Vocations Archives

Marriage, priesthood, religious life take courage, pope says in message

Mar 24, 2020

Discovering one’s vocation to marriage, priesthood or religious life and making the decision to embrace it takes courage, Pope Francis said.

By Cindy Wooden

US Hispanic Catholics are future, but priest numbers dismal

Mar 15, 2020

Hispanics now account for 40 percent of all U.S. Catholics, and a solid majority of school-age Catholics. Yet Hispanic Americans are strikingly underrepresented in Catholic schools and in the priesthood — accounting for less than 19 percent of Catholic school enrollment and only about 3 percent of U.S.-based priests.

By David Crary

Ministry aims to give parishes resources to develop vocations

Nov 7, 2019

Rhonda Gruenewald wrote “Hundredfold: A Guide to Parish Vocation Ministry” and its accompanying resource book and developed the website VocationMinistry.com to provide information, activities, and inspiration for anyone seeking to establish or revive a vocation ministry.

By Charles C. Camosy

Texas woman makes instilling ‘a culture of vocations’ her life’s work

Nov 3, 2019

For someone who was not raised a Catholic and a decade ago did not understand the meaning behind the phrase “vocations crisis,” Rhonda Gruenewald is a quick study.

By Mark Pattison

Norbertines build new abbey to house growing community

Jun 10, 2019

St. Michael’s Abbey in Orange County is a growing community of Norbertine monks. Crux spoke to Father Justin Ramos.

By Charles C. Camosy

Church must learn how to speak to young people, pope says

Jun 6, 2019

Too often when Catholics try to talk to young people about vocational discernment, “it’s as if we were speaking Esperanto to them, because they don’t understand a thing,” Pope Francis said.

By Junno Arocho Esteves