Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Tuesday's focus on vocations

A Culture of Vocations

Today's session was directed by the Vocation Team (Fr. Dennis Moorman, Fr. Dave LaBuda, Br. Tim Raible, Deacon Steve DeMartino).

Dennis started by explaining the three responsibilities of the vocations office are to accompany prospects, the associate priest and brothers program and the short-term mission volunteer program.

Maretta McKenna not present) is the point person for the short-term volunteer program.

Vocation Office does outreach, accompanies men, visits prospects' homes, runs Come and See programs, retreats.

Forty inquiries month come in, mostly through the Internet.

The CARA study of 2009 said that if you look at formation programs over the last ten years there has been no significant change in numbers. Last year religious communities saw a 4% increase.

Twenty percent of religious communities who have one or more men in formation have five or more. By comparison we are in the top 20%.

Are young guys attracted to a community with so many older members? The answer seems to be age is not as important as enthusiasm and an active prayer life.

A study was done by National Religious Vocations Conference was presented by Dave LaBuda to address the issue of what attracts men to religious life.
* Those that follow a traditional style of religious life
* Members that live together in community, participate in daily Eucharist, Divine Office, and engage in devotional practices together.
* Members wear habits, work together in common apostolates and are explicit in their support for the Church and the Magesterium.

In the month of May we have 382 hits on our new vocation website, most from overseas.

In January they will sponsor a mission immersion trip to Petén, Guatemala where participants pay their travel

The Holy Week retreat will be held here at the Center next year

In May a "Come and See" weekend at the MM Formation House in Chicago.

The goals are to provide a cycle of activities to expose prospects to the membership and ministries of Maryknollers.

Reflection on Maryknoll's mission identity was focused on our prayer, liturgy, mission charisms, reflection on Maryknoll as a mission community.

The Vocations team's concrete priorities: pray, invite, accompany, experience and mentor.

To view a new mission video shown to the assembly, see: http://
www.maryknollvocations.com/bednarczyk.htm

There is a Maryknoll Youtube video (that we cannot view at the Center because it is blocked but don't get me started...) that has had more than 1,000 hits without being advertised.

Discussion focused on these questions: 1) Do we want vocations to the Maryknoll Society?
2) What am I willing to do to promote vocations? 3) What are we as a Society willing to do to promote vocations?

Sent from my iPad

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