Vocations
“God has a plan for your life.” This simple statement means that we should not simply ask ourselves “what are my dreams for my future?” Rather, we should begin by asking, “God, what are your dreams for my future.” God does indeed have a plan; as the prophet Jeremiah says, “I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future full of hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11. The task of discerning God’s plans for our life is an important one and can be a lengthy process, but it always begins with hearing God’s voice calling us to a particular state in life. This means that cultivating a life of prayer is essential to knowing God’s will and choosing to respond to God’s calling. Part of our mission at Powers Catholic is to help all of our students to develop a prayer life that will allow them to find the time and the silence to converse with God. Additionally, there are discernment groups at Powers Catholic for those who may feel called to the priesthood or to religious life.
In hearing God’s plan for our lives, prayer may be essential, but a little bit of research doesn’t hurt either. A helpful image of the array of possible vocations can be found at the Vocation Tree website.
Here are a few helpful web resources to get started:
The vocation of the laity can be lived out when one is single (as St. Paul spoke about dedication to the Lord in I Cor. 7:32-35) or through marriage and family life. The USCCB is the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops, and the USCCB website has a number of vocational pages (see below).
For Your Marriage – resources and support for Catholic marriages.
Diocese of Lansing Vocation’s Page - There are some excellent resources here: lists of the men’s and women’s religious communities within our diocese (with web links), information on the permanent diaconate, priesthood discernment questions, vocations stories, and information on the seminaries used by the Lansing Diocese, etc.
Catholic Religious Vocation Network – The “Vocation Match” tool is fun to try, and the article on “16 Questions about Church Vocations” is a helpful FAQ sheet.
A Guide to Religious Ministries for Catholic Men and Women
Institute on Religious Life
US Association of Consecrated Virgins
US Conference of Secular Institutes
“God has a plan for your life.” This simple statement means that we should not simply ask ourselves “what are my dreams for my future?” Rather, we should begin by asking, “God, what are your dreams for my future.” God does indeed have a plan; as the prophet Jeremiah says, “I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future full of hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11. The task of discerning God’s plans for our life is an important one and can be a lengthy process, but it always begins with hearing God’s voice calling us to a particular state in life. This means that cultivating a life of prayer is essential to knowing God’s will and choosing to respond to God’s calling. Part of our mission at Powers Catholic is to help all of our students to develop a prayer life that will allow them to find the time and the silence to converse with God. Additionally, there are discernment groups at Powers Catholic for those who may feel called to the priesthood or to religious life.
In hearing God’s plan for our lives, prayer may be essential, but a little bit of research doesn’t hurt either. A helpful image of the array of possible vocations can be found at the Vocation Tree website.
Here are a few helpful web resources to get started:
The vocation of the laity can be lived out when one is single (as St. Paul spoke about dedication to the Lord in I Cor. 7:32-35) or through marriage and family life. The USCCB is the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops, and the USCCB website has a number of vocational pages (see below).
- USCCB on the vocation of marriage
- USCCB on the vocation discernment resources
For Your Marriage – resources and support for Catholic marriages.
Diocese of Lansing Vocation’s Page - There are some excellent resources here: lists of the men’s and women’s religious communities within our diocese (with web links), information on the permanent diaconate, priesthood discernment questions, vocations stories, and information on the seminaries used by the Lansing Diocese, etc.
Catholic Religious Vocation Network – The “Vocation Match” tool is fun to try, and the article on “16 Questions about Church Vocations” is a helpful FAQ sheet.
A Guide to Religious Ministries for Catholic Men and Women
Institute on Religious Life
US Association of Consecrated Virgins
US Conference of Secular Institutes