What is a Vocation?
Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we all have one calling in our lives: holiness. Which means to follow Jesus to the best of our abilities. However, holiness will look different depending on one’s specific vocation. Simply put, a vocation is an occupation of someone who has a Divine calling to live a religious life. It’s important to listen and recognize the signs that determine how one answers and finds a place in life.
There are four categories of vocations in the Catholic Church.
- Married Life — Faithful commitment to each other by the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, as they strive to please God through their devotion to each other and building a faith driven family.
- Single Life — Commit their lives to serve others in their work and prayer.
- Religious Life — A persistent prodding of the Holy Spirit to give undivided attention to the Lord above all. Commitment in life to live as Christ lived through vows of poverty, chastity and obedience with a strong desire to prayer and a strong belief that an earthly existence is insufficient and are drawn to something more.
- Priesthood — Priests are called to be chosen instruments of God in the world. They are committed to Jesus Christ through the Sacrament of Holy Orders and it is a wonderful life of dedication and service to the people of God.
If you are seeking greater simplicity of life and a closer following of the Lord in prayer and action, consider that He may be calling you to the priesthood or consecrated life. Talk to Father Pierz or reach out to the Vocation Office of the Diocese of Springfield at [email protected] or 413.452.0816. Learn More Here.