 Promoting Vocations — It’s all in the Family 12/7/2012A day devoted to talking about vocations drew quite a crowd recently at St. Viator Parish in Chicago. Nearly 300 people attended The Vocation to Life and the Call to Service event, co-sponsored by St. Viator’s religious education department and the Viatorians’ Vocation Ministry office.They heard about more than discernment and a call to vocations. It starts, they learned, with listening, promoting a life of service and families praying together.“Families at St. Viator Parish, as families everywhere, share a common concern about how to keep the life of the Spirit burning brightly in their homes and neighborhoods,” says Viatorian Pre-Associate Hector Obregon.They heard from Viatorian priests and brothers as well as parish deacons and other lay leaders, who drew on their own life experiences, discussing how they came to use their skills and passions to serve God’s mission.“Our intention was to explore how we can work together to enhance our understanding of vocation in the family, parish and neighborhood ,” said Bart Hisgen, associate director of vocation ministry for the Viatorian Community. Obregon helped to organize the event, that started with a Mass and included lunch before hearing from the presenters and families on hand.
“Promoting vocation is more than asking people to consider a vowed religious life,” he says. “It’s about finding out that God’s voice is still relevant. Right now. Right here.” |