Vocations: Keep the Faith Alive

Vocations: Keep the Faith Alive

Order The Vocations DVD Watch Full Version

Founded by a parish priest, the Knights of Columbus has always worked hard to encourage young men and women to consider God’s call to service in the priesthood or religious life.

Under the motto “Keep the Faith Alive,” the Order’s vocations initiative has a number of programs based on prayer and designed to reach the hearts and minds of young people, as well as to provide financial support during their years of seminary training or religious formation.

In keeping with Knights of Columbus tradition, an attractive new vocations tool has just been released that should serve as the centerpiece of your council's vocations programs.

The DVD – :Everyone Has a Vocation to Love. What’s Yours?" (#50046) – combines four Knights of Columbus vocations films onto one digital video disk. Featured are The Vocation to the Priesthood, The Vocation to the Religious Life for Women, The Vocation to Marriage and the just-completed The Vocation of the Laity.

Although the focus of the Order’s vocations programs is on encouraging men to consider the priesthood or religious life and women to consider religious life, the DVD also includes films on the lay vocations to underline the fact that everyone is called through their Baptism to serve God, the Church and their neighbors.

The heart of the Order’s vocations effort continues to be the Refund Support Vocations Program (RSVP) by which assemblies, councils and Squires circles provide monetary and moral support for seminarians and postulants who are preparing for the priesthood or religious life.

New Vocations Poster

The Order’s new Vocations Poster (#2959) tells a story that will appeal to those considering a vocation as well as those seeking to support vocations. The central image is that of a priest offering the Eucharist. This image reminds us that Christ is the heart of every vocation – he is the one who calls.

It also tells us that priests are needed to offer Mass to keep Christ’s presence, his Real Presence, living and active in the world. Without a priest, there is no Mass and no Eucharist. The need for priests could not be clearer, or more urgent.

Smaller images along the left side of the poster show priests and women religious living out their daily ministry in a wide variety of ways. The message is that a life of service is exciting, fulfilling and life-changing for both those who give and those who receive.

Councils are encouraged to hang this poster in their meeting place and to work with their pastor to place it in the parish church or even to hand out copies to parishioners. Copies of the poster are available through the Knights of Columbus Supply Department.

Vocations Resource Folder

The visit of the Church chief shepherd, Pope Benedict XVI, is the theme of this year’s Knights of Columbus Vocations Resource Folder (#4418). The theme “Go and Make Disciples of All Nations” is taken from the Holy Father’s message for the annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations, held April 13, 2008.

Copies of the folder were mailed to grand knights in the United States and Canada in advance of the World Day of Prayer, but the folder includes materials that may be used by councils to promote vocations throughout the year.
A limited number of Vocations Resource Folders are available through the Knights of Columbus Supply Department.