VOCATION DIRECTORS

Vocation Directors are the first people contacted by someone who is interested in entering a religious community. They are the "gate keepers" of the congregation. It is a very serious position. There is much screening, meeting, testing that needs to be done with the applicant. The Vocation Director needs to know about the congregation's mission, ministry, spirituality, and history.

In addition to the many duties that need to be done is the attitude of the Vocation Director. This person has to have a big heart. The heart of a Vocation Director is filled with joy, faith, love for God and her/his congregation, passion, and most of all hope.

Why do I think hope is so important? Hope along with faith is what the Vocation Director needs to continue praying and working in this ministry. They pray daily to the Holy Spirit that more young men and women will respond to God's call to follow as a woman religious or brother. They know that there are people out there who are searching. They try to find ways to help these people to find what they are looking for in terms of spiritual direction, discernment, communities. Hope keeps them passionate about who they are and what they are doing. When I attended a week-long orientation for Vocation Directors, we were told that many sisters or brothers who leave community are former Vocation Directors. They left because they no longer had hope.

Let me tell you about a little group of Vocation Directors who meet monthly in our diocese. One is a Sister of Mercy. Another is a Sister of Saint Benedict. Then there is the Vicar of Religious for our diocese and myself who are Sisters of Saint Joseph. Each month we get together to pray, talk and plan how to make people aware of who we are. We also have put together a booklet of speakers available to talk on vocations or religious life. We have a website for vocations. We have been working on an idea to have articles in one of our diocesan publications. We view dvd's that are put out. We have planned Holy Hours for vocations along with the Serrans. None of us have crowds of women entering, however our hope keeps us on task.

So, while you are praying for vocations to the priesthood or religious life, remember to pray a little prayer for Vocation Directors. By the way, don't worry, I'm not leaving.