Dominican Central Vocations
A Vocations resource for anyone looking at the Dominicans in the United States, especially in Midwest region of the country.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
New Location
All future posts will be located at our Vocations site here: http://domcentral.org/amcalpinop/
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Orthodoxy and Holiness
Are you orthodox? In the past several years this three-word
question may be the most asked question within the realm of vocation ministry. One
of the more annoying responses I have heard from many in religious life and the
priesthood is, “No, I am Roman Catholic.” Of course this smart aleck response
is a diversion from the actual question at hand and can be taken as deceptive
to the primary intent of the question: are you and/or your community faithful
to the Pope and the teachings of Holy Mother Church?
The short answer to the vocation inquirer to this question
is and should be a rousing “Yes” from any approved and official society, order
or congregation of the Roman Catholic Church. Groups cannot officially exist
under the purview of the Holy See without adhering to the Creed and the Dogmas
and Doctrines of the Church.
Now that we have that question out of the way, we can move
on to discussing discernment questions any one person might have regarding his
or her individual calling to the life of radically following Jesus. If it were only that easy!
The fact is there are groups and individuals who do hold
heterodox beliefs within the Church. It may not say so in their individual
constitutions and rules, but ideas and beliefs contrary to Church teaching do show
up and all too often in a rather public and unpleasant way. Certainly the case
of a professed sister volunteering as an escort at an abortion clinic quickly
comes to mind, but one should be cautioned against judging her whole
congregation as pro-abortion. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In the realm of vocational discernment and ministry it is
just a simple fact that stories like the one above lend to the reality of the
crisis within many congregations throughout the world. It’s no mystery. If you
have rejected basic truths of human life, religious identity and faithful
witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, very few, if any, will want to join you.
The sad fact is that it does not have to be this way. I believe there are
plenty of vocations out there for all orders and congregations to not only
survive, but to thrive. As the world population increases, there is no rational
explanation for the lack of vocations other than someone along the way dropped
the ball of properly handing on the faith we have in Jesus Christ.
Not to worry, others have picked up where many have left off.
As many congregations and associations are going out of existence, there seems
to be twice as many new ones appearing, both religious and lay. The religious groups
all look somewhat alike too: mandatory habit, robust community life and clearly
defined mission and ministry. Most importantly, they have a deep and abiding
love of Jesus Christ, which is evident in these communities’ life of prayer and
worship. Combined, this is what is known as a life of holiness.
That, dear reader, is the question I will have for you if
you ask me about our orthodoxy: are you seeking
to live a life of authentic holiness with zeal? That is the real question that
takes it all a step further and deeper. I will tell you that we hold and
teach the truths of the faith. But we are Dominicans; therefore the term
orthodox is a baseline descriptor. If we did not believe in the Creed and hold
to all the Catechism teaches, we would not be Roman Catholic, and we certainly
would not be known as Friars Preachers!
We do believe and we want you to as well. But being orthodox
is not enough to join us; it is only the beginning. The question I have for
you: Do you love? Are you in love? Do you seek to be with your beloved, Jesus
Christ? Do you spend time with the One who has called you to seek Him first and
who knows you better than you know yourself? If love is not the motivating
factor in your discernment of religious life, I would ask you to re-evaluate
your mode of discernment.
Remember, in Sacred Scripture no one was more orthodox than
the Pharisees. So I caution the use of that term in authentic vocational
discernment. We are called to be lovers, not rigorous adherents to the letter
of the law at the expense of the virtue of authentic charity. This is
specifically what Jesus Christ taught against!
Labels:
discernment,
dominicans,
orthodoxy,
pope,
vocation
Friday, May 31, 2013
I steal good ideas...
...like the tag line I saw on a store in Downtown Chicago yesterday. I think I might use a version of it in our ads and webpages.
If you can guess the store this is from, you get +5 cool points.
In the meantime, let me know if you like this one. It makes me think!
Dominican Friars, because this is not your practice life!
If you can guess the store this is from, you get +5 cool points.
In the meantime, let me know if you like this one. It makes me think!
Thursday, May 16, 2013
On Foreign Vocations...
I know I am not the only vocation director that receives many contacts from overseas. In fact, in a recent meeting of a few of us in this ministry, we easily told each other how many emails we receive asking to join our community. Sometimes I will reply, other times I just delete them. It depends on where they are from and from the content of the email (i.e. Sincerity of questions, not a cut-and-paste email that goes to every US community and Order).
Here is the reality for those who contact us from other countries: we cannot help you discern with us unless you have citizenship in the US or are already physically in the Unites States. We cannot fly you to the US to go to a Come and See. If you can get here on your own and have a college degree, then we can consider you for admission. Short of that, we are wasting your time. The only exception to this rule is if you are already an ordained priest or a solemnly professed member of a religious order.
I understand that it is often more difficult to enter religious life in other countries, especially in Africa, where the faith is alive and vocations are plentiful, but communication is often more difficult. They usually have a longer screening process and postulancy to filter out authentic vocations from those seeking a different social class. We don't want to say it in polite company, but there are many who seek to enter priesthood and religious life to climb the social ladder. This is antithetical to the authentic vocation that seeks to wash the feet of the poorest of the poor and proclaim the good news to the richest of the rich. We do both of these acts, and everything in between, from a different place: from the heart of the Savior.
It is not easy saying no to foreign vocations, but in a post 9/11 world, it is just the reality with which we have to deal. If you have an authentic vocation, keep seeking and asking. God will not be thwarted in bringing you to life and ministry in the place you belong.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
Are you waiting for a sign?
A fictional dialogue that is all-to-often how it actually happens:
Vocation Director: "So James, can you see yourself entering into religious life with us?"
James: "Very likely, but I am waiting for a sign from God."
Vocation Director: "What would that sign look like to you James?"
James: "I don't know, I guess, I think, you know, a sign..."
Vocations Director: "Well that doesn't help. How about if I propose some signs for you?"
James: "Ok, sounds good, go ahead."
Vocation Director: "Has anybody ever told you that you would make a great priest or religious?"
James: "All the time! I can't count the number of people that have told me that exact thing."
Vocation Director: "Have you even dreamed about saying Mass, hearing confessions, visiting the sick, praying with the troubled, or teaching and preaching."
James: "Pretty much all the time these days. Those things are always on my mind."
Vocation Director: "When are you most happy, James."
James: "When I am at Mass or praying or sharing my faith and the teachings of the Church with family or friends. Also, I love reading theology and other good books about the faith and the saints. Those things make me most happy."
Vocation Director: "Can you see yourself getting married and having children someday."
James: "Sometimes; I think that is a good path and I love my family, but it doesn't excite me the way living and sharing my faith in Jesus Christ does."
Vocation Director: "What is the most important thing in your life right now James?"
James: "My faith, without a doubt!"
Vocation Director: So you are still waiting for a sign from God?"
James: "Yes, I just need one little sign, and then I can make a decision about my vocation."
Vocation Director: "Okay, lets try this one more time, James!"
Labels:
dominicans,
friars,
perpetual discerners club,
vocation
Friday, April 26, 2013
Our soon-to-be Priest in action!
This is a great journey into the best of Dominican preaching and scholarship.
Are you called to join Br. Nick in the connection-making life of a Friar Preacher?
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