National Vocation Awareness Week: November 4-10, 2018

As Catholics, we firmly believe that God has a plan for our lives! He calls some to marriage, some to the priesthood, and others to religious life. Some remain as generous single people. Fully living our own vocations — and teaching young people how to discern God’s call — is  a serious duty, but also a joyful one.

November 4 begins National Vocation Awareness Week. During this week, please pray about how God is calling you to live your vocation more deeply. Encourage the young people in your life — children, grandchildren, students, and friends—to be open if God calls them to priesthood or consecrated life.

The Main Catholic Vocations

A vocation is a call from God to pursue holiness in a specific way, involving a public and permanent commitment.

Marriage: Most people are called to marriage— a vowed union of a man and woman who promise to love their spouses and to joyfully welcome children.

Priesthood: Priests bring Jesus to people and people to Jesus through preaching and the sacraments. They are ordained to devote their lives to serve the people of God.

Consecrated Life: Both men and women make vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience when they join orders such as the Franciscans, Benedictines, Dominicans, etc.  — article credit: Vianney Vocations

Discernment Pilgrimage: Each spring, The Diocese of Raleigh invites men between the ages of 17 and 35 on a pilgrimage to explore seminary life in order to help their discernment process. Info: NCPriest.org