In 1994 Pope John Paul II, in his message for the World Day Prayer for Vocations, spoke about the urgent need for a culture of vocations. Therefore, there is a need to move from viewing vocational ministry as a functional ministry toward viewing said ministry as an action that penetrates the life of all Christians and that makes them think anew about their life as service … toward viewing said ministry as an action as the result of which communities can develop a process of vocational education, a plan that should be embraced and developed throughout the course of one’s life. This requires a new attitude that should be applied not only to a specific vocation (priestly life, consecrated life) but an attitude that opens new horizons with regard to the mission, that is, enabling people to understand that faith should be inserted into the dynamic of call-response and in turn, people are inserted into a reality of service and generosity (all of this becomes an expression of gratitude to God).
Although somewhat late, nevertheless, the theme of a culture of vocations has taken hold on the Congregation of the Mission. This idea is grounded on Christ, evangelizing the poor (Christ, who calls us to also evangelize the poor). This culture of vocations encompasses our whole life and ministry. It means that we affirm our vocation as a gift and a responsibility … a gift that Christ confers on those whom he calls and a responsibility on the part of those who are called, that is, those who are called must configure their lives in accord with the values of the kingdom. A culture of vocations means that individuals develop their attitudes, their personal and community commitments within the framework of an authentic process of discipleship. Such individuals attempt to live and act as Jesus did, walking beside the poor and serving their sisters and brothers who are most abandoned. A Vincentian culture of vocations is built up when a lifestyle, focused on Christ, evangelizing the poor, is developed … a lifestyle that is able to transform our life and mission making them evangelical and thus, focused on those who are poor … a lifestyle that makes people enthusiastic to serve the poor, those who are the privileged benefactors of the Kingdom.
Two important observations for our understanding and promoting a Vincentian culture of vocations:
[1] Promoting a culture of vocations should not be reduced to a policy of intensifying or prioritizing our vocational promotion ministry in order to confront the problem of a reduced number of vocations. A culture of vocations is much more than vocational promotion. Yes, we are in need of new vocations in order to give continuity to our mission. It is also true that individuals must cultivate their vocation and persevere in their vocation in order to continue their mission within the Congregation. Promoting a Vincentian culture of vocations, however, is to revitalize our vocation so that is becomes a prophetic sign of love and service on behalf of those who are poor … promoting a Vincentian culture of vocation also involves the creation of a lifestyle and a manner of acting that awakens the world to a preferential love of Christ present in those who are poor, thus leading to fraternal relationships, deeper solidarity, and a more just world. Promoting a culture of vocations is not affirming group identities (isolated and closed) or values and practices from the past; it is not the search for security in customs and devotion or the search for greater sophistication in marketing vocations. Rather a culture of vocations is the fruit of attentive listening, of evangelical discernment and a renewed response to the call of God present in the poor … God who calls us to conversion and a transformative commitment. The path for us as we attempt to create a culture of vocations involves transfiguring and consolidating our personal and community life, all the activities and structures of the Congregation so that everything becomes centered on Christ, evangelizing the poor.
[2] Promoting a Vincentian culture of vocations means no longer viewing vocational promotion ministry from its restricted and functional focus, that is, from its focus on recruiting candidates for the Congregation of the Mission. We must move from the perspective of recruitment to that of witness that will awaken people to God’s call and that in turn, makes us mediators of God who calls. The perspective of recruitment seeks survival … and when our community is composed of members who have been “recruited” and not provided with “witness” there is a tendency to deny in practice that which is spoken in beautiful words and good intentions. The pedagogy of vocations should begin with vocational witness that is at the same time prophetic. Consecrated life should bring the mission of Jesus Christ to the forefront of the Church and the world. Witness and sincere service on behalf of the poor is the primary means that will make the world and the church question themselves and at the same time will challenge people to follow Jesus Christ. This is the foundation and the basis for any pastoral activity that is intended to help young people discern how they should respond to the call to follow Jesus (be that as laymen and women, as consecrated men and women, as married persons, as brothers, priests, religious women, etc.).
The fundamental axis of our vocation is the fact that we have been called by God for missionary service on behalf of those who are poor. Thus, we are challenged to develop a coherent manner of seeing, feeling, thinking, and giving direction to our life so that we become witnesses and instruments of God compassionate love toward those who are poor. This is where we are to search for the creation of this culture of vocations. In this context we can understand the following words of Vincent de Paul: Two or three times every day I ask God to destroy us if we are not useful for his glory (CCD:XI:2).
By: Fr. Eli Chaves dos Santos, CM
