Father Allain Caparas and Sister Jessica Whitman gave a talk recently at Mater Ecclesiae for the Annual C.H.A.P.L.E.T. Catholic homeschool conference. The topic of their talk was “Nurturing vocations in the homeschool: What to do. What not to do.” As today is Vocation Sunday, I feel better about the delay in posting my notes as this is the perfect day for the subject!
I came in after sister had finished speaking and took these notes from Father’s talk.
He explained that vocations to religious orders vs. a diocese differ in their defining spiritualities. Comparing them to doctors, he related cleverly that orders are like specialists – working missions or involved in education, or working with the poor. In a diocese, the work is nitty-gritty. A religious there is more like a general practitioner.
Strongly stating that the parent can not push a vocation to religious life, Father went on to give a list of things a family can do to increase the faith of it’s members. These are qualities of homes that religious have come out of. These are qualities that make HAPPY and dedicated religious. So…to nurture a vocation a family needs to:
respect the faith and LIVE the faithbe generous with time and talents with the Churchmodel the value in giving, tithing for instanceteach discipline and sacrificegive chores and responsibilitiesfall in love with the Mass and prayteach children to be loving and praybe devoted to Our Blessed Mother (Father related that praying the Rosary everyday changed his life)foster a desire to learnbe loving to ALL, the popular and unpopularbe a part of the Churchteach good social skillsencourage listeningunderstand what Mother Theresa meant when she said that compassion and thoughtfulness are the beginning to great sanctity.enjoy the gift of youth, don’t wish childhood awayfor boys, teach them to be deferential to women…chivalrousengage in conversations about hopes and dreams but never badger or force religious life – God gives callings.doing God’s will is #1attend discernment group formationfind a mentor, spiritual directorpray for your children daily and be a role model of faithtrust in God!
Father also said that education wise, a priest usually needs a Master’s in Divinity. Some orders will take younger candidates without those degrees depending on the work of the order’s spirituality and same for sisters, it depends on their work.A Man for Others: Maximilian Kolbe the “Saint of Auschwitz” by Patricia Treece was mentioned as pivotal to him.
The CHAPLET conference (www.Chaplet.org) was, once again, a great experience that revitalized parents in the work of trying to raise children who will love and honor their Catholic faith. Many thanks to the organizers and inspiring speakers.
