“Vocation does not come from a voice out there calling me to be something I am not.
It comes from a voice in here calling me to be the person I was born to be,
to fulfil the original selfhood given me at birth by God.”
– Fr. Thomas Merton OCSO
The Church has begun to understand vocation from a new perspective as in the Church now recognises that vocations cannot be 'produced'; they must come from God. We cannot recruit men and women for religious life, priesthood or permanent diaconate, because vocations are not like professions that can be simply promoted by publicity and strategy. The calling that comes from the heart of God must find its way into the heart of man. Therefore, we at the Vocations Office simply help people to recognise that each of us has a vocation from God. We encourage everyone to discern whether God is calling them to marriage and family life, religious life, apostolic celibacy, priesthood or diaconate. Furthermore, the whole Church has a responsibility to promote vocation, individually and as a community.
Some things we do to promote vocation:
-
Support our deaneries, parishes, schools and universities,
-
Preaching appeals in parishes,
-
Provide a point of contact for finding speakers: clergy, seminarians, religious, laity,
-
Produce and distribute prayer cards, posters and information leaflets,
-
Offer support on prayer for Vocations,
-
Collaborate with other groups in the Archdiocese,
-
Run vocations events,
-
Support Deanery Vocations Promotions Groups,
-
Encourage the altar servers in our parishes through the Guild of St. Stephen,
-
Maintain an online presence for vocation in the Archdiocese.
Contact
Deacon Owen Gresty is the Diocesan Promoter for Vocations. His role is to support those in our parishes, schools and universities in fostering a culture of vocation across the Archdiocese of Birmingham. He is here to help, so please get in touch!
T: 0121 321 535
E: deacon.owen@vocations.org.uk
