National Vocations Awareness Week

The First full week of November we celebrate National Vocations Awarnes Week (NVAW). NVAW is a week dedicated to informing, especially young people, about religous vocations, most especially those of
the Priesthood and Religous Life (Brothers, Sisters, Nuns, Monks). Tommorow's Matthew Schreiner Podcast Episode will be a little about NVAW.

This year (2024) NVAW falls on November 3rd until November 9th.

NVAW is a time to promote awareness of the Priesthood and Religous Life, in particular we highlight these vocations above all.

We all have the primary vocation of Holiness. I talked about this in my All Saints episode, mentioning how holiness is achievable for all, the "Universal Call of Holiness". And Holiness is first and foremost the most important vocation, and the vocation of which we are all called to follow. I would say that without first following (and living out) the Vocation of holiness, it becomes impossible to follow any other true vocations.

But there are three main vocations we look at with NVAW. The Vocation of the Priesthood, Brotherhood, and Sisterhood (the last two can be grouped into religous life).

Priesthood

The priesthood is a very important part of the Catholic Church. In fact without it, the church would have collapsed a long time ago. 

The priesthood was founded by Christ. He himself made it for the church, instituting it with the Last Supper. The priesthood itself is a thing we can say "carried over" from the Old Testament, as there was the priesthood in the Old Testament. However, this Old Testament Priesthood was fulfilled in Christ Jesus, as we hear in the Letters of Saint Paul.

However the idea of priests, presbyters, dates back to the Early Church, and continues until this modern day. There are two types of priests, Religous, and Secular. Religous Priests will be talked about with Religous Life, but they are brothers who are priests, they are not at all different from regular priests besides the extra vows they take (as members of a religous community). The priests you know (the ones who serve at your parish) are secular priests. 

These priests respond back to a bishop, who is there boss. A bishop is a priest who has been specially ordained to be in charge of a whole diocese. Most any priest could become a bishop, though there are certain qualifications one must fulfill. 

If you are intrested in the priesthood talk to your pastor or other priests. You can also talk to a vocations director for your diocese.

Sisterhood

If you think of a religous sister, you probably think of something very similiar to the photo on the left, if you have or have not seen a religous sister.

To me it is unfortunate that there seems to be a lack of sister right now.

It is quite a shame. Sisters are a core and important part of the Catholic Church. They founded hospitals, school, and more. They helped educate the young, and care for the old, as well as the poor, and more. If you are considering religous life as a female, this is a great choice. I would invite you to consider it, especially if you know there are monastaries and order near you. There are many orders, such as Carmelites and Franciscans, these two are very popular.

If you are curious about the sisterhood check out this website: https://cloisteredlife.com/, or talk to your pastor/priest, or you can find a religous order near you. This does not tell the full story, as this is only a list of sisters who live in cloisters, rather than convents. I found this site and it is one place to look and think, maybe it will help someone.

Religous Brotherhood

Religous Brothers (who also can be priests), are basically the male equivalent of sisters. People seem to know nuns much better, in many ways. Just like Sisters, there are Carmelites, Franciscans, and many more. Brothers can also be priests as well. Both Brothers and sisters live in a community. Be it a house or a cloister (like sisters). Life for Sisters and Brothers can be very similiar. The core of it is a life of devoted prayer and dedictaed service. Especially in terms of a religous order's charism, their special charecteristics of actions and prayers. Brothers and sisters both have habits.

If you are intrested in Religous Brotherhood, talk to your pastor/priest, or vocations directors of an order.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Vocations are all about where God calls you, it is up to him, not me or your pastor or a vocations director. They may try a steer you one way, but in full certainty it is up to God. I invite you during this week to research and learn about religous vocations, and different religous orders, if you feel called to do so.

Religous Vocations are all about serving God and Brothers, above all God. Orders have Charisms that set them apart, that make them act or pray a certain way. It might lead them to do a certain type of charity. The Catholic Church is the worlds largest charitable orginizations, and we have to thank for that our religous brothers and sisters.

God Bless!

Matthew Schreiner