Vocations

Prayer to Know My Vocation: My Lord and my God, you are Love itself, the source of all love and goodness. Out of love you created me to know you, to love you, and to serve you in a unique way, as no one else can. I believe that you have a plan for my life, that you have a mission in your Kingdom reserved for me alone. Your plan and your mission are far better than any other I might choose: they will glorify you, fulfill the desires of my heart, and bring salvation to those souls who are depending on my generous response. Lord grant me the light of grace I need to see the next step in Your plan; grant me the generosity necessary to follow your call; and grant me the courage required to take up my cross and to follow you.Show me your will, O gentle and eternal God, and help me to say with Mary, “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Let me say with Jesus, “Let not my will be done, but yours.” Amen.

What is a Vocation? A vocation is a call from God who created you to share intimately in His inner life of love. You are called to perfect love in union with God for all eternity! You live out this call by making a total self-gift of yourself in love. As you take up your cross and follow Christ, you lay down your life for Him in love.

Priesthood - Some men are called to lay down their lives for the Church in the ordained ministry by the Sacrament of Holy Orders. These men stand in the person of Christ and serve their bride, the Church by preaching, teaching, and celebrating the Sacraments.

Permanent Diaconate - Deacons are ordained to assist the bishop and priests in the celebration of the divine mysteries, above all the Eucharist, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting at and blessing marriages, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in presiding over funerals, and in dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity. They are configured to Christ who made himself the "deacon" or servant of all.

Consecrated Life - Some men and women are called to be dedicated totally to God by embracing the
evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Some live in the world and are set apart by a special consecration, in secular institutes, as consecrated virgins, or as hermits. Others are called out of the world, to live the religious life by professing the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Married Life - Some men and women are called to give themselves to one another through the Sacrament of Matrimony. They are called to bring their spouse closer to Christ through growth in holiness, by making a total and faithful gift of themselves to each other and sharing in God's creative work through the procreation of children.