Quick Reference Vocation Guide

Teacher’s Guide for Supporting and Encouraging

Teachers are called amidst already busy schedules Religious to be more than knowledge transmitters. Students send out signals as they tackle academic and life issues. As a Vocations teacher, you have been gifted with the opportunity to respond to your students and to touch their lives by example, by listening, and by providing meaningful feedback.

The purpose of this Quick Reference Guide is to suggest ways that you can encourage vocations to priesthood, religious life, and other Church leadership without sacrificing time needed to complete your curriculum.

“For I know well the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare not for woe. Plans to give you a DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN future full of hope.” The Catholic Church in Brooklyn and Queens -Jeremiah 29:11 Definitions

Apostolate: The type of work or mission of ordained clergy deacons, priests and Religious Order: A community with a the order through which their particular bishops. All three confer a permanent, particular charism, as expressed by its charism is lived out. sacramental character to the man ordained. founder, is called a religious order. There are religious orders of priests and brothers, Brother: Brothers live in religious Laity: People within the Church including and religious orders of sisters. Religious communities. They take vows and promise religious brothers and sisters as well as all communities may also have lay associates. to use their talents to serve God wherever other single and married person who are not Some religious orders are dedicated the community decides they are needed. ordained as bishop, priests or deacons are primarily to prayer, while others focus on They do not get married and have many known as the laity or the lay faithful. apostolic (active) ministries. different jobs. They are not ordained. Lay Minster: Lay ministers may serve in Secular Institute: Single lay men and Charism: Each religious community has a many volunteer or paid capacities, such as women, and also some priests, belong to charism — a purpose or mission, and a spirit parish administrator, youth minister, human secular institutes. They make a commitment defined by the community’s founder. For concerns committee member, church to live the “evangelical counsels” of poverty, example, a religious order might exist to musician, campus minister, Catholic school chastity, and obedience. Members do not serve the poor (purpose) in a spirit of teacher, or missionary. They are men and necessarily live together as a community. humility. Some communities have an women, married or single. Their goal is to be a transforming presence apostolic charism, meaning an active in society. ministry in the world. Other religious orders Ministry: Church service and ministry mean are contemplative, focusing mainly on a the same thing. In the Catholic Church, Sister: Sisters belong to religious community life of prayer. there are both ordained and lay ministries, communities. They take vows and serve or ways of serving God and His people. God according to the charisms of their Consecrated Life: A permanent state of life communities. Sisters are not married and recognized by the Church, entered freely in Novice: A man or woman in the first formal work in many different jobs, according to response to the call of Christ to perfection, state of joining a religious community is the needs of the religious community and/or and characterized by the making of public call a novice. This state is the novitiate and the needs of the local area. A sister in a vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. usually takes one to two years. cloistered religious community is a nun.

Deacon (Permanent): A third degree of Nun: Nuns are sisters and brides of Spouse: A man or a woman who live in a the Sacrament of Holy Orders, after bishop Christ who are called by Him to pray holy state of life called marriage. They take and priest. The permanent deacon is and serve the needs of the Church in a vows to love and serve God through each ordained for ministry and service, but not to more hidden way. They live in other for the whole of their lives. They live the priesthood. He assists and preaches at cloistered communities and do not leave and work together in many different places Mass, baptizes and presides at weddings and their convents for any outside and ways, and their life together is marked funerals. They have jobs outside the Church apostolates. by a permanent fidelity and by an openness to make a living. Men at least 35 years of to children. age, married or single, may be ordained Ordained: Ordination enables a man to act permanent deacons. on behalf of the Church through Word, Vocation: One definition of vocation is Sacrament, and leadership. A bishop is God’s call to be the holy people we were Deacon (Transitional): Men who are called ordained to present Christ. Priests share in created and baptized to be. Some people live to the priesthood who are in the final stage the bishop’s role of representing Christ the out their call in priesthood, religious life of formation before being ordained as Shepherd. Deacons collaborate with the (sister/brother), family or single life. They priests. They receive the Sacrament of Holy bishop in his role as representative of Christ may be ordained or lay ministers. The Orders and usually serve as deacons for one the Servant. various ministries and ways of life enable year before ordination to the priesthood. people to extend God’s self-giving love to During their year as a deacon they continue Priest: A man ordained to priesthood is one another. their studies and serve in parish assignments. called to serve the Church through Word, Sacrament, and leadership. An individual Vows: Formal, public promises of poverty, Discernment: When talking about and the Church both discern (discover) celibate chastity, and obedience made by discovering your vocation, discernment whether or not a man is called to become a members of religious orders are called vows. means the process of that discovery through priest. Diocesan priests work mostly in The vow of poverty means that members prayer, reflection and discussion as to how parishes. Religious order priests belong to hold all things in common. The community God calls each person to love Him, whether communities with particular charisms. All takes care of their needs. The vow of as a priest, a consecrated religious man or priests celebrate Mass and the Sacraments. celibate chastity means that a person woman, a married person or a consecrated promises to love all people without getting single person. Religious Life: Priests, brothers, or sisters married or having sexual relations. in communities that embrace the spirituality Obedience means searching for and seeking Holy Orders: The Sacrament by which the and teachings of the community’s founder to accomplish God’s will in the context of mission entrusted by Christ to His Apostles call their way of life religious life. Members Scripture, the Church, and the community. continues to be exercised in the Church of these communities take vows of poverty, (Diocesan priests promise celibate chastity through the laying on of hands. By receiving celibate chastity, and obedience. and obedience to their bishop.) Holy Orders men become members of the Discernment Keep communicating. Develop a list of people who are willing to answer your To say “yes” to God means answering a students’ questions about ministry. Make call, rather than initiating it. The process vocations a part of “career day” in your school leading to that answer and later affirmation or classroom by inviting one or more speakers by the Church is discernment. In some to talk about ministry. Have vocations ways, vocation discernment is similar to resources readily available. career planning. Both involve recognizing talents and personality traits suited to work Support the process. Foster a classroom tasks. However, a vocation is more than a environment in which the call to ministry is career. respected — where it is okay to consider a religious vocation. Integrate vocations into As a teacher, you can help your students Qualities for middle school students. . . develop openness to the possibility of your other lesson plans. For example, use priesthood, religious or consecrated life, or priests or sisters in math story problems. In  leadership language arts, use vocation questions as other Church leadership. Their openness to new ideas discernment process might begin with you! journal topics. interest in serving others How-To’s of Eye-Openers compassion Promoting Vocations Research reported by the United States ability to forgive Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has Although how you promote vocations is as generosity identified three stages of occupational decision individual as each teacher and student, the -making. Young children choose what they spirituality SPARKS acronym and a list of personal might like to be when they grow up based on willingness to take a stand characteristics applicable to ministry may adult role models or idols. Around age 11, provide a starting point for developing enjoyment of challenge children begin to associate occupational your own action plan. choices with their developing interests, talents, Qualities for high school students. . . Spot the signals, using the and values. By the time they become juniors liking people and relating well with them characteristics listed in this guide. or seniors in high school, young people engage in more realistic exploration of career and life critical thinking Pray for the ability to see your choices. adaptability to change students as God sees them. Pray in a Teachers are often role models. Reflect upon special way for those students who have energy/stamina your own call to holiness and your mission as qualities of potential Church leaders. comfort in relationship with God a Catholic educator. Encourage students to care for others as well as self Accent discovery. As a teacher, be on the lookout for emerging explore opportunities to help others at qualities that apply to Church vocations. Point cooperativeness in teamwork school, at home, and in the community — out these qualities to students, and encourage happiness and sense of humor either individually or through involvement your students to consider themselves as trustworthiness in service projects such as working in a potential future leaders in the Church. meal program or holding a clothing drive. Nurture Your Own Reach out. Even amidst the time Vocation that you share with students is only part constraints of curriculum requirements and of the picture. your schedule outside the classroom, be God invites each of us to take a lifelong open to conversation about vocations. If journey. He gives everyone a unique You do not have to be a priest or sister to you notice a student with gifts applicable personality and repertoire of talents to use give students personal input on vocations. to ministry, ask if the student has ever in service to God and each other. To be The following questions may help you thought about priesthood or religious life. called and gifted as a teacher makes the find comfortable ways to help your With a student's permission, talk to his or journey one of unpredictable experiences students discover and respond to God’s her parents about your observations. alongside young people. The knowledge will in their lives: (continued on next page) Nurture Your  Did God call you to marriage or single Discernment of a religious vocation is a process involving Own Vocation life? Everyone is called to a lifestyle in which he or she has the potential for academic, pastoral, and spiritual (continued) the greatest possible fulfillment. growth.

 How did you make the connection  Have there been times of doubt in between your talents and serving God your teaching career? Think about as a teacher? Perhaps you tried other what leads to doubt and what careers first, or maybe you always saw dissipates it for you. yourself as a natural-born teacher.  Do you see teaching as your  Who influenced or inspired you along vocation? Did you always see it the way? You may have wanted to that way? Your students may not emulate an influential teacher from make the connection between your school days. their gifts and Church ministry without help.  When you decided on a major, were you 100% sure? A person does not  Is the call to serve as a teacher a have to be positive when picking a one-time thing or ongoing? The major, enrolling in a seminary discovery of a vocation usually program to prepare for Church comes about gradually and ministry, or beginning the formation includes times of excitement, doubt, renewal, and exchange of 11 and 11: Research reported by program within a religious order. the United States Conference of ideas with others. Catholic Bishops identifies three stages of occupational decision making. Young children choose Resources Vision: The Annual Religious Voca- what they might like to be when tion Discernment Guide. In a maga- they grow up based on adult role Vocation Office, Diocese of Brooklyn. zine format, this annual publication con- models or idols. Around age 11, The Vocation Office is available to arrange tains personal stories, information about children begin to associate occu- speakers, talk one-to-one, and serve as an in- religious orders, and other guidance in the pational choices with their devel- formation source. Contact the Diocesan process of discerning and accepting God’s oping interests, talents, and values. th Vocation Office. call to priesthood or religious life. Availa- By the 11 grade, young people ble from the National Religious Vocation engage in more realistic explora- A Future Full of Hope (1997). This voca- Conference, 5420 South Cornell Ave., tions of career and life choices. tion resource manual includes a video, lesson #105, Chicago, Illinois 60615, telephone: 1

plans, and catechetical resources for parish Teachers, school administrators -800-328-6515 or on-line at and staff are often role models to leadership, families, elementary through high www.visionguide.info. their students. It would be helpful school students, and young adults. Available to take some time to reflect upon from the National Coalition for Church Voca- Conversion, Discernment, Mission: your own call to holiness and your tions, telephone: 1-8000-671-NCCV. Fostering a Vocation Culture in important mission as a Catholic North America (2003). A reflection educator and mentor. I Can Find My Way (1991). This teacher- and practical action guide for everybody friendly resource contains 70 laminated lesson for whom vocations make a difference. As an educator, be on the lookout plan cards for primary, intermediate, and jun- Available from the United States Confer- for emerging qualities that apply ior high school students; teachers’ handbook; ence of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). to vocations to the priesthood and and video with three short presentations (one religious life. Point out these qual- for each age group). Developed by the Ohio Vocation Office ities to students, and encourage Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors. Diocese of Brooklyn your students to consider them- Available from the National Coalition for 341 Highland Blvd selves as potential future leaders Church Vocations, telephone: 1-800-671- Brooklyn, NY 11207 in the Church. NCCV. (718) 827-2454 e-mail: [email protected] www.dioceseofbrooklyn.org/vocations