Chicago Archdiocesan Vocation Association

In this Year of Consecrated Life, everyday Catholics say thank you to the religious sisters, brothers, priests and others in consecrated life whose faith, hope, and love was an inspiration to them.

During this special Year of Consecrated Life, VISION invites everyone and anyone to say thank you to those in consecrated life for their lives, their love, and their witness.

HAVE YOU EVER TREATED SOMEONE AS WELL AS YOU WOULD TREAT JESUS?

Year of Consecrated Life: Reflections of Gratitude for Sisters, Brothers, & Priests (Part 6)

Year of Consecrated Life: Reflections of Gratitude for Sisters, Brothers, & Priests (Part 7)

Discerning a vocation is about trusting in what God wants to give you, and how your life is unfolding within God's design. What does God want for you? It's a mystery why God chooses some for one vocation and some for another. Staying open to God's call is not easy. But when you leave God in charge, you find the best path for yourself.

Our faith tells us that "prayer is a vital necessity." But how shall we pray? Fortunately, Catholic tradition is rich in forms of prayer. The ways to pray are endless. But no matter which prayers or prayer forms you make your own, remember to ground your prayer in desire and surrender. These are the real essentials for genuine prayer.

Published on Sep 12, 2013 "Does God send signs?" Don't we all long for that kind of clarity? Nonetheless our faith assures us that God is always communicating God's will to us. God's message is consistent, sure, and irrefutable. We are not alone on this journey, Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to guide us on the way to read the "signs" that point us in the right direction.

Published on Jul 29, 2013 This video featuring three seminarians was filmed on location at Mount St. Mary's of the West in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information visit www.CincinnatiVocations.org.

Published on Jul 24, 2013 The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops invited Father James Martin, SJ, editor at large at America, to address the English-speaking youth during World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, in a series of videos. In this video, Father Martin speak on the topic of vocation. How can we know what we are called to do, and whom we are called to be?

A Documentray on the call to a religious life for women. Suscribe to our Channel Visit us at our website: http://www.wordnet.tv/index.html

Explore the definition of vocation in this animated short developed and produced by The Fund for Theological Education.

Sister Sue Ernster is a certified public accountant and a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration. In this video she talks about her call to religious life.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops invited Father James Martin, SJ, editor at large at America, to address the English-speaking youth during World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, in a series of videos. In this video, Father Martin speaks about prayer. What can happen when you pray? He looks at how God can communicate through emotions, desires, insights, memories and feelings.

A vocations video made by the seminarians of the Archdiocese of Mobile.

Mercy Moments: Archdiocese of Chicago. Jubilee of Mercy

Vocation Director Fr. Adam MacDonald,SVD shares his thoughts with young men and women who feel called to discern a vocation to the Priesthood and Religious Life.

As a discerner seeking to follow Jesus as a sister, brother, or priest you, too, must navigate many choices and the lingo of religious life. Basically all religious communities include aspects of prayer, service, community life, and decision-making.

The promises of poverty, celibacy, and obedience are less about giving things up than about living a full and free life. Building up, not giving up The reason to choose a vowed life is to participate in the mission of Jesus in a radical way. The vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience are meant to free us rather than constrict us so that we can spend our energy and time building up the kingdom of God.

All Christians have a vocation—whether to marriage, single life, ordination, or consecrated life. Here are some Catholic vocation choices that are less well-known than traditional membership in a religious order or the diocesan priesthood.

Campus ministers discuss "how to tell what God wants for you during discernment".

THE MOST BASIC MEANING OF VOCATION is a call. A call to holiness and the fullness of life itself. Who can forget in the opening chapters of Mark and Matthew's gospels those encounters by the Sea of Galilee? Fishers Simon, Andrew, James and John have no inkling of what is about to happen to them, and that it will change their lives forever. Jesus, calls to them, "Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men" (Mark 1:16-20).

Fr. Adam MacDonald, SVD share his calling to religious like and what led him to become a Divine Word Missionary.

Vocation discernment retreats offer opportunities to experience the prayer life and work of a religious community. The retreat lets a discerner try on how this life feels.

Today's sisters are a dynamic breed of educated, creative, community-oriented women who are a breath of fresh air to religious life and to the church and world. Let's look at some of the common reasons young women give for dismissing the idea of becoming a sister or nun and why they don't necessarily hold up.

Spiritual direction is a process of nurturing your spiritual life. Here's a basic overview of how it works. Find a spiritual director. Ask for a referral from a vocation director, campus minister, priest, sister, lay minister, or any person whose judgment you trust. If you're considering a particular religious order, you might want a spiritual director from that group because he or she would be familiar with its approach to spirituality.

"Does God send signs?" Don't we all long for that kind of clarity? Nonetheless our faith assures us that God is always communicating God's will to us. God's message is consistent, sure, and irrefutable. We are not alone on this journey, Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to guide us on the way to read the "signs" that point us in the right direction.

A survey of the important dates in the history of religious life. From ancient desert monasticism to contemporary forms of consecrated life, a small band of Christian men and women in every generation choose to consecrated their lives to God with unique vows of love and service that give radical witness to the gospel.

A Documentray on the call to a religious life for women

Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods share what it means to them to be a member of the Congregation, and to collaborate with others to create a more just and hope-filled world through prayer, education, service and advocacy. Get a glimpse into religious community life as a Sister of Providence and hear what is most meaningful to each sister. Learn more about the Sisters of Providence at SistersofProvidence.org

Did you know that the word vocation is related to the term “vocal cords” and means “a calling”? More precisely it means spending your life doing what your innermost heart feels called to do, but how shall we do it? It’s as simple as ask, trust, stop, listen, and respond.

"What is God's will for me?" Finding the will of God is really important for those of us who love the Lord and want to live our lives according to God's purpose for us. "Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother" (Mark3:35). One of the hardest parts about doing God's will is that you sometimes have to go against the will of the ones you love, like your parents or your friends. Even the best parents have agendas for their children. Although it doesn't always feel like it, doing your heart's desire through prayer and staying connected to the church will lead you to God.

Religious life Adapted from an article by Carol Schuck Scheiber for VISION Vocation Guide. Read the complete article.

Fr. Brian Terry, SA discusses Vocation Discernment and religious life. He discusses the questions so often posed by a person seeking something more in their life: Is there something more? Could I be doing something more? What can I do to find that "something"?

Br. Joe Trout has joined the Dominican Order only three years ago. Flash back on his story. ENG - General Chapter of the Order of Preachers, Trogir 2013, Croatia

Sister Sue Ernster is a certified public accountant and a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration. In this video she talks about her call to religious life.