Ministries:
Vocations
The Office of Vocations helps men and women discern God’s call to priesthood, religious life, diaconate, or dedicated lay service. Through personal accompaniment, retreats, and discernment programs, we invite individuals to listen deeply to the Lord’s voice and respond with generous hearts. Our mission is to cultivate a culture of vocation where every person seeks and embraces God’s will.
Director of Vocations
Very Rev. Raney C. Johnson
What is a vocation?
Vocation comes from the Latin word vocare, which means “to call.” A vocation is a personal call from God, an invitation to love and serve Him and His Church through a particular way of life. Every person is created by God for a unique purpose, and discovering that purpose leads to true joy and fulfillment.
Through baptism, each of us receives the universal call to holiness, which is the call to follow Jesus, to live a life of virtue, and to make a sincere gift of ourselves in love to God and others. Holiness is not the privilege of a few, but the calling of all the baptized. We grow in holiness by cultivating a life of prayer, participating in the sacraments, and striving to love God above all things.
Within this universal call to holiness, God invites each person to a more specific way of living out that love. In the Catholic Church, these take four primary forms: priesthood, consecrated life, marriage, and single life.
Priesthood
The priesthood is a sacred calling for men to serve as spiritual leaders of the Church. Through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, priests are conformed to Jesus Christ and dedicate their lives to proclaiming the Gospel, administering the sacraments, and serving God’s people within a diocese or religious community.
Religious Life
Religious life is a call to follow Jesus more closely through a life of prayer, community, and service. Sisters, brothers, monks, and nuns commit themselves to God by living the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, working together to share Christ’s love and build up the Church.
Marriage
Marriage is a sacred vocation where a man and woman commit themselves to one another in love through the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. Strengthened by God’s grace, they work together to build a faithful, loving family that reflects Christ’s love for the Church.
Single Life
The single life is a vocation to love and serve God through prayer, work, and community. Those called to this path embrace a chaste way of life, offering their freedom as a gift to God and others. By living faithfully and using their gifts in service, they witness to God’s love and holiness in the world.
Listen. Pray. Follow.
What is discernment?
Discernment is the prayerful journey of discovering how God is calling you to love and serve Him. It is a time to listen for His voice, grow deeper in faith, and open your heart to His plan, whether that leads to the priesthood, religious life, marriage, or single life.
Through prayer, the sacraments, and guidance from those you trust, you begin to recognize where God is leading you and how He invites you to share your unique gifts with the world.
Discernment is not just about finding answers; it is about building a relationship with Christ and learning to follow Him with courage and joy.
Ready to get serious about discerning the priesthood or consecrated life? Discernment 180 is a six-month plan with concrete actions and daily readings. The goal is to be intentional about discernment and truly open your heart to God’s call, whatever it may be.