This summer has been full of vocation news!!! First, June was full or ordinations; then July was the month of profession of vows! Some religious orders are booming with almost 20 new novices!!! The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist (above) had 11, and the Nashville Dominicans had 16 new novices. Check out the “Family Pic” (below) of the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles. That should definitely make your heart smile!

In August, seminarians start to gather, so your diocese may have a seminarian sendoff dinner for them, like they do in Joliet, Illinois. We just found out that the Diocese of Dallas has 20 new seminarians, which is a great number for one seminarian class!!!! Think about ways that your ministry or a few ministries can get together to support your seminarians. Check out here for gift ideas for seminarians, keeping in mind that they never turn away gift cards. :)

To hear more good news about vocations and see more pictures like these, make sure to follow Vocation Ministry on Facebook.

August is always our “Welcome Back and Let’s Get to Work” meeting! First, we set the calendar and see which days we want to promote vocations or have events for parishioners to pray. Your next fun event is International Buy Your Priest a Beer Day on September 11th (always the second Monday of the month) followed quickly by Priesthood Sunday on October 29th and National Vocation Awareness Week which is November 4-11th.

Click here to download an updated 2017-2018 calendar for you to edit and use at your meeting.

Lastly, if you want to use this new Visioning Document to plan for these two major events, download it and bring to your meeting for a great brainstorming session. Remember to keep your plans manageable, being mindful in which phase you are operating.