“How do we foster a ‘culture of vocation’ in our Archdiocese and live our mission to be “Pilgrims of Hope”? asks Sr. Mary Clare Stack, one of 10 members of the new Vocations Awareness Committee.
Sr. Mary Clare U.J. (Ursuline of Jesus), a member of the spiritual care team at Catholic Social Services, said the goal is to expand an awareness of the definition of “vocation”.
“Each one of us is a disciple of Jesus who hears a call to live out the Gospel in a particular way, recognizing the sacredness of the individual and how the Spirit enlivens within him/her certain gifts which are placed at the service of the Gospel as a married person, a single woman or man; a consecrated virgin, as a member of an Apostolic society, a woman or man religious or a diocesan priest.”
The new Vocations Awareness Committee’s current members include women and men religious from seven different congregations and a member of the Madonna House Apostolate. Their hope is to enhance a “culture of vocation” by working together as the local church, “member for member of the Body of Christ”, thereby engendering new life in our Archdiocese.
The committee had a pre-pandemic existence and is now in its post-pandemic “resurrection” phase. From its inception, the focus of the committee has been one of prayer, sharing the Word of God, listening to each one’s experiences, enjoying the gift of another, breaking bread together and encouraging one another to keep inviting.
Pre-pandemic, the committee was involved in the Family Life Conference at Lac Ste. Anne and in the Pentecost Festival hosted by St. Theresa’s Parish in Mill Woods.
In 2002, Pope St. John Paul II initiated The World Day of Consecrated Life and asked that it be celebrated on the Feast of the Presentation, Feb. 2. It is one day in the Church year that the People of God is invited to pray for and support those who live and serve the church in Consecrated Life.
This year, the day is being marked by the celebration of Mass at Corpus Christi parish in Edmonton. Following Mass, a pancake breakfast will be served, there will be an opportunity to meet the women and men serving in our Archdiocese and to join together in a joyful, fun-filled celebration.
According to the latest statistics in 2023, there are 128 religious order women, 64 religious order priests, two religious brothers, two consecrated members of an association of the faithful, one consecrated woman of a secular institute, and one consecrated virgin.
Stack said one challenge for the Vocations Awareness Committee is to keep reminding the People of God that God continues to call, “Right here. Right now” in our Archdiocese.
Often God’s call is a “gentle breeze” (Ez. 19) and it is difficult to hear this when there is so much “noise” in our lives. Another challenge is bridging the generation gap. We need to remember that the “elders” among us have infinite wisdom to share with those who are searching. Rather than asking “What has become of us”, let us reframe the question as, “Who are we becoming?”
“My greatest hope is to see the vocations awareness committee flourish as a cohesive and well-supported body,” added Friar Aldin Francis Canobas, OFM (Order of Friars Minor, Holy Spirit Province of Canada), a member of the Vocations Awareness Committee
“We have a lot of education to do. We need the help of the Archdiocese to embrace a “Culture of Vocation”, in order to support young women and men in their search ,and to encourage parents to invite their daughters and sons to LISTEN “with the ears of their heart [because]God is calling”.
For information on the Vocations Awareness Committee, contact Sr. Mary Clare Stack: mctstack@outlook.com
Read Friar Aldin Canobas’s story
Read Sr. Rezebeth Noceja’s story
Read more about vocations in the Archdiocese
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