Sr. Elaine Thaden, one of our vocation directors, wrote the following article for our internal congregational newsletter. However, because its focus is really the family, I thought it appropriate to share it with you and your families! Hope you enjoy it and find the resources helpful! It seems to me that many of the suggestions are good ones for any family--whether or not someone in that family may be being called to religious life!
Considering Pope Francis’ messages during his visit to the U.S., the International Conference on the Family held in Philadelphia, and the recent synod on the family in Rome, it seems very timely to discuss the role of family in vocation promotion. The minds of Catholics are focusing on the family and the times are ripe to do more to create a culture of vocations among families and in parishes. To support this goal, the 2015 National Religious Vocation Conference/CARA recently released findings of a study on the “Role of the Family in Nurturing Vocations to Religious Life and Priesthood.” The survey focused on both men and women religious and diocesan priests and seminarians who entered religious life since 2000 as well as on their family members. The complete study can be found at www.NRVC.net.
Considering Pope Francis’ messages during his visit to the U.S., the International Conference on the Family held in Philadelphia, and the recent synod on the family in Rome, it seems very timely to discuss the role of family in vocation promotion. The minds of Catholics are focusing on the family and the times are ripe to do more to create a culture of vocations among families and in parishes. To support this goal, the 2015 National Religious Vocation Conference/CARA recently released findings of a study on the “Role of the Family in Nurturing Vocations to Religious Life and Priesthood.” The survey focused on both men and women religious and diocesan priests and seminarians who entered religious life since 2000 as well as on their family members. The complete study can be found at www.NRVC.net.
Check out www.vocationnetwork.org. Under the “Year of Consecrated Life” tab, you can find helpful resources such as “10 Suggestions for Fostering Happy and Holy Families—Essential for Nurturing Vocations”
- Pray daily as a family in thanksgiving for guidance, for forgiveness.
- Talk with your children about their worries and concerns, their hopes and dreams.
- Share meals together as often as possible.
- Tell stories about your family history—the good and the bad. Talk about how you became a family and the day your children were born.
- Decide together your family goals and what your biggest do’s and don’ts are.
- Be active in your parish and your community. Encourage your children to participate in the ministries of the parish.
- Teach family members to fight fair and forgive easily.
- Talk about your faith and the men and women, including sisters, brothers, and priests, who have had and important influence on you.
- Work to reduce stress among all family members. Have fun and play together each day.
- Encourage your children to be creative and compassionate and know that those are the greatest of God’s gifts.
Two Other Valuable Resources on the Site
- “An Evening of Prayer for Parents and Families” with an outline for the evening and a sample opening talk.
- “A Parent Workshop on Helping Your Children Make Wise Decisions” with an outline for the gathering and a sample opening talk.
