Vocational discernment in the Catholic Church
Encyclopedia
Vocational discernment is the process in which men or women in the Catholic Church discern, or determine, their vocation
in the Church. Though one may also speak of discerning a vocation to marriage or to life as a single person, discerning a vocation most frequently refers to a special vocation such as the priesthood or religious life. It has been argued that this common restriction of the term is a mistake, and even decreases religious vocations, because it discourages people who don't immediately feel called to the clerical state or consecrated life from engaging in vocational discernment.
to enlighten them. Those who feel they might be called to a religious vocation are encouraged to seek a spiritual director to help them along the way. After the set time, many orders have a formal discernment process which the candidate will engage in, before entering the order as a novice, or the seminary.
, which could be as a Diocesan priest or as a Religious
priest. A Diocesan priest serves in a particular diocese and is under the local bishop
. A Religious Priest is one who is a member of a specific religious order
such as the Trinitarians, Holy Cross Fathers and Brothers
or Jesuits. A man discerning a vocation could feel drawn to the life of a friar
. Friars are members of mendicant orders, such the Franciscans or Augustinians
. They take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Some men in the Catholic Church, when discerning might consider the life of a monk
. Monks are cloistered Priests and religious brothers who live simple lives, away from the world in community. Some men might feel called to be a permanent deacon
. Others might feel called to the life of a hermit
, or to be consecrated members of a Secular Institute
.
, a consecrated member of a Secular Institute
, or a Consecrated Virgin
. The Catholic Church does not have the authority to ordain women to the Priesthood. Religious sisters are similar to active religious brothers. Nuns, in the official context are cloistered.
was used in the Catholic Church only to refer to priestly or religious vocations, the vocation to live a life directly consecrated to God. Thomas Aquinas
, e.g., only explicitly uses the term vocation to refer to vocation to grace or conversion, or to enter religious life, though it has been argued that his teaching may be logically extended to include marriage as a vocation. In the twentieth century there has been a growing movement to extend the use of the term more widely. The Second Vatican Council taught that all Christians, whatever their state, are called "to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity". The conclusion drawn from this principle is that whatever way of life can be a full expression of Christian charity, and a means for growing towards the perfection of it, can be a vocation. Pope John Paul II teaches that there are two specific ways of realizing the vocation of the human person in its entirety, to love: marriage and virginity or celibacy.
Vocation
A vocation , is a term for an occupation to which a person is specially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. Though now often used in non-religious contexts, the meanings of the term originated in Christianity.-Senses:...
in the Church. Though one may also speak of discerning a vocation to marriage or to life as a single person, discerning a vocation most frequently refers to a special vocation such as the priesthood or religious life. It has been argued that this common restriction of the term is a mistake, and even decreases religious vocations, because it discourages people who don't immediately feel called to the clerical state or consecrated life from engaging in vocational discernment.
Process
Each diocese or religious order usually has its own guidelines and advice for men or women discerning religious vocations. Many dioceses and religious orders encourage men and women with potential vocations to spend time, usually anywhere from six months to a year, praying and asking GodGod
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
to enlighten them. Those who feel they might be called to a religious vocation are encouraged to seek a spiritual director to help them along the way. After the set time, many orders have a formal discernment process which the candidate will engage in, before entering the order as a novice, or the seminary.
Men
For men vocational discernment could include the PriesthoodPriesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
, which could be as a Diocesan priest or as a Religious
Roman Catholic religious order
Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular ; monastics ; mendicants Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular (canons and canonesses regular...
priest. A Diocesan priest serves in a particular diocese and is under the local bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
. A Religious Priest is one who is a member of a specific religious order
Religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
such as the Trinitarians, Holy Cross Fathers and Brothers
Congregation of Holy Cross
The Congregation of Holy Cross or Congregatio a Sancta Cruce is a Catholic congregation of priests and brothers founded in 1837 by Blessed Father Basil Anthony-Marie Moreau, CSC, in Le Mans, France....
or Jesuits. A man discerning a vocation could feel drawn to the life of a friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
. Friars are members of mendicant orders, such the Franciscans or Augustinians
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
. They take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Some men in the Catholic Church, when discerning might consider the life of a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
. Monks are cloistered Priests and religious brothers who live simple lives, away from the world in community. Some men might feel called to be a permanent deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
. Others might feel called to the life of a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
, or to be consecrated members of a Secular Institute
Secular institute
In the Roman Catholic Church, a secular institute is an organization of individuals who are consecrated persons – professing the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience – while living in the world, unlike members of a religious order who live in community. It is one of the...
.
Women
For women, vocational discernment would consist of feeling called to the life of a religious sister or nunNun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
, a consecrated member of a Secular Institute
Secular institute
In the Roman Catholic Church, a secular institute is an organization of individuals who are consecrated persons – professing the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience – while living in the world, unlike members of a religious order who live in community. It is one of the...
, or a Consecrated Virgin
Consecrated virgin
In the Catholic Church a consecrated virgin is a woman who has been conscrated by the church to a life of perpetual virginity in the service of God. Consecrated virgins are to spend their time in works of penance and mercy, in apostolic activity and in prayer, according to their state of life and...
. The Catholic Church does not have the authority to ordain women to the Priesthood. Religious sisters are similar to active religious brothers. Nuns, in the official context are cloistered.
Vocation to marriage
Traditionally the term vocationVocation
A vocation , is a term for an occupation to which a person is specially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. Though now often used in non-religious contexts, the meanings of the term originated in Christianity.-Senses:...
was used in the Catholic Church only to refer to priestly or religious vocations, the vocation to live a life directly consecrated to God. Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
, e.g., only explicitly uses the term vocation to refer to vocation to grace or conversion, or to enter religious life, though it has been argued that his teaching may be logically extended to include marriage as a vocation. In the twentieth century there has been a growing movement to extend the use of the term more widely. The Second Vatican Council taught that all Christians, whatever their state, are called "to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity". The conclusion drawn from this principle is that whatever way of life can be a full expression of Christian charity, and a means for growing towards the perfection of it, can be a vocation. Pope John Paul II teaches that there are two specific ways of realizing the vocation of the human person in its entirety, to love: marriage and virginity or celibacy.
Other vocations
It has been argued that associating vocation with particular states of life such as marriage or religious life is too narrow and that many Christian vocations do not fit neatly into those categories.External links
- The Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis of Assisi, CFP located in the United States, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Brazil, Regular Third Order, official vocational website
- Vocation.com offers Catholic vocation resources for promoting and discerning vocations.
- Vocation-Network.org information and free resources about Catholic religious vocations and life as a sister, brother, or priest.
- Vocation Quest offers resources for women discerning a call to become a Catholic Sister.
- VocationMatch.com helps those discerning a Catholic religious vocation sort through options and find the path that may be right for them.
- Paths of Love: Catholic Vocation Discernment focuses on love as the source for discerning every vocation.
- ConsecratedVirgins.org explains consecrated virginity in the Catholic Church.
- DigitalVocationGuide.org digital edition of VISION, the annual Catholic religious vocation discernment guide.