Guide | VISION Vocation Network for Catholic Religious Life & Priesthood|english

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We have many insightful articles, resources, and interactive features online to assist you as you discern your life's calling and explore religious life.

Sections

Prayer and Discernment
- Pray all ways—three ways to begin Read »
  - Prayer traditions observed in a small “monastery town” can lead to new prayer horizons and practices as well as a newly energized prayer attitude.
- How to survive a "quarterlife crisis" Read »
  - People don't necessarily settle into their lives in their 20s anymore. Sometimes it seems that life itself is filled with experimentation, change, and uncertainty.
- Sixteen questions about church vocations Read »
  - . . . And honest answers to your questions about priests, sisters, brothers, vows, sexuality, community life, and more.
- How do I know God's will for me? Read »
  - Are you trying to figure out God’s will for your life? You need look no further than scripture, the church, and your own personal history.
- The brothers will be my prayer Read »
  - Thirty-three Ecuadorian nuns and a monk of Mepkin Abbey taught Cistercian Brother Dismas Warner that finding a God he cannot see involves trusting the visible, all-too-human community.
- FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions About Vocations Read »
  - Many people use the word vocation (from the Latin vocare, meaning "to call") in reference to the call to be a priest, sister, or brother. However, the Catholic understanding of vocation is much broader: every baptized person has a vocation--a call--to love and serve God.
- In God we trust Read »
  - A veteran vocation director reflects on the process of finding the life choice that will allow you to be most at home with yourself.
- Dear Discerner: Notes on love and promises Read »
  - For you who are considering religious life, trust in God and in your experience of falling in love with the good future that God holds before you.
- Follow the call: Vocation homilies and prayers Read »
  - A selection of homilies and prayers for use in discerning or promoting vocations to consecrated life.
- How to know where God is leading you Read »
  - In exploring a call to religious life, certain attitudes are crucial for success: openness, trust, expectation, and inner freedom.
- Four steps to hearing your call Read »
  - Throughout the ages, people have struggled to understand God’s call to them. Four basic steps of discernment—becoming aware, gathering information, making a decision, and looking for confirmation of your choice—can help.
- Let God’s Word open the door to your heart Read »
  - Praying with scripture can help you hear the voice of the Spirit stirring inside your heart and inviting you to break open the Bible and come to know God more personally.
- Point and click to pray Read »
  - A guide to websites that bring prayer and spiritual development
    right to your computer.
- Why consider a church vocation in times like these? Read »
  - In the midst of great difficulties, the church more than ever needs a new generation of priests, sisters, and brothers.
- It all begins with a call Read »
  - From Abraham to Peter, Andrew, James, and John to the disciples on the road to Emmaus and extending to you, scripture reveals that nothing is so life-changing as the call we hear that originates in God.
- Nine ways to open up God's will for you Read »
  - During my 35 years as a vocation counselor, I've discovered nine steps to help people find what they want--and what God wants for them.
- What does it mean to say that God is calling me? Read »
  - Jesuit Ignatian tradition sees God as actively and personally involved in each of our lives....God is engaged in a lifelong dialog with us. Our role in the dialog is to pay attention, listen, and try to respond.
- Prayer sustains my vocation Read »
  - Each day as I grow in my awareness of the community in which I live, I see health problems, relationship problems, and addictions. These problems, by the grace of God, I bring to the eucharistic table.
- My four months at a house of discernment Read »
  - For four months during 2001 I lived at Emmaus House--a Toledo, Ohio "house of discernment" run by the Sisters of Notre Dame.
- Finding the right fit Read »
  - No two religious communities are alike. An insider gives tips on what to look for and the questions to ask when exploring religious communities.
- Tiny Snapshot Survey results Read »
- Likes God Read »
  - Likes God:
    The place for curious Catholics
    
    Sponsored by the VISION Vocation Network
- Be a saint in your own way Read »
  - Everyone is a unique creation of God, and the way to sanctity is to be your unique self.
- Ten things to know about discerning a vocation Read »
  - Out of a long and sometimes challenging journey to religious life come these ten suggestions for others still in discernment.
- A user's guide on the ways to pray Read »
  - From formal to spoken to silent, the Catholic faith offers a wealth of prayers and ways to pray.
    
    Download this attractive handout: A user's Guide on the ways to pray.
- The World Youth Day effect: Change for the better Read »
  - World Youth Day inspired and challenged those who ventured to Madrid. “Conversations with others from all over the world ignited a fire," says one pilgrim . . .
- Preparing for Madrid 2011: World Youth Day Read »
  - Through the generous invitation of the Holy Cross Family Ministries, VISION Vocation Network had a great location in the English Speaking Pavillion at the 2011 World Youth Day in Madrid. Below are our updates and posts leading up to and during World Youth Day. Click here for a follow up snapshot of people's experiences.
- All roads lead to Madrid Read »
  - WYD pilgrimages offer an opportunity for the world’s youth to celebrate their Catholic faith en masse. Many come away newly inspired with a better idea of their life’s true calling within their faith.
The Art of Discernment
- No place like home Read »
- Just take it Read »
  - on Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”
- How the Samaritan found his vocation Read »
  - WHO WAS the Good Samaritan? We don’t know for sure, but it is clear that he was a layperson, not a religious professional. In fact, it is probable that he was some sort of businessperson...
- Mysterious encounters Read »
- Truth in stenciling Read »
- Tips for Vocation Discerners Read »
  - Tips on finding good vocation matches
Religious Life
- Sixteen questions about church vocations Read »
  - . . . And honest answers to your questions about priests, sisters, brothers, vows, sexuality, community life, and more.
- Thriving among the generations Read »
  - Younger members of religious communities talk about living out their call in multigenerational settings.
- Religious Life Timeline Read »
  - RELIGIOUS LIFE THROUGH THE CENTURIES
    From the days of the ancient desert monks to new forms of community today, religious life has always responded to the challenges of the times. Here’s a sampling of the major moments in the history of religious life.
    
    Download VISION's Religious Life Timeline.
- Celibate chastity: One way to be a sexual person Read »
  - Why did I choose a life and continue to choose a life that includes celibate chastity? Because of the deep sense of happiness I’ve found in this way of living.
- Five reasons we need religious communities Read »
  - Knowing and working with a number of men and women in religious communities, I have found that they enrich our world with five qualities that clearly demonstrate why we need them.
- Follow your passion Read »
  - At the time I wrote this poem, I had been a social worker in Newark, New Jersey for many years, working with families whose stories could keep you up at night. Then in the 1980s, in addition to poverty and addiction, these same families confronted a new struggle: HIV and AIDS.
- Chastity is for everyone Read »
  - Chastity is more than a list of don'ts. It's a way of harnessing our sexual energy for good, whatever our state of life: single, married, ordained, or vowed.
- Community: We're on your side and at your side Read »
  - Saying your solemn "Yes!" in monastic vows means being welcomed into a community of believers who commit themselves to rooting for you and encouraging you all along your way.
- Trust God and hit the road Read »
  - A 300-mile journey in the spirit of Saint Francis became a pilgrimage of trust—in God, one another, and the people encountered along the way.
- Why I encourage my kids to consider religious life Read »
  - I've met and worked with hundreds of generous, Spirit-filled priests, brothers, and sisters. Many of them have a happiness that comes from the inside, from dedicating their lives to something with lasting meaning.
Sisters
- Sister Dorothy Stang: Her dying shows us how to live Read »
  - Sister Dorothy Stang, an advocate for the peasant farmers in the rainforests of Brazil, made powerful enemies who eventually gunned her down as she read from scripture.
- How a 16th-century nun guides me in religious life Read »
  - As a child Sister Julie Vieira chose Saint Teresa of Avila as a confirmation name and pretty much forgot about her. But over the years Teresa remained with this I.H.M. sister, waiting for Sister Julie to come by her convent cell and chat awhile.
- Serving as the finger of God Read »
  - The Oblate Sisters of Providence want the world to feel the touch of God’s love, and they’re working on it one child at a time.
- Teacher first, sister always Read »
  - For Sister Lee Ann McNally, R.S.M., ministering to prisoners started as a new adventure, but it was also an extension of the work she is sure God had in mind for her right from the start.
- Stopping long enough, I heard God’s call Read »
  - I had succeeded in athletics and my career, and I had never lacked materially. But all of that paled to insignificance after being at the Queen of Angels Monastery.
- A new sister looks at the vows Read »
  - As my life shifts and takes new turns, I continue to grow in my experience and understanding of the vows that will anchor my life: poverty, chastity, and obedience.
- Taking my vows to heart Read »
  - When I was a novice I was intensely learning our values of communal and private prayer, work, study, leisure, and hospitality. Today, I'm trying to take what I have learned and actually apply it to real life.
- Call me sister Read »
  - “You have to be strong in your identity—who you are and whose you are,” says Sister Patricia Ralph, S.S.J., and “not allow anyone to take your dream away.”
- Sisters form a colorful bouquet Read »
  - The unique call to sisterhood draws a wide array of followers.
Missionaries
- Jesus at the door Read »
  - Whenever people in need come to Father Vic Subb at an “inconvenient” time, he remembers the words of one of his brother priests: “That was Jesus on the phone.”
- Mission to South Africa: Living in joyful hope Read »
  - Despite the many difficult tasks of being a missionary—not to mention the elephants and rhinos—Father Dermot Roache sees hope. “We are a people of the Resurrection! Hope is part of our being.”
- Sister Dorothy Stang: Her dying shows us how to live Read »
  - Sister Dorothy Stang, an advocate for the peasant farmers in the rainforests of Brazil, made powerful enemies who eventually gunned her down as she read from scripture.
- Missionary sister falls in love Read »
  - With intentions of being a do-gooder, I arrived in Mexico; instead I have been enriched and humbled by the goodness I’ve discovered.
- Lessons in love from central Brazil Read »
  - In 1963, the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate—the Joliet Franciscans—answered a call to work in Brazil. Today, both U.S. and Brazilian sisters make up the community in Brazil. They work in parishes, run a school, and train health workers.
- Catholic sisters thriving in a Muslim world Read »
  - Catholic sisters have quietly carved out a Christian presence of loving service in the largely Muslim North African country of Tunisia.
- Religious communities offer help in Haiti Read »
  - After the devastating earthquake in Haiti, religious communities have been responding to people’s needs with faith, dedication, and service.
Being Catholic
- Faith and everyday life Read »
 - Being a Christian means adopting a certain way of life, and spirituality is living the Christian life in the concrete situation where we find ourselves.
- Does chastity matter? Read »
 - Our values assist us in making responsible choices, including how to use and not misuse the sexual energy that makes us the vital people we are.
- Following Jesus: Be ready for some surprises Read »
 - How do we imitate Jesus? By looking like him or duplicating his actions? How about praying to make us feel the way he did?
- Ten great things about being Catholic Read »
 - Some may settle for a baptism, wedding, and funeral in the church and feel they’ve gotten the best. But if you choose to live all the moments in between from the perspective of the Catholic worldview, you can enhance your life beyond your wildest imaginings.
- Full of grace: Reclaiming the rosary Read »
 - Praying the mysteries of the rosary we weave our intentions, thoughts, imagination, emotions, and desire for union with Christ.
- Back in God's embrace: How to make a good Confession Read »
 - Confessing our sins helps us to recognize our weaknesses and our need for God's forgiveness and embrace.
- A user’s guide on the ways to pray Read »
 - From formal to informal to spoken to silent, the Catholic faith offers a wealth of prayers and ways to pray.
Media Review
- Workers in the virtual vineyard Read »
  - Communications and technology are advancing at an incredible rate. Members of Catholic religious orders—as the following stories show—are keeping pace.
- Help is at hand: Guidebooks on the way to religious life Read »
  - VISION ASKED VOCATION MINISTERS in the U.S. and Canada to recommend some of the best books on life as a priest, religious sister, or religious brother. What follows is a list of some of the good reading they recommend.
- Lives that lead to God: Biographies and memoirs Read »
  - Find out what's new and interesting in the vocation-related books.
- More sacred places: Where beauty and grace meet Read »
  - VISION 2010 featured a photo story on the spaces religious communities have renovated or built for worship and prayer (click here to view that story in our digital edition). Due to space constraints we could not feature all of the submissions we received. Here are some additional photos of the truly spectacular worship spaces religious communities enjoy.
- Inspired images Read »
  - Members of religious communities connect beauty and the sacred—and their religious vocation with their art.
- More inspired images Read »
  - VISION received many items about the art of members of religious communities. Here is the art and artists who were not featured in print and digital editions of the 2011 Catholic Religious Vocation Discernment Guide, as well as more about the artists whose work appears on page 136 of the magazine.
- More about the artists . . . . Read »
  - More about the artists whose work appears in "Inspired images" and on page 136 of the 2011 edition of the VISION Catholic Religious Vocaton Discerment Guide.
- Created in community Read »
  - From mustard to candles to picture frames, religious communities make products that support their way of life and extend their mission.

General Information

WEB Advertising Read »
Special Advertising Features Read »
PRINT Advertising Rates for VISION Read »
Benefits of Advertising in VISION Read »
Advertising Tips Read »
Closing Dates/Terms and Discounts Read »
Production Costs/Marketing Services Read »
Digital Edition Ad Rates Read »
Vocation Network Staff Read »
About Vocation Network and VISION Guide Read »
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions About Vocations Read »
- Many people use the word vocation (from the Latin vocare, meaning "to call") in reference to the call to be a priest, sister, or brother. However, the Catholic understanding of vocation is much broader: every baptized person has a vocation--a call--to love and serve God.
Order VISION Vocation Guide Read »
E-Vocation Newsletters Read »
Digital Vocation Guide Read »
Third Annual Vocation Trends Survey 2009 Read »

2009 VISION Reader Response Statistics Read »

VISION Vocation Network Prospect-Response Statistics for 2009
Click here for all available statistics.

Total Responses: 7,073

1. I am exploring the following vocations

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
Sister	25	0.2 %	3896	31.01 %	3921	31.21 %
Brother	1324	10.54 %	13	0.1 %	1337	10.64 %
Priest-order	1606	12.78 %	50	0.4 %	1656	13.18 %
Priest-diocesan	1129	8.99 %	37	0.29 %	1166	9.28 %
Deacon	550	4.38 %	42	0.33 %	592	4.71 %
Secular Institute/ Consecrated Life	642	5.11 %	1475	11.74 %	2117	16.85 %
Lay Ministry	608	4.84 %	1167	9.29 %	1775	14.13 %
Total	5884	46.84 %	6680	53.16 %	12564	100%

2. I am drawn to the following prayer styles:

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
Common rosary	1367	5.19 %	2377	9.03 %	3744	14.23 %
Liturgy of the Hours	1335	5.07 %	1900	7.22 %	3235	12.29 %
Daily Mass	2009	7.63 %	3048	11.58 %	5057	19.21 %
Eucharistic adoration	1498	5.69 %	2408	9.15 %	3906	14.84 %
Faith sharing	1169	4.44 %	2139	8.13 %	3308	12.57 %
Spiritual direction	1426	5.42 %	2403	9.13 %	3829	14.55 %
Common meditation	1180	4.48 %	2059	7.82 %	3239	12.31 %
Total	9984	37.92 %	16334	62.06 %	26318	100%

3. I would like a community that prays together...

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
once a day	1044	8.67 %	1709	14.2 %	2753	22.87 %
2 to 3 times a day	1241	10.31 %	2080	17.28 %	3321	27.59 %
more than 3 times/day	704	5.85 %	1224	10.17 %	1928	16.02 %
once a week	485	4.03 %	694	5.77 %	1179	9.8 %
several times a week	611	5.08 %	954	7.93 %	1565	13.0 %
on special occasions	488	4.05 %	802	6.66 %	1290	10.72 %
Total	4573	37.99 %	7463	62.01 %	12036	100%

4. I pray...

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
once or twice a day	1212	15.74 %	2117	27.49 %	3329	43.23 %
three to five times a day	1055	13.7 %	1614	20.96 %	2669	34.66 %
six or more times a day	420	5.45 %	709	9.21 %	1129	14.66 %
seldom	252	3.27 %	322	4.18 %	574	7.45 %
Total	2939	38.16 %	4762	61.84 %	7701	100%

5. I am drawn to living...

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
in a large group (8 or more under one roof)	1280	10.14 %	2401	19.03 %	3681	29.17 %
in a medium group (4 to 7 under one roof)	1255	9.94 %	2086	16.53 %	3341	26.47 %
in a small group (2 to 3 under one roof)	1098	8.7 %	1545	12.24 %	2643	20.94 %
alone (while connected to a larger community)	1250	9.9 %	1705	13.51 %	2955	23.42 %
Total	4883	38.68 %	7737	61.31 %	12620	100%

6. I want to enter a community in which a habit or distinctive religious

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
required all the time	1388	12.05 %	2312	20.08 %	3700	32.13 %
required some of the time	1453	12.62 %	1794	15.58 %	3247	28.2 %
optional	1111	9.65 %	1893	16.44 %	3004	26.09 %
not worn	469	4.07 %	1095	9.51 %	1564	13.58 %
Total	4421	38.39 %	7094	61.61 %	11515	100%

7. I am drawn to living in the following community type(s)

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
Apostolic/ Evangelical help	1792	10.78 %	2621	15.77 %	4413	26.54 %
Monastic	1210	7.28 %	1867	11.23 %	3077	18.51 %
Cloistered, semi-cloistered	777	4.67 %	1708	10.27 %	2485	14.95 %
Missionary	1264	7.6 %	2119	12.75 %	3383	20.35 %
Contemplative	1184	7.12 %	2083	12.53 %	3267	19.65 %
Total	6227	37.45 %	10398	62.55 %	16625	100%

8. I am interested in the following ministry options

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
Education	1574	5.16 %	2375	7.78 %	3949	12.94 %
Preaching	1341	4.39 %	780	2.56 %	2121	6.95 %
Retreat work	1163	3.81 %	2158	7.07 %	3321	10.88 %
Parish	1429	4.68 %	1524	4.99 %	2953	9.67 %
Youth/campus ministry	1136	3.72 %	1872	6.13 %	3008	9.85 %
Prisons	738	2.42 %	982	3.22 %	1720	5.63 %
Social Service	1060	3.47 %	2005	6.57 %	3065	10.04 %
Healthcare	630	2.06 %	1425	4.67 %	2055	6.73 %
Prayer	1489	4.88 %	2563	8.4 %	4052	13.27 %
Foreign missions	929	3.04 %	1558	5.1 %	2487	8.15 %
Manual Labor	766	2.51 %	1029	3.37 %	1795	5.88 %
Total	12255	40.14 %	18271	59.86 %	30526	100%

9. Prior to entering religious life, what level of education will you have completed?

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
High school diploma or GED (General Equivalency Diploma	2453	21.01 %	3999	34.25 %	6452	55.25 %
College or Associate/Technical degree	1766	15.12 %	3050	26.12 %	4816	41.24 %
Neither of the above	171	1.46 %	238	2.04 %	409	3.5 %
Total	4390	37.59 %	7287	62.41 %	11677	100%

10. What is your work experience?

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
Business	885	8.91 %	1201	12.09 %	2086	21.0 %
Education/Training	719	7.24 %	1356	13.65 %	2075	20.89 %
Healthcare	339	3.41 %	994	10.01 %	1333	13.42 %
Technical, mechanical, electrical work	413	4.16 %	204	2.05 %	617	6.21 %
Non-profit, social work	520	5.23 %	969	9.75 %	1489	14.99 %
Law enforcement, military	248	2.5 %	126	1.27 %	374	3.76 %
Legal work	124	1.25 %	213	2.14 %	337	3.39 %
Ministry (religious)	167	1.68 %	239	2.41 %	406	4.09 %
Ministry (lay)	495	4.98 %	722	7.27 %	1217	12.25 %
Total	3910	39.36 %	6024	60.64 %	9934	100%

11. Are you Catholic?

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
Yes, I'm Catholic	2297	33.34 %	3527	51.19 %	5824	84.53 %
I'm in the process of becoming a Catholic	129	1.87 %	251	3.64 %	380	5.52 %
No, I'm a non-Catholic	210	3.05 %	476	6.91 %	686	9.96 %
Total	2636	38.26 %	4254	61.74 %	6890	100%

12. Have you been ordained in another church?

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
Yes	94	1.33 %	96	1.36 %	190	2.69 %
No	2623	37.08 %	4260	60.23 %	6883	97.31 %
Total	2717	38.41 %	4356	61.59 %	7073	100%

13. Are you a convert to Catholicism?

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
Yes	421	5.95 %	691	9.77 %	1112	15.72 %
No	2296	32.46 %	3665	51.82 %	5961	84.28 %
Total	2717	38.41 %	4356	61.59 %	7073	100%

14. Have you received any religious training?

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
Catholic school	1277	23.26 %	1995	36.35 %	3272	59.61 %
CCD	588	10.71 %	1056	19.24 %	1644	29.95 %
Theological school	309	5.63 %	261	4.75 %	570	10.38 %
Other	2	0.04 %	1	0.02 %	3	0.05 %
Total	2176	39.64 %	3313	60.36 %	5489	100%

15. Have you participated in a formal discernment process?

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
Yes	538	7.61 %	481	6.8 %	1019	14.41 %
No	2179	30.81 %	3875	54.79 %	6054	85.59 %
Total	2717	38.42 %	4356	61.59 %	7073	100%

16. Have you done volunteer work or gone on retreats of a religious nature?

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
Yes	1645	30.16 %	2796	51.27 %	4441	81.43 %
No	1072	19.66 %	1560	28.6 %	2632	48.26 %
Total	2717	49.82 %	4356	79.87 %	7073	100%

17. In which language(s) are you proficient?

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
English	2591	27.67 %	4197	44.82 %	6788	72.49 %
Spanish	420	4.49 %	616	6.58 %	1036	11.06 %
French	196	2.09 %	351	3.75 %	547	5.84 %
Portuguese	38	0.41 %	50	0.53 %	88	0.94 %
Italian	107	1.14 %	89	0.95 %	196	2.09 %
Polish	36	0.38 %	39	0.42 %	75	0.8 %
German	97	1.04 %	112	1.2 %	209	2.23 %
Arabic	29	0.31 %	31	0.33 %	60	0.64 %
Japanese	29	0.31 %	31	0.33 %	60	0.64 %
Korean	23	0.25 %	33	0.35 %	56	0.6 %
Chinese	39	0.42 %	40	0.43 %	79	0.84 %
Vietnamese	23	0.25 %	30	0.32 %	53	0.57 %
Greek	25	0.27 %	23	0.25 %	48	0.51 %
Russian	38	0.41 %	31	0.33 %	69	0.74 %
Total	3691	39.44 %	5673	60.59 %	9364	100%

18. I am participating in this survey today

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
For personal or spiritual inerest	2443	34.54 %	4003	56.6 %	6446	91.14 %
For a class assignment or research purposes	223	3.15 %	291	4.11 %	514	7.27 %
As an instructor(e.g. CCD, religion class)	26	0.37 %	31	0.44 %	57	0.81 %
As a VISION Vocation Network Advertiser	25	0.35 %	31	0.44 %	56	0.79 %
As a TruwQuest Administrator	0	0.0 %	0	0.0 %	0	0.0 %
Total	2717	38.41 %	4356	61.59 %	7073	100%

19. I am a

Response	Number of responses	Percentage of total
Female	4356	61.59
Male	2717	38.41
Total	7073	100 %

20. I am

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
single (never married)	2094	30.36 %	3129	45.36 %	5223	75.72 %
married	205	2.97 %	256	3.71 %	461	6.68 %
widowed	38	0.55 %	185	2.68 %	223	3.23 %
divorced	128	1.86 %	275	3.99 %	403	5.84 %
divorced or separated	175	2.54 %	413	5.99 %	588	8.52 %
Total	2640	38.28 %	4258	61.73 %	6898	100%

21. I am

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
17 or less	335	4.62 %	483	6.66 %	818	11.28 %
18-19	189	2.61 %	383	5.28 %	572	7.89 %
20-24	488	6.73 %	801	11.05 %	1289	17.78 %
25-29	388	5.35 %	551	7.6 %	939	12.95 %
29-34	314	4.33 %	449	6.19 %	763	10.52 %
35-39	223	3.08 %	277	3.82 %	500	6.9 %
40-44	230	3.17 %	313	4.32 %	543	7.49 %
45-49	225	3.1 %	361	4.98 %	586	8.08 %
50-54	168	2.32 %	352	4.86 %	520	7.17 %
55-59	133	1.83 %	264	3.64 %	397	5.48 %
60+	107	1.48 %	216	2.98 %	323	4.46 %
Total	2800	38.62 %	4450	61.38 %	7250	100%

22. I have been considering religious life or the prie...

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
just starting	458	6.64 %	1155	16.74 %	1613	23.38 %
1 year	293	4.25 %	505	7.32 %	798	11.57 %
2 years	284	4.12 %	447	6.48 %	731	10.6 %
3 years	264	3.83 %	313	4.54 %	577	8.36 %
4 years	139	2.02 %	203	2.94 %	342	4.96 %
5 years	1202	17.43 %	1635	23.7 %	2837	41.13 %
Total	2640	38.29 %	4258	61.72 %	6898	100%

23. I am a citizen of or have permanent residency in t...

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
United States	1994	27.29 %	3457	47.3 %	5451	74.59 %
Canada	128	1.75 %	211	2.89 %	339	4.64 %
Ireland	107	1.46 %	78	1.07 %	185	2.53 %
United Kingdom	249	3.41 %	344	4.71 %	593	8.11 %
Italy	33	0.45 %	26	0.36 %	59	0.81 %
Other(s):	343	4.69 %	338	4.63 %	681	9.32 %
Total	2854	39.05 %	4454	60.96 %	7308	100%

24. I currently live in...

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
United States	1989	28.84 %	3454	50.08 %	5443	78.92 %
Canada	104	1.51 %	190	2.75 %	294	4.26 %
Ireland	61	0.88 %	54	0.78 %	115	1.67 %
United Kingdom	214	3.1 %	319	4.63 %	533	7.73 %
Italy	12	0.17 %	10	0.14 %	22	0.32 %
Other(s):	260	3.77 %	230	3.33 %	490	7.1 %
Total	2640	38.27 %	4257	61.71 %	6897	100%

25. I would like to live and minister in

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
West South Central AR, LA, OK, TX	768	1.68 %	1195	2.62 %	1963	4.3 %
Pacific AK, AS, CA, GU, HI, MP, OR, WA, Minor Outlying Islands	953	2.09 %	1512	3.31 %	2465	5.4 %
Mountain AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY	840	1.84 %	1381	3.02 %	2221	4.86 %
West North Central IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD	684	1.5 %	1069	2.34 %	1753	3.84 %
East South Central AL, KY, MS, TN	638	1.4 %	1020	2.23 %	1658	3.63 %
South Atlantic & Caribbean DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV, PR, VI	895	1.96 %	1529	3.35 %	2424	5.31 %
East North Central IL, IN, MI, OH, WI	940	2.06 %	1437	3.15 %	2377	5.2 %
New England CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT	904	1.98 %	1489	3.26 %	2393	5.24 %
Mid-Atlantic NJ, NY, PA	937	2.05 %	1536	3.36 %	2473	5.41 %
Northern Canada NT, NU, YT	387	0.85 %	504	1.1 %	891	1.95 %
Western Canada AB, BC, MB, SK	450	0.99 %	603	1.32 %	1053	2.31 %
Central Canada ON, QC	471	1.03 %	635	1.39 %	1106	2.42 %
Atlantic Canada NB, NL, NS, PE	429	0.94 %	582	1.27 %	1011	2.21 %
Mexico	383	0.84 %	600	1.31 %	983	2.15 %
Central America	417	0.91 %	736	1.61 %	1153	2.52 %
Caribbean	466	1.02 %	771	1.69 %	1237	2.71 %
South America	472	1.03 %	802	1.76 %	1274	2.79 %
England & Wales	811	1.78 %	1331	2.91 %	2142	4.69 %
Northern Ireland	593	1.3 %	1029	2.25 %	1622	3.55 %
Scotland	609	1.33 %	1044	2.29 %	1653	3.62 %
Republic of Ireland	691	1.51 %	1058	2.32 %	1749	3.83 %
Continental Europe	698	1.53 %	1064	2.33 %	1762	3.86 %
Africa	483	1.06 %	924	2.02 %	1407	3.08 %
China	321	0.7 %	460	1.01 %	781	1.71 %
India	297	0.65 %	591	1.29 %	888	1.94 %
Middle East	323	0.71 %	470	1.03 %	793	1.74 %
Philippines	324	0.71 %	470	1.03 %	794	1.74 %
Vietnam	250	0.55 %	375	0.82 %	625	1.37 %
Other Asia	285	0.62 %	414	0.91 %	699	1.53 %
Australia & New Zealand	583	1.28 %	968	2.12 %	1551	3.4 %
Other Oceania	309	0.68 %	468	1.02 %	777	1.7 %
Total	17611	38.58 %	28067	61.44 %	45678	100%

26. Are you free of debt?

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
Yes	1592	22.51 %	2456	34.72 %	4048	57.23 %
No	1125	15.91 %	1900	26.86 %	3025	42.77 %
Total	2717	38.42 %	4356	61.58 %	7073	100%

27. Do you have any dependents?

Response	Men Count	Men Percent	Women Count	Women Percent	Total count	Total Percent
Yes	299	4.23 %	393	5.56 %	692	9.78 %
No	2418	34.19 %	3963	56.03 %	6381	90.22 %
Total	2717	38.42 %	4356	61.59 %	7073	100%

2009 Fall VocationMatch.com Press Release Read »
Resources for older discerners/ discerners with disabilities Read »
- While many religious communities do not consider candidates for membership over (or below) a certain age or who have certain disabilities, there are some places to turn for older or diabled people who feel called to religious life.
Awards and Honors Read »
- We hate to toot our own horn but . . .
2010 Vocation Trends Survey Read »
2010 VocationMatch.com Reader Statistics Read »
VISION wins CPA awards! Read »
- VISION is a proud member of the Catholic Press Association. Please take a look at our award-winning articles by clicking on the links below.
2010 Fourth Annual Vocation Trends Survey Read »
Tiny Snapshot Survey results Read »
Tips for Vocation Discerners Read »
- Tips on finding good vocation matches
Parent Resources: How to create a culture of discernment Read »
- Creative ways to use VISION in your home.
For Religious Educators: Vocation Lesson Plans Read »
- Creative ways to use VISION in the classroom.
Youth and Campus Ministry Resources Read »
- Great ways to use VISION in your ministry.

Prayer and Discernment
- Pray all ways—three ways to begin Read »
  - Prayer traditions observed in a small “monastery town” can lead to new prayer horizons and practices as well as a newly energized prayer attitude.
- How to survive a "quarterlife crisis" Read »
  - People don't necessarily settle into their lives in their 20s anymore. Sometimes it seems that life itself is filled with experimentation, change, and uncertainty.
- Sixteen questions about church vocations Read »
  - . . . And honest answers to your questions about priests, sisters, brothers, vows, sexuality, community life, and more.
- How do I know God's will for me? Read »
  - Are you trying to figure out God’s will for your life? You need look no further than scripture, the church, and your own personal history.
- The brothers will be my prayer Read »
  - Thirty-three Ecuadorian nuns and a monk of Mepkin Abbey taught Cistercian Brother Dismas Warner that finding a God he cannot see involves trusting the visible, all-too-human community.
- FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions About Vocations Read »
  - Many people use the word vocation (from the Latin vocare, meaning "to call") in reference to the call to be a priest, sister, or brother. However, the Catholic understanding of vocation is much broader: every baptized person has a vocation--a call--to love and serve God.
- In God we trust Read »
  - A veteran vocation director reflects on the process of finding the life choice that will allow you to be most at home with yourself.
- Dear Discerner: Notes on love and promises Read »
  - For you who are considering religious life, trust in God and in your experience of falling in love with the good future that God holds before you.
- Follow the call: Vocation homilies and prayers Read »
  - A selection of homilies and prayers for use in discerning or promoting vocations to consecrated life.
- How to know where God is leading you Read »
  - In exploring a call to religious life, certain attitudes are crucial for success: openness, trust, expectation, and inner freedom.
- Four steps to hearing your call Read »
  - Throughout the ages, people have struggled to understand God’s call to them. Four basic steps of discernment—becoming aware, gathering information, making a decision, and looking for confirmation of your choice—can help.
- Let God’s Word open the door to your heart Read »
  - Praying with scripture can help you hear the voice of the Spirit stirring inside your heart and inviting you to break open the Bible and come to know God more personally.
- Point and click to pray Read »
  - A guide to websites that bring prayer and spiritual development
    right to your computer.
- Why consider a church vocation in times like these? Read »
  - In the midst of great difficulties, the church more than ever needs a new generation of priests, sisters, and brothers.
- It all begins with a call Read »
  - From Abraham to Peter, Andrew, James, and John to the disciples on the road to Emmaus and extending to you, scripture reveals that nothing is so life-changing as the call we hear that originates in God.
- Nine ways to open up God's will for you Read »
  - During my 35 years as a vocation counselor, I've discovered nine steps to help people find what they want--and what God wants for them.
- What does it mean to say that God is calling me? Read »
  - Jesuit Ignatian tradition sees God as actively and personally involved in each of our lives....God is engaged in a lifelong dialog with us. Our role in the dialog is to pay attention, listen, and try to respond.
- Prayer sustains my vocation Read »
  - Each day as I grow in my awareness of the community in which I live, I see health problems, relationship problems, and addictions. These problems, by the grace of God, I bring to the eucharistic table.
- My four months at a house of discernment Read »
  - For four months during 2001 I lived at Emmaus House--a Toledo, Ohio "house of discernment" run by the Sisters of Notre Dame.
- Finding the right fit Read »
  - No two religious communities are alike. An insider gives tips on what to look for and the questions to ask when exploring religious communities.
- Tiny Snapshot Survey results Read »
- Likes God Read »
  - Likes God:
    The place for curious Catholics
    
    Sponsored by the VISION Vocation Network
- Be a saint in your own way Read »
  - Everyone is a unique creation of God, and the way to sanctity is to be your unique self.
- Ten things to know about discerning a vocation Read »
  - Out of a long and sometimes challenging journey to religious life come these ten suggestions for others still in discernment.
- A user's guide on the ways to pray Read »
  - From formal to spoken to silent, the Catholic faith offers a wealth of prayers and ways to pray.
    
    Download this attractive handout: A user's Guide on the ways to pray.
- The World Youth Day effect: Change for the better Read »
  - World Youth Day inspired and challenged those who ventured to Madrid. “Conversations with others from all over the world ignited a fire," says one pilgrim . . .
- Preparing for Madrid 2011: World Youth Day Read »
  - Through the generous invitation of the Holy Cross Family Ministries, VISION Vocation Network had a great location in the English Speaking Pavillion at the 2011 World Youth Day in Madrid. Below are our updates and posts leading up to and during World Youth Day. Click here for a follow up snapshot of people's experiences.
- All roads lead to Madrid Read »
  - WYD pilgrimages offer an opportunity for the world’s youth to celebrate their Catholic faith en masse. Many come away newly inspired with a better idea of their life’s true calling within their faith.
The Art of Discernment
- No place like home Read »
- Just take it Read »
  - on Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”
- How the Samaritan found his vocation Read »
  - WHO WAS the Good Samaritan? We don’t know for sure, but it is clear that he was a layperson, not a religious professional. In fact, it is probable that he was some sort of businessperson...
- Mysterious encounters Read »
- Truth in stenciling Read »
- Tips for Vocation Discerners Read »
  - Tips on finding good vocation matches
Religious Life
- Sixteen questions about church vocations Read »
  - . . . And honest answers to your questions about priests, sisters, brothers, vows, sexuality, community life, and more.
- Thriving among the generations Read »
  - Younger members of religious communities talk about living out their call in multigenerational settings.
- Religious Life Timeline Read »
  - RELIGIOUS LIFE THROUGH THE CENTURIES
    From the days of the ancient desert monks to new forms of community today, religious life has always responded to the challenges of the times. Here’s a sampling of the major moments in the history of religious life.
    
    Download VISION's Religious Life Timeline.
- Celibate chastity: One way to be a sexual person Read »
  - Why did I choose a life and continue to choose a life that includes celibate chastity? Because of the deep sense of happiness I’ve found in this way of living.
- Five reasons we need religious communities Read »
  - Knowing and working with a number of men and women in religious communities, I have found that they enrich our world with five qualities that clearly demonstrate why we need them.
- Follow your passion Read »
  - At the time I wrote this poem, I had been a social worker in Newark, New Jersey for many years, working with families whose stories could keep you up at night. Then in the 1980s, in addition to poverty and addiction, these same families confronted a new struggle: HIV and AIDS.
- Chastity is for everyone Read »
  - Chastity is more than a list of don'ts. It's a way of harnessing our sexual energy for good, whatever our state of life: single, married, ordained, or vowed.
- Community: We're on your side and at your side Read »
  - Saying your solemn "Yes!" in monastic vows means being welcomed into a community of believers who commit themselves to rooting for you and encouraging you all along your way.
- Trust God and hit the road Read »
  - A 300-mile journey in the spirit of Saint Francis became a pilgrimage of trust—in God, one another, and the people encountered along the way.
- Why I encourage my kids to consider religious life Read »
  - I've met and worked with hundreds of generous, Spirit-filled priests, brothers, and sisters. Many of them have a happiness that comes from the inside, from dedicating their lives to something with lasting meaning.
Brothers
- Man with a mission Read »
  - Brother John Skrodinsky has always been passionate about serving those in need. When he found a religious community that cared as much as he does, he found his home.
- How God tricked Duc Pham into becoming a brother Read »
  - Franciscan Brother Duc Pham says he found his call through false advertising. He answered an ad looking for a teacher but the Franciscans had other plans for him. He’s glad he followed their lead.
- Brother Mark Elder makes an art of spirituality Read »
  - Vincentian Brother Mark Elder, creator of some of the most striking murals in the United States and elsewhere, uses art in his quest to help the poor and disenfranchised.
- Why did I become a brother? Read »
  - Why did I choose to join the brothers? The answer is simple but profound: community. The brothers were my first experience of Christian community, an experience that triggered my search for religious life.
- Big Brother is watching you Read »
  - Holy Cross Brother Roy Smith has earned a reputation as someone who is always there for kids, or as his students at Holy Trinity High School in Chicago would say, he's got their backs.
- Brotherhood made simple Read »
  - If you are a brother, serving God by serving others is going to be the center of your life. It’s that simple.
- Why I love being a brother! Read »
  - Religious brotherhood can be way of life that will bring you deep peace, real fulfillment, and great satisfaction in knowing that you are closely following Christ.
Sisters
- Sister Dorothy Stang: Her dying shows us how to live Read »
  - Sister Dorothy Stang, an advocate for the peasant farmers in the rainforests of Brazil, made powerful enemies who eventually gunned her down as she read from scripture.
Priests
- The joy in being a priest Read »
  - The church should be a community in which people discover God’s delight in them. This is the ministry of priests. This is my life.
- What being a priest means to me Read »
  - If you are going to do something as radical as following a religious vocation, says Father Laurence Freeman, it would be wise to allow the process of conversion a chance to begin.
- Feeding Jesus’ friends Read »
  - Even in the face of opposition Sacred Heart Father Guy Blair and other homeless advocates did not shy away from their mission: calling people to do what they were supposed to do for the poorest of the poor.
- What does it take to be a good priest? Read »
  - Being a priest is an awesome honor and responsibility. To be of service to others is to be a channel of God’s grace, and that is the heart of this special vocation.
- Just call me Bishop Gustavo Read »
  - "I say to young people, 'God is calling you to something. Let’s find out what it is.' "
- Full circle for Father Manuel Williams, C.R. Read »
  - For Father Manuel Williams, C.R., there was no one blazing moment of insight that called him to the priesthood. Instead, he walked for years among priests and sisters who were always quietly planting seeds, making the world a better place. In time, he dared to follow them--all the way back home.
- Change today? One man's journey into priesthood Read »
  - A homeless person’s call for change hit me not as a request for money, but as a command for altering my life. I had to change, or my destructive and selfish ways would surely consume me.
- My mountaintop journey toward priesthood Read »
  - I believe God moves gently in most people's hearts, but with me he needed a hammer and one faithful dying man.
- A breath of Spirit Read »
  - Over the years I've learned that when a seminarian is good, he is very good and when he is not . . . it's best to do things yourself. I wasn't sure about the new guy yet.
- Ed's story: Lose a dream, find a life Read »
  - "I'd thought about being a priest, but I thought about it like most Catholic kids--idly, poking at the thought here and there, never really facing what it might mean, the joys of it, the hard parts, the reality."
- Three ways my community makes me the priest I am Read »
  - “I am a Franciscan and a priest,” says Father Jim Kent. “God’s call for me would have it no other way.”
- From break dancing to breaking bread Read »
  - As a priest Father Leo Patalinghug often celebrates the sacraments and gives presentations on faith issues. But he’s equally at home on the dance floor, cooking a big meal, or practicing martial arts.
- Blessed are we who comfort the mourners Read »
  - The experience of a friend’s death affirms a young seminarian in his vocation.
Missionaries
- Jesus at the door Read »
  - Whenever people in need come to Father Vic Subb at an “inconvenient” time, he remembers the words of one of his brother priests: “That was Jesus on the phone.”
- Mission to South Africa: Living in joyful hope Read »
  - Despite the many difficult tasks of being a missionary—not to mention the elephants and rhinos—Father Dermot Roache sees hope. “We are a people of the Resurrection! Hope is part of our being.”
- Sister Dorothy Stang: Her dying shows us how to live Read »
  - Sister Dorothy Stang, an advocate for the peasant farmers in the rainforests of Brazil, made powerful enemies who eventually gunned her down as she read from scripture.
- African dream: my 17 years in Kenya Read »
  - What I experienced those first months in Kenya is still my experience after all these years. The Kenyans are welcoming, hospitable, and extremely generous people.
- Catholic sisters thriving in a Muslim world Read »
  - Catholic sisters have quietly carved out a Christian presence of loving service in the largely Muslim North African country of Tunisia.
- Religious communities offer help in Haiti Read »
  - After the devastating earthquake in Haiti, religious communities have been responding to people’s needs with faith, dedication, and service.
Being Catholic
- Faith and everyday life Read »
 - Being a Christian means adopting a certain way of life, and spirituality is living the Christian life in the concrete situation where we find ourselves.
- Does chastity matter? Read »
 - Our values assist us in making responsible choices, including how to use and not misuse the sexual energy that makes us the vital people we are.
- Following Jesus: Be ready for some surprises Read »
 - How do we imitate Jesus? By looking like him or duplicating his actions? How about praying to make us feel the way he did?
- Ten great things about being Catholic Read »
 - Some may settle for a baptism, wedding, and funeral in the church and feel they’ve gotten the best. But if you choose to live all the moments in between from the perspective of the Catholic worldview, you can enhance your life beyond your wildest imaginings.
- Full of grace: Reclaiming the rosary Read »
 - Praying the mysteries of the rosary we weave our intentions, thoughts, imagination, emotions, and desire for union with Christ.
- Back in God's embrace: How to make a good Confession Read »
 - Confessing our sins helps us to recognize our weaknesses and our need for God's forgiveness and embrace.
- A user’s guide on the ways to pray Read »
 - From formal to informal to spoken to silent, the Catholic faith offers a wealth of prayers and ways to pray.
Media Review
- Workers in the virtual vineyard Read »
  - Communications and technology are advancing at an incredible rate. Members of Catholic religious orders—as the following stories show—are keeping pace.
- Help is at hand: Guidebooks on the way to religious life Read »
  - VISION ASKED VOCATION MINISTERS in the U.S. and Canada to recommend some of the best books on life as a priest, religious sister, or religious brother. What follows is a list of some of the good reading they recommend.
- Lives that lead to God: Biographies and memoirs Read »
  - Find out what's new and interesting in the vocation-related books.
- More sacred places: Where beauty and grace meet Read »
  - VISION 2010 featured a photo story on the spaces religious communities have renovated or built for worship and prayer (click here to view that story in our digital edition). Due to space constraints we could not feature all of the submissions we received. Here are some additional photos of the truly spectacular worship spaces religious communities enjoy.
- Inspired images Read »
  - Members of religious communities connect beauty and the sacred—and their religious vocation with their art.
- More inspired images Read »
  - VISION received many items about the art of members of religious communities. Here is the art and artists who were not featured in print and digital editions of the 2011 Catholic Religious Vocation Discernment Guide, as well as more about the artists whose work appears on page 136 of the magazine.
- More about the artists . . . . Read »
  - More about the artists whose work appears in "Inspired images" and on page 136 of the 2011 edition of the VISION Catholic Religious Vocaton Discerment Guide.
- Created in community Read »
  - From mustard to candles to picture frames, religious communities make products that support their way of life and extend their mission.