U.S. /Canada delegates attend 3rd Continental Congress on Vocations

by Hans Biebl

I am called on mission to love and serve the Lord. From April 18-21, 2002, 1,100 people, including many wearing Roman collars and habits of various designs, could be heard singing these words to a lively beat every morning.

In what was both a celebration of and a serious discussion of vocations, the 3rd Continental Congress on Vocations was convened in Montreal, Quebec, at the request of the Holy Father.

The Conference relied on a plethora of responses from 220 diocesan conferences that were held last year in which 10,000 people participated. The delegates used this information to recommend aspects for inclusion in the "concrete pastoral plan."

Various speeches were given. In one speech, Passionist Father Donald Senior, a Scripture scholar, challenged directors of vocations "to be sacraments of hope for a wounded Church." Yet in another, Sister Marie Chin, president of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, said: "God will raise up vocations in our Church where our deepest gladness meets the needs of the world."

At the same time, many conference delegates underscored that vocations to ordained and consecrated life are everybody’s business. To this point, Father Gilles Routhier, a priest of the Archdiocese of Quebec and theology professor at Laval University, insisted that people must continue to invite young people to consider life as ordained or religious, even if the first invitation is refused.

Although the conference dealt specifically with vocations to ordained and consecrated life, the vocation of each baptized Christian was often discussed. Regarding this, Father Senior pointed out that the Church calls all people to holiness and fullness of life when he said: "Through baptism all Christians are called to share in the mission of Jesus-healing and teaching and reconciling and giving life and freedom to the children of God." A greater understanding of this universal call to holiness, many delegates said, would increase the number of vocations to ordained and consecrated life that are discerned and nurtured.

Young adult delegates of the conference presented a written document that addressed all religious people and exhorted them to "offer us authentic, joyful witness to your way of life, that we may experience the passion of your service. Invite us to share your excitement and deep love of Christ and the Church. Together we can build a fire that is ignited by Christ."

With many inspirational moments, such as when the young adult delegates presented their thoughts, spurring on high hopes, the delegates left Montreal to attempt to start a "fire" of vocations in their local region, so that more people may truly say, "I am called."

Hans Biebl is a member of St Mary, New Ulm. He is a 2001 graduate of Cathedral High School, New Ulm, currently studying at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN.