vince Wirtner, C.S.Sp.; and Sister Maria Iannuccillo, S.S.N.D. Thanks, as well, to Brother Tom Wendorf, S.M., who left the board prior to the August meeting because of his change in ministry.

The board also conducted an orientation for incoming members: Sister Virginia Herbers, A.S.C.J.; Father Charles Johnson, O.P.; Sister Lisa Laguna, D.C.; Father Adam MacDonald, S.V.D.; and Sister Belinda Monahan, O.S.B.

NRVC has completed a five-year strategic plan. Having laid the groundwork, the board will begin creating a new strategic plan at its October meeting.

A study guide is now available to help reflect upon and discuss the findings from the 2017 CARA/Trinity Washington University Study on International Sisters in the United States.

The first national study of the 4,000 international sisters living in the United States was conducted to better understand the experiences and contributions of sisters living in the United States but born elsewhere. The guide is intended to help communities delve into intercultural, vocational, and other issues related to international sisters.

The guide is available at nrvc.net in English and Spanish. The study report is also available in Spanish. 

The initiative to encourage young women to volunteer with Catholic sisters—"From Service to Sisterhood"—has seed money available for women's communities interested in offering such opportunities.

Learn more at From Service to Sisterhood, a project of Catholic Volunteer Network.

Also, read about how volunteering affects the vocational understanding of men and women volunteers in HORIZON: "The vocation impact of full-time volunteering" and "How we nurture vocations among our volunteer teachers."

​NRVC's newest brochures answer the questions  you hear all the time from the public and from parents. These two resources have been updated. The attractive presentation ensures your audience will read them.  Consider having these brochures on hand for speaking engagements and events; or consider giving them to volunteers, board members, parishioners, etc.

Order them in the NRVC online store; $30 per pack of 100 for non-members. $20 for members. 10 questions people ask. 10 questions parents ask.  

CTU hosting fall lecture series

The Catholic Theological Union is hosting a fall lecture series on religious life topics beginning September 11 and continuing through December 4. Learn more at ctu.edu/lecturefall_2017.

Registration open for Conference on Intercultural Competencies 

Join national experts in human formation and intercultural competency to address opportunities and challenges in evaluating and forming international priests and religious for ministry in the United States. "Intercultural Competencies for Human Formation" will be held April 15-18, 2018, at Saint Meinrad Archabbey and Seminary in Indiana. The conference is co-sponsored by Saint Luke Institute and Saint Meinrad Archabbey. Learn more and register at sliconnect.org/conferences or contact Beth Davis at sliconnect@sli.org or 502-632-2471.

Communicators conference October 3-6

Communicators for Women Religious (CWR) will host its 23rd annual conference October 3-6 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada—its first outside the United States. The theme is “One Voice: Charged by the Current/Voix Unies: Courant Puissant.”

Presenters and topics include: Dr. Moira McQueen (Catholic social teaching and communications), Heather Mansfield (social media), Sister Nuala Kenny (ethics of communication), Blayne Haggart (copyright), and Sister Kateri Mitchell (spirituality of communications).

For more information, visit c4wr.org. 

RFC congress in November; seeking associate director

Registration is now open for the Religious Formation Congress November 16-18, to take place in Milwaukee. Titled “Grace in the Now: The Gospel of Encounter," the gathering and its related workshops will address current issues in initial and lifelong formation and help participants imagine new ways forward. Details and registration are at relforcon.org.

RFC is seeking a new associate director. The successful candidate will begin in November 2017. Details are at relforcon.org; please encourage qualified candidates to apply.

What is your role in vocation ministry?

I am a Missionary of Saint Charles Borromeo, or a Scalabrinian. My focus is primarily on the United States and Canada, but I am also part of the council from my province and in charge of formation for two provinces at the moment.

My vocation team is the other vocation directors that I share ideas and formation with. One vocation director is in Haiti, another vocation director is in Colombia, another is in Guatemala, and two are in Mexico. We have developed a plan for vocation ministry together considering the cultural realities of each country. However, each of us is solo and we report straight to our provincials. 

How long have you been involved in vocation ministry?

I have been a vocation director since October 11, 2012. 

Has being a member of NRVC been helpful? 

Yes. I have participated in NRVC meetings, and my Southern California area has been tremendously supportive, spiritually and emotionally. The space created by the NRVC meetings helps me because it is the only moment I find people who go through the same problems, circumstances, and joyful realities I go through in vocation ministry. Mark McGuthrie, a former vocation director of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit,  helped me in the beginning to settle, organize, and respect the value of  vocation ministry. I met him at NRVC meetings, and we organized events and vocation fairs together. 

What ideas have you used in vocation ministry lately that excite you?

I go back to the idea that our inspiration is Jesus Christ; young folks have to be attracted by him. We can't sell ourselves short trying to convince those who do not have a personal relationship with the Lord.

Additionally I believe in always being honest and faithful about our charism and religious community. I believe our spiritual life is our main strength, and I think we need to believe in what we do. We need to believe we represent the church. We cannot fixate on "results."

Guided by these ideas my ministry has become much less stressful. I accompany a lot of youth and young adult groups. I have stopped focusing on trying to speak about vocation and “sell” my religious congregation. Now I try to be present to young people, share when I have an opportunity, and show what God has done in my life as a religious. To “do vocation work without talking about vocations” has helped me grow in freedom and satisfaction in my vocation director journey. 

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

You are not alone. It is good to count on a group that does the same as you are doing to support your ministry. Take care of yourself because no one else will:  find moments for prayer, retreats, and leisure.

What do you find most rewarding and most challenging in vocation work?

The most rewarding aspect of vocation ministry is the contact with the young people. I find young men and women who are authentic, believe in God’s kingdom, and give me lots of hope for the future of our Catholic Church.

The biggest challenge is my religious community. The culture of vocation is not in the heart of my brothers, and what disheartens me is that young religious do not have the passion and desire to work with youth and young adults in their ministries. If we would only show the joy of belonging to a religious community, those who see us would respond.