Father Rolando Gutiérrez, in this article introduces us to the process of vocation discernment, in this third part, we continue advancing towards Culture of Vocations.
Discerning is neither a punctual act nor a strategy achieved by following few instructions. It is more an art than a science, it has some psychological elements, but it is not a therapy, it is certainly inscribed in the spiritual field but it does not come out from the reality to the subject. In light of the two previous articles, perhaps we could say that discernment is the art of weaving life between the call of God and the free responseof man which leads towards vocational maturity.
What does the Congregation of the Mission need to discern today specifically in the field of Culture of Vocation? Do we really know how to discern the signs of the timeswhich are in front of us?
Saint Vincent de Paul deserves to be called with all ownership, teacher of discernment, both for his ability to interpret the signs of God which make him renounce to his youth projects (the ecclesiastical benefit and his honest retirementat an early age) and which lead him to invest his life in charity and mission with the poorest; as well as for the community and institutional decisions that he has to lead (foundational projects, taking of Saint-Lazare in 1632, papal approval processes, resolution engaging into new apostolates and many other examples).
In fact, explaining to his missionaries the Common Rules in Chapter II, Article 3, on the fulfillment of God’s will, he states:
There is a fourth way of knowing the will of God, which are the inspirations; many times God enlightens the understanding and moves the heart to inspire his will; but the grain of salt is needed, so that we do not deceive ourselves. Among that crowd of thoughts and feelings that are thrown at us, there are some seemingly good ones, but they do not come from God nor they are according to his will; therefore, we must examine them well, turn to God himself, ask him how that can be done, consider the motives, the purpose and the means, to see if everything is seasoned according to his taste, consult prudent men and advise of those who have care of us. (XI, 452-453).
Saint Vincent’s thought gives us a light which coincides with the method of discernment used by the Instrumentum Laboris(IL) of the Synod on Youth, Faith and Vocation Discernment, which has been structured in three phases according to Evangelii Gaudium 51: Recognize, Interpret and Choose.
1. To recognizeis our grain of salt, as Vincent calls it, to the effort to use all the tools at our disposal to be able to identify the reality in which we find ourselves immersed. It refers to looking and listening … it requires humility, closeness and empathy, to tune in and perceive (IL 3).
It must be recognized that there is a general concern in the Congregation of the Mission for the issue of vocations, but we have not always known how to put ourgrain of salt, perhaps the excess of responsibilities or the tension due to the number of candidates, makes us worry about more on scheduling activities without perhaps having listened and looked hard enough. An effort of humility to self-evaluate our vocational proposals could help us to tune in and perceive if we are walking in the right direction.
2. Interpretingis, in our opinion, the most complex of the challenges. According to Saint Vincent, it consists of examining well and resorting to the same God, or what is the same, to give a look of faith to reality from the correct biblical, anthropological and theological categories(IL3).
Seen from here, the decrease in the number of students in our houses of formation, as well as the vocational inconsistencies in incorporated missionaries, far from being a cause for despair, becomes an ideal opportunity to be able to interpretone’s vocation as an adventure of constant discernment along the way of life, to interprethow authentic (Christian or pagan?) are the motivations that sustain our pastoral projects (or in the case of failing to ask ourselves: why are not there?) as for the vocational accompaniment of young people as in the mission of the entire Congregation. In short, we are at a good moment to stop to interpretour life and mission.
3. Choosingconsists on undertaking the path (response) that has been completely discernedas God’s will (call), and that teaches us to create a culture of permanent evaluation of our pastoral tools and practices to be able to identify where a necessary reform, a change in ecclesial and pastoral practicesto avoid the risk of crystallization (IL 3). It is identified with the third step of the small methodof San Vincent, the search for means.
We are heirs of tradition with four centuries of the journey, and perhaps today’s great task is to choosehow to follow Jesus Christ Evangelizer of the poor in a way so coherent with the foundational spirit and so creative with the new challenges which, thinking of those young people whom we have around us, with our examples we give them more incentive than reluctance to work with us(VIII, 285).
The road to a Vincentian vocation culture does not allow us to remain indifferent to the poverty young people themselves pointed out in the pre-synodal meeting held in Rome from March 19 to 24, 2018: Many young people do not know how to undertake discernment processes, this is a great opportunity for the Church to accompany them (RP 9); and as the missionaries also live the adventure of permanent discernment, we can not forget that it is indispensable, in fact, that the person who discerns continues to form his own affectivity, his own intelligence, his own style(IL 114).
Fr. Rolando Gutiérrez C.M.
Vice Province of Costa Rica
