Teaching A High School Class On Vocations

[Norseman82]

[quote name='Revprodeji' date='15 August 2009 - 08:01 PM' timestamp='1250380870' post='1950055']
(typing on my phone forgive spelling)

dear blessed ones on the discernment path...

i am a high school theology teacher. we are having a class that focuses on vocations and giving the students a push towards prayful discernment. i am a married laity seeking advice on any projects or activities you can recommend to help the class. thank you in advance for any help. i am blessed by the association on this phorum. i pray for all of you discerning Gods will.

jon
[/quote]

I would recommend starting by studying the sections of the Catechism dealing with marriage and "virginity for the sake of the kingdom" and the relationship between the two, and also the various parts of the Bible dealing with marriage and celibacy, specifically Genesis 2, Matthew 19 (the "eunuchs for the kingdom" speech), 1 Cor. 7, and 1 Timothy 5 (the "rules for widows" section). Then explore what are the different eligibity requirements for the sacraments of marriage, holy orders, and other forms of religious life.

[tinytherese]

[quote name='MissyP89' date='16 August 2009 - 08:26 PM' timestamp='1250468791' post='1950798']
Please, please, please, if you're talking about vocations, don't neglect marriage. So many people think it's a
"default" vocation that, when they get there, they don't know how to live it out for God. The world needs more <i>holy</i> marriages.


[/quote]

Yea, and I don't like it when people say, "I think you have a vocation" as in to the priesthood or religious life. It's like saying that marriage is not a vocation. You think that someone has a vocation? To me that just sounds silly because everybody has a vocation.

[melporcristo]

JMJT

Visit a Cloister! It's so amazing!!! I loved just sitting and talking with the sisters over the grail. It was such an impact on me.

And yes, getting those who are in the married life & who are solid in their faith, postulants, novices, seminarians, etc. works really well too!!

[Sister Rose Therese]

Yes, I would ask seminarians or sisters in formation, or just a young priest and/or sister to speak to the students.
There is also a new and pretty well done vocation video done by "Outside Da Box" It covers Priesthood, religious life, married life and single life. If is not so much informational as inspirational. [url="http://www.outsidedabox.com/vocare.php"]Vocare[/url]
There is also a group called [url="http://lifeworkpress.stores.yahoo.net/"]Lifeworks Press[/url] that has resources for vocation discernment.
It is so good to hear that you are really working to promote vocations among your students.
God bless you.

[Thomist-in-Training]

[quote name='melporcristo' date='20 August 2009 - 04:45 PM' timestamp='1250801135' post='1953347']
JMJT

Visit a Cloister! It's so amazing!!! I loved just sitting and talking with the sisters over the grail. It was such an impact on me.

And yes, getting those who are in the married life & who are solid in their faith, postulants, novices, seminarians, etc. works really well too!!
[/quote]

This is a really good idea. In most Catholic areas of the country, I feel like there must be a monastery in field-trip distance. I didn't know until last year, but often you can call and request a visit at the grille and make an appointment for a certain time, if you need information or advice. Perhaps you could make a field trip. The Sisters may take some time to get back to you, but they are probably friendly & eager to help with vocations. (If you do this, something that would be totally [i]non-necessary[/i], but good, would be to point out that students can bring food items like rice or herbal tea as gifts.)

[url="http://www.ocd.pcn.net/ocd/n2_usa.htm"]Monasteries of Discalced Carmelite Nuns[/url]

[url="http://www.religiouslife.com/w_pccfednmi.html"]Poor Clare Nuns of the Colettine Reform[/url]

[url="http://www.saintleoabbey.org/benedictinelinks.htm"]Some Benedictine men's and women's abbeys and monasteries[/url]