30. Vocation Animation and Recruitment

30. Vocation Animation and Recruitment

VOCATION ANIMATION AND RECRUITMENT

“God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life”(Jn 3:16). His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ calls us to follow him to have this eternal life just as he challenged a young man, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me.”(Mt 19:21). Through our baptism, all of us are called to be part of the saving mission of Christ which he entrusted to his Church (Apostolicam Actuositatem [AA], 30) and this vocation can either be towards married life or a celibate life dedicated to service and ministry in the Church that we are exhorted to promote this (Perfectae Caritatis [PC], 24). Parents, who are the first to communicate the faith to their children and to educate them “should prudently help them in the choice of their vocation and carefully promote any religious calling which they many discern in them.” (AA, 11). At this time when we have shortage of priests and crisis of vocation to religious life (Bishop Raymond A. Lucker, “Assessing the Shortage of Priests: Nonclerical Alternatives to Ordained Ministry” in Shepherds Speak, N.Y.: Crossroad, 1986, pp.34-38), “Priests and Catholic teachers should make serious efforts on behalf of religious vocations, so that a new supply may be at hand for meeting the Church’s needs adequately” (PC, 24). This should include understanding the young people today and their aspirations (John Paul II, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, N.Y.: A.A Knopf, 1994, pp.118-122), role-modeling and life-witnessing of the clergy and vocation awareness and a vocation program covering recruitment, formation and follow-up evaluation (PCP II Decree, article 73, #2 & 3). Young people today are facing obstacles and problems in embracing priestly vocation due to the lure of consumer society, perverted outlook on human sexuality, distorted sense of freedom and erosion of ethical principles (John Paul II, Pastores Dabo Vobis [PDV], 8). In spite of this, young people have vigor and vitality in involving themselves in voluntary social services towards the forsaken of society, to be open and sympathetic to the poor, the thirst for freedom, the search for a just world and a commitment to peace are ideals that inspire them to opt for priestly vocation (PDV, 9). All programs and activities of vocation animation and recruitment shall take this into account as well as to consider the “complex situation of the present day” (PDV, 10). To have a more effective and systematic vocation animation and recruitment, it is suggested to have a clear directional goal, realizable objectives, orientational principles, operational activities, effective deployment of Diocesan Vocation Director and Vocation Animators, organization and mobilization of Vocation Committees in parishes, organization of Love Your Seminarians Movement and Vocation Clubs, Vocation Sunday, conducting Vocation Seminars and Search-ins, clear funding, proper use of mass media and involvement of schools and other institutions and a good program for vocation promotion and recruitment.

Questions for small group discussions:
How do you promote or animate priestly and religious vocation in your parish?
Are there seminarians or formandi to the religious life who are from your parish? How do you support them? Do they inspire young people in your parish to follow priestly and religious vocation?
Are there programs and activities in your parish related to vocation promotion and animation? How are you involved in these? Are there many parishioners who are also involved in this? Why?