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Vocations

Vocations

How is God calling you to serve the Church?

Take a quiz to find out or learn more about the priesthood, religious orders, diaconate and married life by exploring the sections below.

Vocations Match Quiz
Diocesan Vocation Director

National Map of Vocation Directors

If you are discerning a call to the priesthood, your local priest or Vocations Director can help.

Find a Vocations Director Near Me
Video

I Leave My Life in Your Hands

Watch this great video from Bishop Perry, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago.

Watch this Video

The Sacrament of Marriage

The marriage covenant is a permanent union of persons capable of knowing and loving each other and God.

Click here for Information About Natural Family Planning

The Archdiocese of Chicago offers a two-part video series, entitled: “Black Catholic Initiative  — Marriage Today, Tomorrow and Forever”
View Part 1 by clicking here.
View Part 2 by clicking here.

Discern Your Vocation

Vocation: Consecrated Religious Life

About religious life
List of Religious Orders

Men
Religious life for men
The Josephites: Fr. Stephen Sohe, SSJ (Men)
Society of the Divine Word: Mr. Len Uhal, National Vocation Director (Men)
VISION, a publication of the National Religious Vocation Conference
Vocation Basics: Essentials for the Vocation Journey (Resource for Men and Women)
Vocation Prayer Card (NBCC 2021)

Women
Religious life for women
When the King Desires Your Beauty
Dominican Sisters in the United States
The Franciscan Handmaids of Mary: Sr. Rosemary Uzor, FHM (Women)
Holy Family Sisters: Sr. Laura Mercier, SSF (Women)
Oblate Sisters of Providence: Sr. Marcia Hall, OSP (Women)
Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament: Sr. Jane Nesmith, SBS (Women)
VISION, a publication of the National Religious Vocation Conference
Vocation Basics: Essentials for the Vocation Journey (Resource for Men and Women)
Vocation Prayer Card (NBCC 2021)

Vocation: Diocesan Priesthood

About the priesthood
Fr. Josh Johnson on discernment
VISION, a publication of the National Religious Vocation Conference
Vocation Basics: Essentials for the Vocation Journey (Resource for Men and Women)
Vocation Prayer Card (NBCC 2021)
Why Be a Priest? Purchase the brochure here.

Vocation: Diaconate

About the diaconate
National Association of Diaconate Directors
Vocation Prayer Card (NBCC 2021)

Vocation: Married & Family Life

About married life
USCCB For Your Marriage: Resources for Couples
TEDTalk: Tony Porter – A Call to Men
Strong Catholic Family Faith
USCCB Resources: Parents and Parenting

Vocation: Single Life

Is the single life a vocation? Maybe we’re asking the wrong question.
The Single Life is a Sacred Vocation —and it’s more fulfilling than our culture leads you to believe.

Vocation: Third Orders of Religious Congregations/Secular Institutions

The term Third Order signifies, in general, lay members of religious orders, who do not necessarily live in community and yet can claim to wear the habit and participate in the good works of some great order. Members of third orders, are known as tertiaries (Latin tertiarii, from tertius, third).

  • Third Order of Augustinian Recollects
  • Third Order of Saint Augustine
  • Oblates of Saint Benedict
  • Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites
    • https://carmelitequotes.blog/discalced-carmelite-calendar/
  • Third Order of Saint Dominic
  • Third Order of Saint Francis
  • Secular Franciscan Order
  • Third Order of Mercy
  • Third Order of Minims
  • Third Order Secular of the Most Holy Trinity
  • Third Order of Saint Norbert
  • Third Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
  • Association of Salesian Cooperators
  • Third Order of Servites

Vocation: Consecrated Virginity

The USACV is a voluntary association of consecrated virgins living in the world.  The purpose of the USACV is to provide support to its members in the faithful living out of their vocation to consecrated virginity and “…to assist one another in service to the Church as befits their state” (Canon 604, Code of Canon Law).   The USACV website is designed both to serve its members and to provide information about the vocation of consecrated virginity lived in the world.

The Most Blessed Virgin Mary is the primary patroness, and Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin, the first native American to be canonized, is also a patroness of the USACV.  To learn more about the ancient vocation of consecrated virginity, newly restored in the Church in 1970 for women living in the world go to: https://consecratedvirgins.org/

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The National Black Catholic Congress Inc.
320 Cathedral St. Baltimore, MD 21201 | 410.547.8496
© 2025 All Rights Reserved

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The National Black Catholic Congress Inc.
320 Cathedral St. Baltimore, MD 21201
410.547.8496
© 2025 All Rights Reserved

Designed by Fuzati