Other vocations that may be right for you
To read this entire article, go to: https://www.vocationnetwork.org/en/articles/show/669 Religious Life Other vocations that may be right for you By Carol Schuck Scheiber and Joel Schorn All Christians have a vocation—whether to marriage, single life, ordination, or consecrated life. Here are some Catholic vocation choices that are less well-known than traditional membership in a religious order or the diocesan priesthood. Some religious orders have associate membership, which allows single and married laypeople to have a close bond with the community and pledge to carry out prayer and works of service into their way of life. There are secular third orders like the Lay Carmelites and the Oblates of St. Benedict. These associations of laypeople follow the inspiration and guidance of a religious order while living in the world and pledge themselves to certain prayers and religious practices. Permanent deacons are self-supporting men, who are ordained to minister in a diocese. The ministry of the deacon is threefold: to provide service; to proclaim the word; and to assist liturgically. Secular institutes are a form of consecrated life in which members live a life of celibate chastity, poverty, and obedience through the witness of their Christian lives and their apostolic activity wherever they are employed. According to church law, consecrated virgins are ". . . consecrated to God, mystically espoused to Christ, and dedicated to the service of the church. . . ." A woman is admitted to consecration by her local bishop, who determines the conditions under which she lives her life of perpetual virginity. Any one of these life choices may be the right calling. Gather more information, pray and search your heart for what God wants you to do. For further information on this subject, go to: North American Conference of Associates and Religious: nacar.org. For more information: usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/diaconate/. The United States Conference of Secular Institutes website, secularinstitutes.org. More information is available from the United States Association of Consecrated Virgins, consecratedvirgins.org