Discernment

Every vocation story is unique, and yet like all stories, they can teach, inspire, enlighten and resolve the questions we share with the storyteller. Wherever you may be on the path, our hope is that each of these stories below will provide you with inspiration for your journey.

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Prayer

The best way to know God’s will for your life is to develop a relationship with Him through daily conversation, also known as prayer. Develop a daily prayer habit. Be with God! How? Where can you find Him?

In His word—read the scriptures, try Lectio Divina.

In His sacraments—increase your attendance at Mass and go to confession

Spend time before His gaze—go to adoration.

Recognize how He speaks to your heart – try journaling and the Examen Prayer.

Feed your soul with spiritual food – spend some time in spiritual reading.

Check out this 99 Day Novena for Discernment!

What to Look for in a Spiritual Guide:

“A good accompanier is a person who is balanced, a listener, a person of faith and prayer, who has confronted his own weaknesses and frailties. Hence, he knows how to be accepting of the young people he accompanies, without moralizing and without false indulgence. When necessary he also knows how to offer a word of fraternal correction.”

Pope Francis Tweet

accompaniment

Spiritual Direction is important in the life of every Catholic who is seeking holiness. It’s a rugged journey and having someone to guide you on the trail can help you stay on point and avoid dangerous pitfalls. It is particularly important for someone discerning a major life decision such as your vocation.

How to Find a Spiritual Guide:

Ask! Pray to God to help you find a spiritual guide and pray for your spiritual guide.

Seek! Start with who you know, your parish priest, an older lay person, a consecrated or religious man or woman. Ask around.

Knock! Approach your potential spiritual guide as a kind of interview. Learn about them, their experience and if you feel comfortable, start on a trial basis. One of the subjective qualities of a spiritual guide is that you feel you can trust them. After a few encounters, assess your experience. If it has been fruitful, thank God and commit to meet regularly.

Now Accepting Applicants, ages 18-30!

Franciscan University, Vocations Outreach has created a mentorship program that connects young adults with professed religious to help them discern God’s will.

Click Here

Beware of faulty spirituality. Some spiritual directors turn to other teachings and practices that are not compatible with the Catholic faith. Reading “Jesus Christ, the Bearer of the Water of Life: A Christian Reflection on the ‘New Age’” can help you discern.

If you have more questions about discernment, vocations, accompaniment
or would like help in finding a spiritual director, feel free to contact me.

Discernment

What is discernment?

“In a more general sense, discernment means the process by which important decisions are taken; in a second sense, more typical of the Christian tradition and more relevant for our purposes, it corresponds to the spiritual dynamic by which a person, a group or a community seek to recognize and to follow the will of God in their particular situation: ‘test everything; hold fast to what is good’.” (1 Thes. 5:21) Pope Francis adds: “A particular form of discernment involves the effort to discover our own vocation.”

Resources

eVocation– We help you solve the vocation equation!
The Art of Discernment: Synod document Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment
Ignatian Spirituality: Fr. Timothy Gallagher Discernment of Spirits
US Catholic Conference of Bishops Vocation Page
Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
United States Conference of Major Superiors of Men
Religious Brothers Conference
Contemplative Life for Men and Women
A Guide to Religious Ministries
Vocation Boom
Labouré Society, NFCRV and Fund for Vocations Help with student debt
Discerning Your Vocation: A Catholic Guide for Young Adults
Youth Missions (mission programs for teens and young adults)

GODCALLS

The GodCalls app is a FREE app to help support young people as they try to understand what God is calling them to.

Click Here

vocation ministers for local communities

Sr. Cathy Bauer, OSB Spiritual Director Benedictine Sisters of St. Walburg Monastery

Benedictine Sisters of St. Walburg Monastery: Faithful to our monastic profession, we seek God in community, prayer and work. We celebrate the presence of Jesus Christ and serve him in all God's people, the young and the old, the sick and the poor, the stranger and guest.

Sr. Vickie Griner, OSC Poor Clares Vocation Minister

Poor Clares are the contemplative branch of the Franciscan family, living our life together in community and dedicating our lives to contemplation and prayer for the Church and the World

S. Tracy Kemme, SC Vocation Coordinator Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati

Urged by the love of Christ and in the spirit of our founder, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, we Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati are an apostolic Catholic community of women religious that exists to carry out the Gospel through service and prayer in the world.

Sister Ruth Lubbers, SND Assistant Vocation Director / Young Adult Ministry Spiritual Director / SND Area Volunteer Coordinator

The Sisters of Notre Dame strive to make visible the goodness and provident care of God.

Fr. Steve Dos Santos, CPPS National Vocation Director Missionaries of the Precious Blood

Impelled by the Precious Blood of Jesus we prioritize the Ministry of the Word, Reconciliation, and renewal of the Church in our ministry.

Mary-Cabrini Durkin, Company of St. Ursula Secular institute

To BE a transforming presence of God's love in the secular world

Sister Jean Rhoads, D.C. Vocation Director Daughters of Charity

As Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, we devote our lives to serving persons in poverty; we live and pray in community in a spirit of humility, simplicity, and charity.

Sister Jill Marie Reuber, OSB Director of Vocation Ministries Sisters of St. Benedict

We, the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand, Indiana, are monastic women seeking God through the Benedictine tradition of community life, prayer, hospitality, and service to others. By our life and work, we commit ourselves to be a presence of peace as we join our sisters and brothers in the common search for God.

Jacquie Lustiq, Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi Assistant Vocation Director for North America

Impelled by the Spirit, we feel sent to live our mission as signs of the Kingdom of Christ in the midst of the world through a deeply evangelical life that prophetically announces God’s word and serves with humility and mercy.

A vocation minister can provide insightful, honest, and compassionate answers as you consider the consecrated life. They will help guide you on your journey of discernment, introduce you to the community you are interested in as well as facilitate visits to the community. Local or national Vocation Ministers for congregations who are active in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati:

testimonies

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