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VOCATIONS: A FAMILY BLESSING?
By Sr. Regina Wilson,
IHM
"Seeds sown on rich soil hear the word of God, accept it and bear
fruit thirty, sixty and a hundred-fold" Mark
4:20.
The phone rang. I hesitated answering, for it was Friday afternoon and I was
ready to enjoy the weekend. Reluctantly, I picked up the receiver.
"Sister Regina," I heard, "my name is Maria and I think I have a vocation to
religious life. I was told that you could help me. Would you be willing to meet
with me?" I agreed and left the office wondering what our meeting would
accomplish.
The doorbell rang at 8:30 on Monday evening, and there stood Maria, a
beautiful young woman clad in very comfortable casual wear, exuding the
enthusiasm that often accompanies those in their twenties. In our brief time
together, Maria shared that she comes from an Italian background, is 22 years of
age, has just finished college and is presently employed by an advertising
agency in Manhattan. In spite of what appears to be success at an early age,
Maria expressed an inner yearning for a more intimate relationship with Christ
and said that this longing has been persistent since her years in junior high
school.
When asked if she ever shared these feelings with her parents, her immediate
response was, "Tell my parents that I want to enter the convent? My Mom would
flip if I ever mentioned that I wanted to become a Sister, as that would mean no
grandchildren."
Lack of support for Church vocations
The above story exemplifies only one of the obstacles that young people
face when making a vocational choice, especially if that choice is priesthood
or religious life. There are many Marias among our young people today -Marias who
experience God's call, but are frustrated because they are unable to share that
inner desire, that deep yearning with those who love them the most, their
parents.
Open to discussion
Recognizing the changing attitude of parents toward a child's expression of
interest in priesthood or religious life and conscious of the drastic decline in
vocations, the National Religious Vocation Conference invited parents to
participate in a dialogue about the vocation issues facing today's Church. One
key question asked was: "What would encourage/discourage you from supporting
your child in pursuing a vocation to priesthood or religious life?"
The parents were very candid in their responses and readily acknowledged
their lack of information regarding Church vocations, suggesting that there is a
great need for vocation awareness education for parents. The parents' main
concern is the happiness of their offspring; therefore, they hesitate to
encourage their children to pursue priesthood or religious life for reasons such
as: loneliness, aging communities, inequalities toward women; and a closed
non-collaborative, hierarchical system for men. It is interesting to note,
though, that many parents support an open discussion with their children
regarding religious life and priesthood and encourage them to continue to
investigate the various possibilities available to them in Church ministry.
However, others candidly revealed their own reservations, realizing that
sacrificing one of their children to religious life or priesthood would lessen
the possibility of becoming a grandparent.
Parents should help children follow Christ
Our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, in his 2001 Message for World Day of
Prayer for Vocations, emphasizes, "Life as a Vocation," and exhorts parents to
assist their children in developing a close relationship with Christ, thus
encouraging them to follow in His footsteps. The results of Parent/Youth Surveys
conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate offer some
simple ways through which this can be accomplished:
- create a positive home environment by making prayer a normal part of
everyday living;
- develop a sense of trust and openness, by speaking
positively about personal experiences with priests, brothers and sisters and by
giving children time to share their own experiences;
- support young people
in making this most difficult and important choice in life, by listening,
encouraging and promising your understanding and acceptance.
Research tells us that the most effective way to sow the seed of vocation is
by personal example and invitation. Parental encouragement and invitation are
vital; however, individuals beyond the family are necessary for our young people
to take the next step in pursuing a life style more counter cultural than ever.
Pastors, consecrated men and women, teachers and catechists, brothers, sisters
and friends, all play a major role in helping the young adult respond to God's
call. In fact, it takes a Parish!
Oh, by the way, what about Maria? She has recently shared her feelings with
her parents and found that their response was not what she had expected. In
addition, she has established herself with a spiritual director and is planning
to become part of a yearlong discernment program called, "Women Exploring." This
program will give Maria the opportunity to meet other women searching for a way
to satisfy that inner longing and also provide her with an opportunity to become
familiar with a number of religious communities and their charisms.
Resources
CARA Compendium of Vocations Research
Center For
Applied Research In The Apostolate
Georgetown University
Washington,
DC 20057
Phone: 202-697-8086
Fax:
202-687-8083
Vocation Awareness and Education Resources
National
Coalition for Church Vocations
5420 S. Cornell Avenue #105
Chicago,
IL 60615
Phone: 1-800-671-NCCV
Fax:
773-363-5530
www.nccv-vocations.org
Nurturing Vocations: Vocation Ministers and Parents Respond to the
Challenge
National Religious Vocation Conference
5420 S.
Cornell Avenue #105
Chicago, IL 60615-5604
Phone:
773-363-5454
Fax: 773-363-5530
Pope John Paul II
Message for World Day of Prayer for Vocations - May 6,
200l
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