Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The 49th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which will be celebrated on 29 April 2012, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, prompts us to meditate on the theme: Vocations, the Gift of the Love of God.

The source of every perfect gift is God who is Love – Deus caritas est: “Whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him” (1 Jn 4:16). Sacred Scripture tells the story of this original bond between God and man, which precedes creation itself. Writing to the Christians of the city of Ephesus, Saint Paul raises a hymn of gratitude and praise to the Father who, with infinite benevolence, in the course of the centuries accomplishes his universal plan of salvation, which is a plan of love. In his Son Jesus – Paul states – “he chose us, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him in love” (Eph 1:4). We are loved by God even “before” we come into existence! Moved solely by his unconditional love, he created us “not … out of existing things” (cf. 2 Macc 7:28), to bring us into full communion with Him.

God’s Love in our Life

In great wonderment before the work of God’s providence, the Psalmist exclaims: “When I see the heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you arranged, what is man that you should keep him in mind, mortal man that you care for him?” (Ps 8:3-4). The profound truth of our existence is thus contained in this surprising mystery: every creature, and in particular every human person, is the fruit of God’s thought and an act of his love, a love that is boundless, faithful and everlasting (cf. Jer 31:3). The discovery of this reality is what truly and profoundly changes our lives. In a famous page of the Confessions, Saint Augustine expresses with great force his discovery of God, supreme beauty and supreme love, a God who was always close to him, and to whom he at last opened his mind and heart to be transformed: “Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.” (X, 27.38). With these images, the Saint of Hippo seeks to describe the ineffable mystery of his encounter with God, with God’s love that transforms all of life.

It is a love that is limitless and that precedes us, sustains us and calls us along the path of life, a love rooted in an absolutely free gift of God. Speaking particularly of the ministerial priesthood, my predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, stated that “every ministerial action – while it leads to loving and serving the Church – provides an incentive to grow in ever greater love and service of Jesus Christ the head, shepherd and spouse of the Church, a love which is always a response to the free and unsolicited love of God in Christ” (Pastores Dabo Vobis, 25). Every specific vocation is in fact born of the initiative of God; it is a gift of the Love of God! He is the One who takes the “first step”, and not because he has found something good in us, but because of the presence of his own love “poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Rom 5:5).

God’s Love revealed through Jesus Christ

In every age, the source of the divine call is to be found in the initiative of the infinite love of God, who reveals himself fully in Jesus Christ. As I wrote in my first Encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, “God is indeed visible in a number of ways. In the love-story recounted by the Bible, he comes towards us, he seeks to win our hearts, all the way to the Last Supper, to the piercing of his heart on the Cross, to his appearances after the Resurrection and to the great deeds by which, through the activity of the Apostles, he guided the nascent Church along its path. Nor has the Lord been absent from subsequent Church history: he encounters us ever anew, in the men and women who reflect his presence, in his word, in the sacraments, and especially in the Eucharist” (No. 17).

The love of God is everlasting; he is faithful to himself, to the “word that he commanded for a thousand generations” (Ps 105:8). Yet the appealing beauty of this divine love, which precedes and accompanies us, needs to be proclaimed ever anew, especially to younger generations. This divine love is the hidden impulse, the motivation which never fails, even in the most difficult circumstances.

Be Open to God’s Love

Dear brothers and sisters, we need to open our lives to this love. It is to the perfection of the Father’s love (cf. Mt 5:48) that Jesus Christ calls us every day! The high standard of the Christian life consists in loving “as” God loves; with a love that is shown in the total, faithful and fruitful gift of self. Saint John of the Cross, writing to the Prioress of the Monastery of Segovia who was pained by the terrible circumstances surrounding his suspension, responded by urging her to act as God does: “Think nothing else but that God ordains all, and where there is no love, put love, and there you will draw out love” (Letters, 26).

It is in this soil of self-offering and openness to the love of God, and as the fruit of that love, that all vocations are born and grow. By drawing from this wellspring through prayer, constant recourse to God’s word and to the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, it becomes possible to live a life of love for our neighbours, in whom we come to perceive the face of Christ the Lord (cf. Mt 25:31-46). To express the inseparable bond that links these “two loves” – love of God and love of neighbour – both of which flow from the same divine source and return to it, Pope Saint Gregory the Great uses the metaphor of the seedling: “In the soil of our heart God first planted the root of love for him; from this, like the leaf, sprouts love for one another.” (Moralium Libri, sive expositio in Librum B. Job, Lib. VII, Ch. 24, 28; PL 75, 780D).

Priesthood and Religious Life are Lives of Deep Joy

These two expressions of the one divine love must be lived with a particular intensity and purity of heart by those who have decided to set out on the path of vocation discernment towards the ministerial priesthood and the consecrated life; they are its distinguishing mark. Love of God, which priests and consecrated persons are called to mirror, however imperfectly, is the motivation for answering the Lord’s call to special consecration through priestly ordination or the profession of the evangelical counsels. Saint Peter’s vehement reply to the Divine Master: “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you” (Jn 21:15) contains the secret of a life fully given and lived out, and thus one which is deeply joyful.

The other practical expression of love, that towards our neighbour, and especially those who suffer and are in greatest need, is the decisive impulse that leads the priest and the consecrated person to be a builder of communion between people and a sower of hope. The relationship of consecrated persons, and especially of the priest, to the Christian community is vital and becomes a fundamental dimension of their affectivity. The Curé of Ars was fond of saying: “Priests are not priests for themselves, but for you” (Le cure d’Ars. Sa pensée – Son cœur, Foi Vivante, 1966, p. 100).

Dear brother bishops, dear priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, catechists, pastoral workers and all of you who are engaged in the field of educating young people: I fervently exhort you to pay close attention to those members of parish communities, associations and ecclesial movements who sense a call to the priesthood or to a special consecration. It is important for the Church to create the conditions that will permit many young people to say “yes” in generous response to God’s loving call.

The task of fostering vocations will be to provide helpful guidance and direction along the way. Central to this should be love of God’s word nourished by a growing familiarity with sacred Scripture, and attentive and unceasing prayer, both personal and in community; this will make it possible to hear God’s call amid all the voices of daily life. But above all, the Eucharist should be the heart of every vocational journey: it is here that the love of God touches us in Christ’s sacrifice, the perfect expression of love, and it is here that we learn ever anew how to live according to the “high standard” of God’s love. Scripture, prayer and the Eucharist are the precious treasure enabling us to grasp the beauty of a life spent fully in service of the Kingdom.

Family and Community Fosters Vocation

It is my hope that the local Churches and all the various groups within them will become places where vocations are carefully discerned and their authenticity tested places where young men and women are offered wise and strong spiritual direction. In this way, the Christian community itself becomes a manifestation of the Love of God in which every calling is contained. As a response to the demands of the new commandment of Jesus, this can find eloquent and particular realization in Christian families, whose love is an expression of the love of Christ who gave himself for his Church (cf. Eph 5:32). Within the family, “a community of life and love” (Gaudium et Spes, 48), young people can have a wonderful experience of this self-giving love. Indeed, families are not only the privileged place for human and Christian formation; they can also be “the primary and most excellent seed-bed of vocations to a life of consecration to the Kingdom of God” (Familiaris Consortio, 53), by helping their members to see, precisely within the family, the beauty and the importance of the priesthood and the consecrated life. May pastors and all the lay faithful always cooperate so that in the Church these “homes and schools of communion” may multiply, modelled on the Holy Family of Nazareth, the harmonious reflection on earth of the life of the Most Holy Trinity.

With this prayerful hope, I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing to all of you: my brother bishops, priests, deacons, religious men and women and all lay faithful, and especially those young men and women who strive to listen with a docile heart to God’s voice and are ready to respond generously and faithfully.

More Resources for your Vocation

• For Your Vocation – from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Vocation Facebook page from USCCB

The Last Supper by Philippe de Champaigne

Listen

“Remembrance” by Matt Maher

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Reflect

“Rabbi, where are you staying?” Each day the Church responds: Christ is present in the Eucharist, in the sacrament of His death and resurrection. In and through the Eucharist, you acknowledge the dwelling-place of the Living God in human history.

For the Eucharist is the Sacrament of the Love which conquers death.

It is the Sacrament of the Covenant, pure Gift of Love for the reconciliation of all humanity. It is the gift of the Real Presence of Jesus The Redeemer, in the bread which is His Body given up for us, in the wine which is His Blood poured out for all.

Thanks to the Eucharist, constantly renewed among all peoples of the world, Christ continues to build His church: He brings us together in praise and thanksgiving for salvation, in the communion which only infinite love can forge. Our worldwide gathering now takes on its fullest meaning, through the celebration of the Mass.

Dear young friends, may your presence here mean a true commitment in faith! For Christ is now answering your own question and the questions of all those who seek the Living God. He answers by offering an invitation: This is My Body, take It and eat. To the Father He entrusts His supreme desire: that all those whom He loves may be one in the same communion.

Pope John Paul II’s World Youth Day homily on Sunday, August 24, 1997 in Paris, France

Pray

Jesus, give me the grace to appreciate the Eucharist more in my life. Since it is your Body and Blood, I never want to take this sacred gift for granted. Give me faith when I doubt the real presence, and reverence when I’m tempted to be indifferent. Thank you for loving me so much that you want to be one with me in the Eucharist. Help me to share that love with everyone around me so that it’s not me they see, but You, Jesus, in me. Amen.

Do

Today we commemorate the institution of the Holy Eucharist and also the institution of the Priesthood. If you can, read and pray with John chapter 6, also known as the “Bread of Life discourse.” Say an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be for all priests and an increase in vocations.

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Catholics believe the Pope is infallible because Jesus gave the role of Pope the authority to make decisions for the Church when He first appointed Peter as head of the Church.

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says to Peter, “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”

Jesus gives Peter a unique mission to preserve the purity and sanctity of the Holy Church. Since Jesus intended the Church to endure through the ages, Peter could not be the only head. Succession was necessary in order for the Church to prevail until Jesus comes again, and there has been an unbroken succession of popes from Peter to our current Pope, Benedict XVI.

This means that Pope Benedict XVI was ordained by a bishop who was ordained by a bishop who was ordained by a bishop who was ordained by a bishop (you get the idea) who was ordained by St. Peter. Peter, along with succeeding Popes and bishops were and are given the authority to govern the Church, and provide teachings regarding faith and morals.

The word “infallible” does not mean that the Pope is perfect. It also does not mean that the Pope knows everything. Instead, infallibility only applies when the Pope speaks about solemn, official teachings on faith and morals, and he can’t ever change, add, or subtract Christian doctrine.

He only helps define or explain what we already believe, and he doesn’t do it on his own. The infallible teachings of the Pope are the result of many years – sometimes hundreds of years – of consultation with the other bishops and theologians of the Church. He is, in effect, voicing the belief of the whole Church.

“All priests, who are constituted in the order of the priesthood by the sacrament of Order, are bound together by an intimate sacramental brotherhood…”  — Catechism of the Catholic Church 1568

I grew up in a house with two older brothers. As the youngest, I wasn’t always a part of the activities and sports that filled their days. I took my share of punches, and I enacted my share of revenge on them. My brothers still recall that I used to keep lists of their wrongdoing so I could blackmail them for things. (For the record, I don’t condone that behavior.)

But once my brothers and I grew older, especially once we were no longer living under the same roof, our bond grew. We learned to depend on each other, to support one another, to challenge each other, and most importantly to make fun of one another (usually without crossing the line). To this day, it is my brothers who can best keep me humble, whether with a quick shot or a legitimate insight.

So when I arrived at the seminary, I was surprised to hear that people started referring to one another as “brothers.” Mostly, the common title DB took some getting used to. I thought people were just calling me by my initials until I realized everyone had the title – I soon learned that DB meant Diocesan Brother, a name for other seminarians studying for the same Bishop and diocese. It seemed that even before ordination, we were being prepared for this new sort of brotherhood – different than just being brothers in Christ.

At the ordination ritual, there is an incredible moment that can sometimes be overlooked by the other rich symbols of the priesthood. The Bishop ends the ordination ritual with a kiss of peace to the newly ordained priest, acknowledging him as a co-worker, a son, and even a brother (CCC 1567). Next, all of the priests present exchange the sign of peace with the new priest, their new brother. That moment is not just a congratulation – it is a welcome into the fraternity of the priesthood, the family of servants, and the band of brothers.

That brotherhood means we celebrate together – just last week I got a text message from one brother priest, saying that he was now in the “6 in 12 club” – meaning he had celebrated all six Sacraments a priest can offer, all in a 12 hour period. I knew he wasn’t bragging – he was humbly rejoicing in the gift of his priesthood, and I returned the text with a prayer of thanksgiving for him. There are the shared challenges, too, and the brotherhood means we often walk through dark valleys together. When a tragedy strikes our parish, or a parent dies, or we feel the pains of fatherhood, or the stress of endless days, it is a brother priest who can understand, offer prayer, and also offer counsel. We also understand the burden of caring for souls, of inviting Christ to destroy the evil we see so clearly, and the challenge of the promises we’ve taken to the Bishop – simple living, a prayerful life, obedience, and celibacy. While our married friends teach us much about how to love, it often takes a brother priest to teach us how to best love as a priest.

As in any family, being a part of that brotherhood doesn’t always mean that we get along perfectly. We have legitimate disagreements, we sometimes speak uncharitably of each other; sometimes we don’t invest enough in each other. But the graces of such a bond seem to outweigh any of our selfish humanity that gets in the way, and I pray they always will.

That brotherhood means that there are certain parts of our lives we share only with one another, because we have a common bond, a shared experience, an insight and understanding as to what God asks of us. Like men on a battlefield we serve together, often arm-in-arm, in a battle for souls. This brotherhood, though, is about more than a fraternity, more than a bond of people who have the same job. We have been given the same calling, the same gift, the same Sacrament, and that builds something that is almost unexplainable. I realized it most strongly recently, in a single moment. After going to confession to a brother priest, and hearing the words of absolution proclaimed over me, I made the sign of the cross. As the priest took off his purple stole, he kissed it and placed it over my shoulders, quietly saying the words, “Now bless me, my brother, and father, for I have sinned…” I resolved in that moment not just to give thanks for the priesthood each day, but also for the invitation to be a part of this band of brothers.

Our short answer comes from Father Matt Lowry from the Diocese of Phoenix. Joining him in the longer discussion is catechist and Life Teen staff member Katie Heller.

Many young men considering the priesthood have BIG questions about going into the seminary. Here are answers to your top 13 questions.

1. What is a college seminary?
2. Do I have to know for sure that I am going to be a priest to go to the college seminary?
3. How old do I have to be to go to the college seminary?
4. What’s the biggest difference between going to college and going to a college seminary?
5. What advantages are there to being a college seminarian?
6. What do I study at the college seminary?
7. How smart do I have to be to be a college seminarian?
8. How much does college seminary cost, and how do I pay for it?
9. What can I do if my parents think I should wait until I graduate from college or work a few years before I start studying for priesthood?
10. What will my friends think?
11. Can I date if I go to a college seminary?
12. Can I go to parties if I go to a college seminary?
13. Can I play sports if I go the college seminary?

1. What is a college seminary?

A college seminary is a place where men of college age go to begin their preparation for priesthood. The college seminary prepares them intellectually with the required coursework in philosophy and theology to enter the next level of priestly formation, the graduate seminary or theologate. There are two basic models of college seminaries. One is the affiliated model where students live together at the seminary and take their academic coursework at a Catholic college or university. The other is the free-standing model where all aspects of seminary life, including academics, are through the seminary. Typically free-standing seminaries are much smaller in size and offer more individual attention to the needs of the seminarian.

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>2. Do I have to know for sure that I am going to be a priest to go to the college seminary?

No. Certainty of a call to priesthood is not needed to enter the college seminary. In fact, certainty of the call may never come. Doubts about one’s vocation are common among seminarians at every stage. What is required is a sense that priesthood would be a good fit and a joyful life for you. You should also sense in your heart that God is asking you to take this step to consider more carefully the priesthood. Through the experiences of being a seminarian, one fairly early on gets the sense as to whether the seminary is the right place for him and whether priesthood is something he should be preparing for.

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3. How old do I have to be to go to the college seminary?

One needs to simply have graduated from high school to enter a college seminary. Many young men enter right after high school, while others will begin college seminary studies after a couple of years of working or going to another college or university. Generally the right age to respond is when the Lord calls!

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4. What’s the biggest difference between going to college and going to a college seminary?

Colleges and universities typically only focus on academics, and the evaluation of college work is a report card and transcripts showing courses taken and grades achieved. The college seminary is concerned with several other areas of growth, including but also going beyond academics. The college seminary focuses on human formation (growth as a person, communication and relationship skills, leadership, etc..); spiritual formation (becoming a man of prayer; being a disciple of Jesus Christ; daily Mass and prayer; having a spiritual director, etc…); and pastoral formation (service to the poor; helping at a parish; teaching religious education; visiting the sick, etc…) College seminary focuses on the growth of the total person, and evaluations of college seminary formation look at how well the man has grown each year as a person, as a follower of Christ, and as a man of the Gospel.

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5. What advantages are there to being a college seminarian?

As mentioned, the greatest benefit to college seminary is being a part of a supportive environment where all aspects of human growth are encouraged. One’s faith life tends to really flourish in the seminary because of the focus on meeting the Lord daily through the Mass and other prayers. Living in an environment where being Catholic is supported helps men make good moral choices for life as well. After completing college seminary, the men are prepared to enter the graduate program. For those who don’t go to the college seminary, there is usually one or two years of pre-theology work that must be done before beginning the graduate seminary. So a man can save one or two years of formation by going to the college seminary.

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6. What do I study at the college seminary?

Studying in the seminary. What's it like?

This depends on the seminary one goes to. In many seminarians there is a choice of several majors that a man can select from, in others just a few majors are offered. One also takes a minimum of 24 credit hours of philosophy and 12 credit hours of theology. Most seminarians receive degrees in liberal arts majors, but some get degrees in science, engineering, or business. The academic program is designed to meet the needs and interests of the seminarian.

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7. How smart do I have to be to be a college seminarian?

Diocesan seminarians should have above average intelligence and above average grades. They don’t need to be geniuses, but they have to be able to do well academically in college. Sometimes guys struggle with math and sciences and do very well in English and history. That’s okay, because some fields are more critical than others. Many seminaries also provide special help for students who have certain learning disorders, such as dyslexia. Most seminaries have a very supportive learning environment that helps each student excel to their capacity.

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8. How much does college seminary cost, and how do I pay for it?

Tuition and room and board charges vary among seminaries, but typically a college seminary education costs less than a private university education, ranging from $11,000 to $20,000 per year. Seminaries usually have fairly good financial aid programs to assist students in need, and many dioceses provide scholarships and grants for college seminaries. For example, the Joliet Diocese provides a full-tuition and room and board scholarship for our first year college seminarians who are giving God the first chance with their lives. In the following years, our college students receive half-tuition and room and board scholarships. No one is denied the opportunity to prepare for priesthood because of financial reasons.

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9. What can I do if my parents think I should wait until I graduate from college or work a few years before I start studying for priesthood?

Unfortunately there are some parents who think that 18 is too young of an age to think about priesthood and act on a possible call. That is a young age, but we believe that God does indeed genuinely call young people to serve Him. Many times the objections are more of an issue for the parents than for their son, i.e. a desire for grandchildren or to pass on the family name, or thinking their son can’t be happy or won’t be wealthy as a priest.

Sometimes education is helpful because parents need to realize that by merely going to seminary a young man isn’t limiting his options for the future, but is really expanding them by offering a host of opportunities other college students don’t have. Those who decide not to continue on in seminary formation almost always leave with a greater sense of who they are and what they are called to do and are grateful for their experiences in the seminary. God never abandons those who step out in faith to respond to a call to priesthood.

It also might be helpful to ask whether parents would respond in the same way if their son wanted to be a doctor or lawyer. Would they encourage him not to enter pre-medicine or pre-law programs in college but instead study engineering or business in case that might be better for him? The basic point is that parents ought to support their sons to become who God needs them to be, independent of the parents’ own hopes and plans for what they would like for their son. We find that the majority of parents are supportive of their sons’ pursuit of priesthood once they understand what seminary life is really about.

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10. What will my friends think?

I don’t know what your friends will think, because a lot depends on who your friends are! In most cases, though, once they learn what a college seminary is like, they will see it as a good choice for you. Those who have difficulty understanding why you might want to be a priest are more likely questioning their own faith and ability to make commitments rather than saying anything about you.

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11. Can I date if I go to a college seminary?

Seminarians are encouraged to build strong relationships with men and women, so social interaction with women is encouraged. Exclusive dating relationships are not permitted, because a man needs to discover whether the commitment to celibacy will be possible for him. You cannot fully and fairly discern priesthood while in a dating relationship. College seminarians are encouraged to live the challenge of celibate love to see if it fits them. This includes: striving to use their energies to grow passionately in love with God and to feel His passionate love for them; to make efforts to be inclusive in their relationships seeking out those whom others keep at a distance; to stretch themselves in their commitments of service so that they feel themselves spending their lives tirelessly for the sake of the many; to speak fearlessly for the truth in defense of life and the vulnerable today; to live more simply in the world so as to witness more effectively to the Gospel of Jesus we profess; to be radically involved in people’s lives as a means of God’s forgiveness, mercy and compassion; and to see each person as brother and sister in the Lord. If these kinds of experiences draw a genuine sense of joy to their heart, then priesthood will likely be a good fit for them.

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12. Can I go to parties if I go to a college seminary?

Going to parties and being involved in college social life are important for seminarians. They don’t lead separate lives from other college students. Obviously good moral behavior is important for seminarians, so legal and appropriate use of alcohol is expected.

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13. Can I play sports if I go the college seminary?

Absolutely! Physical exercise and athletic competitions are important for all seminarians as well. Some seminaries are involved in campus interhall athletic competitions in football, basketball, soccer, and baseball. Depending on the sport, some seminarians participate on the varsity teams at the college or university they attend. Many seminaries also have seminary competitions in various sports, such as basketball, soccer, and racquetball.

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1. Diocesan Priesthood: To be a priest is to live a life of service, bringing Christ to others in word and sacrament.
2. Religious Priesthood: To be a religious priest is to live according to a particular form of life united to others in your community and faithful to the charism of your founder(s).
3. Contemplative Life: To be a contemplative religious is to live a life of constant prayer for the Church as you seek intimacy with God.
4. Religious Brothers: To be a religious brother is to live according to a particular form of life with others in your community, dedicated to service, especially to the poor.
5. Religious Sisters: To be a religious sister is to live according to a particular form of life with others in your community, dedicated to service, especially to the poor.
6. Secular Institutes: To be a member of an institute for lay people is to strive for holiness and to bring the Gospel message to others by living and working alongside them.

1. Diocesan Priesthood

“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Mt 4:19

Who they are

Priests are called to be men of personal prayer who proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. The heart of the priesthood is the celebration of the Eucharist and the teaching, sanctifying, and leading of those in their spiritual care. Priests proclaim, celebrate, and live the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. They bear witness that new life and hope are more powerful than sin and death. Priests remind others of the dignity and sanctity of all human life and have a special love for the poor.

Fr. Matt Lawry celebrates Mass at Life Teen Steubenville West. Fr. Matt is a diocesan priest.

How they live

As Jesus made the journey with his disciples on the road to Emmaus, so too, does the priest journey with his people. Most diocesan priests serve in parishes, ministering to the day-to-day needs of their people. Others serve in specialized ministries and are chaplains in prisons, hospitals, high schools, and colleges, or serve in diocesan administration.

What they do

No two days are alike in a priest’s life: it often includes many diverse experiences. Much time is spent in the preparation and celebration of the Sacraments. Time is spent counseling, teaching, preparing homilies, visiting the sick, the elderly, and the imprisoned, or assisting an immigrant or poor family.

In addition, priests attend wakes and funerals, and coordinate parish organizations and youth activities. As with anyone else, a priest must balance his time among family, friends, exercise, rest, and, most of all, prayer.

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2. Religious Priesthood

“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” Mt 19:21.

Fr. Stan Fortuna is a religious priest with the Capuchin Friars of the Renewal in New York.

Who they are

A diocesan priest is ordained to serve the local church in which he is ordained. For example, a priest who is ordained in the Diocese of Brooklyn is ordained to serve within Brooklyn and Queens, most likely in a parish.

By contrast, a religious priest is not ordained for a specific diocese. Because he comes from a religious community he is called to serve wherever his community serves in the universal Church. He expresses his service according to the charism of his community in the context of the great gift of being a priest.

How they live

Members of religious communities profess vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and live together in community. After someone studying for the priesthood professes his final or solemn vows, he is ordained a deacon and a priest.

What they do

A religious priest comes from a group that has a specific charism or special inspiration of the Holy Spirit for the building up of the Church. A religious priest carries out his ministry within the broader context of his community’s charism or mission.

The ministries of religious priests vary greatly. Some priests work in parishes, schools, universities, or hospitals. Others preach, do missionary work abroad, operate retreat houses, or do outreach work, such as running soup kitchens and taking care of the poor. Some priests even serve as lawyers, webmasters, radio producers, or medical doctors.

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3. Contemplative life

Who they are

Life in the Monastery is quiet and prayerful.

Members of a contemplative religious community focus on prayer as their main ministry, giving themselves to God as fully as possible.They cultivate a climate of silence and solitude with a spirit of loving reparation for the weaknesses and frailties of a fallen humanity. Through intercession and abandonment to the love of God, contemplative monks and nuns are a source of life for the whole Church.

How they live

The contemplative life is usually lived within a monastic, cloistered setting. The day is structured with specific times for prayer, work, recreation, and silence. The prayer life of a contemplative community includes daily celebration of the Eucharist, the Liturgy of the Hours recited or sung in choir five or more times a day, as well as private meditation inspired by the Gospels and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

What they do:

The work of each community varies. It includes, but is not restricted to, manual work, and may be focused around a limited apostolate, such as creating religious works of art, evangelizing through various media, doing computer work, or baking altar breads or even special delicacies. The cloistered contemplative remains present within the monastic environment most of the time, being continually attentive to the presence of the Lord Jesus.

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4. Religious Brothers

“I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink” Mt 25:35.

Who they are

The religious brother is a lay Christian who commits himself to Christ and the Christian community by vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. He lives in community, prays with community, and is of service to the Church community in a variety of ministries that reflect the tradition and charism of a given religious congregation.

What they do

Religious brothers, bonded together by a common vision and common goals, strive to meet the current needs of the Church by serving in such ministries as teaching, social work, pastoral ministry, vocation ministry, and technical occupations.

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5. Religious Sisters

Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville, Tennessee

Who they are

A religious sister is a woman who has answered a call from God to live her life dedicated to spreading the Gospel message of love of God, love of self, and love of one another. She does this through the particular charism or gift of her religious community.

Are all sisters alike? No. Yet there are some common elements. While the specifics may differ from congregation to congregation, a sister is about building community, deepening her relationship with God, and ministering to others through her work. She does this through her efforts to listen to God’s continual call in obedience, to live life in a simple manner, and to be a loving presence as expressed through her commitment to celibacy.

What they do

A sister may work in a variety of ministries, depending on her community’s mission and charism. Or, if she belongs to an enclosed community, she may work within her monastery providing necessary services there. Being a sister is not about what one does, however. Rather, it is a way of life, a way of being.

A sister is a woman who continues to respond to God’s call, a call to become more like God by dedicating herself to prayer, her sisters, and the work of her community. A sister is a woman who loves deeply, caring for the needs of those around her–her family, her community members, those to whom and with whom she ministers, and the world at large. Through the specific charism of her community, a sister brings to those she serves another view of the face of Christ. She strives to be that presence of Christ in all she does and in all she is.

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6. Secular Institutes

“Your light must shine before men so that they may see goodness in your acts and give praise to your heavenly Father” Mt 5:16.

“A Secular Institute is an institute of consecrated life in which the faithful, living in this world, strive for the perfection of charity and endeavor to work for the sanctification of the world from within.” (Code of Canon Law, 1983)

Who they are

A vocation to a Secular Institute involves a form of life relatively new in the Roman Catholic Church. It is open to single lay women and men or diocesan clerics who feel called by the Holy Spirit to consecrate their lives to God more intensely through vows or promises of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

What they do

Like a Third Order Franciscan, members of Secular Institutes witness to Christ and spread the Good News of the Gospel by striving to live as a transforming presence, or “leaven,” in contemporary society, endeavoring to restore all things in Christ while living in their own residence and engaging in the employment of their choice. Their entire lifestyle of prayer, work, and social activities becomes their apostolate.

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