The NRVC Fall Institute will take place in Leavenworth, Kansas, October 10-21, and anyone still seeking to register is welcome. Click below for details and registration. 

Orientation Program for New Vocation Directors, October 11-15, by Sister Deborah Borneman, SS.C.M. and Sister Sharon Dillon, S.S.J.-T.O.S.F.

Behavioral Assessment I, October 16-18, by Father Raymond P. Carey

Behavioral Assessment II, October 20-21, by Father Raymond P. Carey

NRVC members are encouraged to view the newly available video, "Best practices for finding joy in the ministry."

This 20-minute film is a members-only resource produced in collaboration with A Nun's Life Ministry. In it NRVC Board member Father Adam MacDonald, S.V.D. talks about time-tested practices to bring forth the joyfulness available to all who labor in the vocations vineyard.

The coordinators for NRVC member areas gathered September 11-13 in Chicago to pray, receive information, and share member needs. The member area coordinators suggested by-law changes concerning member areas to the NRVC board to consider at its October meeting.

Nrvc.net has full information about member areas and activities in member areas.

Sister Sharon Dillon, S.S.J.-T.O.S.F. was featured recently in Global Sisters Report in a Q/A article about her leadership of the National Religious Vocation Conference. She emphasizes the message of hope in religious life and her ongoing enthusiasm for inviting young people to consider this way of life.

Current members of NRVC are urged to help your organization to save time and money by renewing your membership promptly.

Over the past few years the NRVC professional membership has increased to almost 1,000 members, representing more than 350 religious institutes and organizations in the United States and 20 other countries.

Renew your membership for 2018 as NRVC celebrates 30 years of commitment to the spiritual, professional, and personal growth of its members. All members will be mailed renewal letters; if you have any problems with your renewal, please call Marge Argyelan at 773-363-5454. Renew your NRVC membership with full payment before December 31 to be eligible to apply for funding from the National Fund for Catholic Religious Vocations.

NRVC invites its members to consider being part of the National Catholic Youth Conference, or NCYC, which will take place November 16-18 in Indianapolis. This year's theme will be Called - Llamados, and approximately 23,000 young people, youth ministers, and parents will take part in this celebration of faith and discipleship.

NRVC members may join in as volunteers, exhibitors, or adult participants. Full details are available here.

NRVC is sponsoring a gathering space called Inspiration Nook to meet participants and promote vocations to religious life. In addition Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is hosting a service project at NCYC called Helping Hands. It will involve packing 50,000 meals for the people of Burkina Faso. CRS is asking for contributions to raise the needed $25,000. Donate here. 

NRVC extends a warm welcome to Nelson Sinchi, a masters of divinity student at Catholic Theological Union who began working part-time in the national office in September. He is providing administrative support to the staff and is assisting in development efforts.

National Vocation Awareness Week will take place November 5-11. NRVC urges its members and supporters to take advantage of this church-wide opportunity to call attention to consecrated and ordained vocations. 

In addition to resources at nrvc.net, prayer cards and materials for liturgies, events, etc. with your community, parish, or ministry are available from the U.S. bishops and from Serra International.

Professional development presentations

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

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

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

Those seeking a grant of up to $1,000 have until November 1 to apply for a mini-grant to support activities that promote and celebrate Catholic sisterhood during the March 8-14 National Catholic Sisters Week.

For project ideas and details on applying for a grant, see nationalcatholicsistersweek.org. The grants are supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

NRVC has created a downloadable single-sheet handout that summarizes the key ideas in the "Preparatory Document for the 15th Bishops' Synod on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment."

This handout is perfect for gatherings with your community, to use with young people, for parish vocation groups, etc. 

CTU hosting fall lecture series

The Catholic Theological Union is hosting a fall lecture series on religious life topics 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.

RFC congress in November

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.

Job openings: LCWR, RFC, and CSJ Sisters

The Religious Formation Conference is seeking a new associate director. The successful candidate will begin in January 2018. Details are at relforcon.org; please encourage qualified candidates to apply.

The Leadership Conference of Women Religious is searching for a new executive director. Details may be obtained from Janette Cahill in the LCWR National Office: jcahill@lcwr.org. 

The Sisters of St. Joseph in Wichita, Kansas are seeking a vocation minister. To obtain details, contact Rachel Prine at rprine@csjinitiatives.org or 316-689-4016.

Canadian vocation conference

The National Association of Vocation and Formation Directors in Canada invites U.S. vocation directors to attend its conference April 22-25, 2018 in Hamilton, Ontario. Details may be found here.

How long have you been involved in vocation ministry?

Since 2013 I've been involved in vocations for my community, Our Lady of New Clairvaux Abbey in Vina, California. 

Are you part of a vocation team? 

Teamwork is essential to our vocation ministry. In addition to our Formation Committee, which has oversight of the vocation office, I also take part in a vocation promotion team with Brother Guerric Llanes, our director of social media, and with a lay friend of the monastery who has experience in communications and marketing.

Has being a member of NRVC been helpful to you? If so, please tell how.

Being a member of NRVC has been an invaluable help! First of all attending the new vocation director workshop provided an excellent foundation; I would highly recommend it to anyone beginning vocation ministry. I continue to use the NRVC office as a resource, both for current vocations data and for questions that come up, such as student debt relief. 

What have you tried lately that you're excited about?

As a cloistered contemplative community we need help in getting our invitation out to potential candidates. We have formed an Abbey Vocation Volunteer Network (AVVN) of volunteer supporters to promote us in their local parish or other setting.

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

Be patient and pray always in readiness to surrender to God’s will. Expect miracles.