Culture of
Vocations
Cultivating a
Culture of Vocations
With dwindling numbers of women religious present in the life of the ordinary young Catholic, it is critical for every member of the Body of Christ to be attentive to cultivating a Culture of Vocations. We are all invited to be Friends of the Bridegroom- pointing out the voice of the Bridegroom calling women to Himself in spousal love.
We firmly believe that Catholics in any state of life can do something to cultivate a culture of vocations. Outlined in these pages, you will find the fruits of the work of many Friends of the Bridegroom that are laboring in Diocesan offices, parishes, families, campus ministries, and families to restore the Family of God through the expansion of women’s religious life.
Begin a Cohort.
If your heart burns with a desire to support the renewal of women’s religious life, we would invite you to consider beginning a Friends of the Bridegroom cohort in your area.
This is not limited to anyone with a particular title or state in life. We know Friends of the Bridegroom who are young moms, pastors, diocesan leaders, single young adults, and seasoned apostolate leaders. What they have in common is a desire to see renewal in the Church, especially through the renewal of women’s religious life.
They do what they can within their particular sphere of influence to cultivate a culture of vocations, where the Church is seen, once more, as the Family of God. This comes about through growing in awareness, cultivating encounters, and ensuring accompaniment.
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Awareness
Before a vocation can be realized, it has to be known as an option. The first stage of cultivating a culture of vocations is expanding your personal and community awareness of the beauty of religious life and how it fits within the ecosystem of the Church- the Family of God.
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Encounter
Once the community is more aware of the beauty of religious life, they need a meaningful encounter with religious women. These encounters foster renewal in the heart of the Church, far beyond simply cultivating vocations. The hearts of volunteers, priests, and families are all transformed through the presence of the brides of Christ.
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Accompaniment
We begin with the end in mind and a posture of hope. We are confident that the Lord is calling women to Himself in consecration, and we want to be ready to support them through loving accompaniment. We know that women will need loving support from the early stages of growing in prayer to discerning with a particular community.