Young Adult
Lord, my God and my loving Father, you have made me to know you, to love you, to serve you, and thereby to find and to fulfill my deepest longings. I know that you are in all things, and that every path can lead me to you.
But of them all, there is one especially by which you want me to come to you. Since I will do what you want of me, I pray you send your Holy Spirit to me: into my mind, to show me what you want of me; into my heart, to give me the determination to do it, and to do it with all my love, with all my mind, and with all of my strength right to the end. Jesus, I trust in you. Amen
March is Vocation Awareness Month
For each and everyone of us in life our vocation is to do God's will. We can do that as a single person, married, priest or religious. This page is not here to focus us on becoming a nun or priest, (but if that is your call great!) but to give us the tools to discern what God wants for us. God wants us to be the best version of ourselves, but often times we struggle to take time to pray and ask the right questions when making some of our biggest choices.
First, I would like to share with you a story of one man's call from God. Then, I would like to share my own story of discernment.
First, I would like to share with you a story of one man's call from God. Then, I would like to share my own story of discernment.
Into the Desert: A Story of Discernment
I had never heard of, or worked through a discernment process before until about eight months ago. I had finished college and had begun working my first job. I was lucky in the fact that this job was in the field I had studied, and that I lived in a community of friends.
My last year of college I had worked for my church, and during the summers had been part of the staff at Catholic Youth Camp. My first "big girl job" had put me into a secular working environment for the first time in a while. I found that I missed having mass and prayer as part of my work day and being able to share my faith with the kids I served. About a year into this job I knew I wanted a change, so I began to discern what to do.
My last year of college I had worked for my church, and during the summers had been part of the staff at Catholic Youth Camp. My first "big girl job" had put me into a secular working environment for the first time in a while. I found that I missed having mass and prayer as part of my work day and being able to share my faith with the kids I served. About a year into this job I knew I wanted a change, so I began to discern what to do.
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The way I saw it, I had two options on my plate. I could go back to school and pursue a graduate degree in school counseling, a field that I had grown to appreciate a lot over the past year, or I could start looking for a new job. I wanted to work in a Catholic environment again with like minded people, but that would be hard to accomplish as a school counselor and easier when looking for a job.
This was a huge decision for me so I went to a workshop at my church on discernment. I really opened myself up to discover who I really was, what I want in life, and God's role in it all. I also asked myself three really big questions that I encourage anyone who is unsure of their vocation to ask of themselves: What things do I find life giving and energizing? What am I good at? Where can I do the greatest good? At the end of this workshop, I had decided to apply for grad school. |
As I was filling out applications, doing interviews, and waiting to hear back from my top picks, I felt good about my choice. Then the rejection letters started to come in and I realized that, maybe this wasn't going to play out the way I thought it would. I didn't get accepted into any of the programs I applied to. I felt discouraged that I had apparently discerned wrong, but had a peace in my heart knowing that God had a plan. I began to understand that I had not discerned wrong, but that the discernment process wasn't over.
With a lot of prayer, and encouragement from friends, I began to look for a new job in what I discerned gave me energy, I was good at, and could make a difference in the lives of young people: youth ministry. I hadn't looked too long before I found the one that checked all my boxes and came highly recommended by several colleagues. Call me silly, but I only applied for that one job. And I got it. I knew that through all of my self discovery and discernment that this was finally the right fit for me. God had filled me with peace and has blessed me with the community of Ss. John and Paul. In eight short months this community has become my support and my home. I feel confident in my vocation, and am so excited to see what God can do through me for the young people of this parish. I never thought I would be where I am today. When you discern big life decisions, I hope you never keep God out of the conversation, because he has a great plan for you, so be open and listen for what he has in store for you.
-Liz
With a lot of prayer, and encouragement from friends, I began to look for a new job in what I discerned gave me energy, I was good at, and could make a difference in the lives of young people: youth ministry. I hadn't looked too long before I found the one that checked all my boxes and came highly recommended by several colleagues. Call me silly, but I only applied for that one job. And I got it. I knew that through all of my self discovery and discernment that this was finally the right fit for me. God had filled me with peace and has blessed me with the community of Ss. John and Paul. In eight short months this community has become my support and my home. I feel confident in my vocation, and am so excited to see what God can do through me for the young people of this parish. I never thought I would be where I am today. When you discern big life decisions, I hope you never keep God out of the conversation, because he has a great plan for you, so be open and listen for what he has in store for you.
-Liz
The following links were created by a group out of Cleveland that focuses on the development of young adults in their 20s and 30s. The following is a four step process that they created to help with when we are facing some of our toughest decisions. Each stage is linked to a page that delves in a little deeper and helps with asking the right questions, as well as ways to include your faith in this discernment. Once again, this process is not just for those considering priesthood or religious life, but for all of us as we strive to make decisions according to God's will.
Stage One: Inquiry
The first stage of vocational discernment can be a period of confusion, restlessness, desire for change, and new desires and attractions to different careers and forms of service.
Stage Two: Information Gathering
This stage of discernment is focused on gathering knowledge, information, and data about vocations and oneself. It involves a great deal of research through reading, researching vocational options, assessing gifts and talents, doing activities and exercises, and having conversations.
Stage Three: Spiritual Discernment
This stage of discernment encompasses engaging in various spiritual actions (spiritual journaling, bible-reading, sacraments, etc.), events, and prayer in order to make a vocational decision. Good decision-making utilizes spiritual discernment throughout the process.
Stage Four: Confirmation
The final stage of discernment is confirmation of the decision. It involves making a final decision about discernment, addressing roadblocks, preparing for your vocation, and taking the “leap.”
If you are discerning a call to the religious life please contact Fr. Joseph Pins, the Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Des Moines at jpins@dmdiocese.org, or visit their website www.vocationsonline.org.
