Threshold Winter 2011

Vocation Ministry a Challenge and a Privilege



Sisters Suzanne Fitzmaurice (right) and Barbara Smith (left) are engaged in vocation ministry at Mount St. Scholastica. S. Suzanne has been vocation director for the past three years; S. Barbara is newly appointed this fall. They will work together helping women discern where God is calling them and creating a culture of vocation through their presence, their actions, their invitations to visit and their prayers.
“We try to make religious life an option and explain what commitment means,” S. Suzanne said. “Many young women are seeking God in their life and want to know how they can best serve.”

However, vocation ministry today is quite different from what it was in the past when there were many sisters teaching in the grade and high schools. Girls used to enter after high school or several years of college.

“Today there is a great diversity of ages among interested women,” S. Suzanne said. “This changes the kind of discernment and ministry we do. Technology has also changed the way women explore religious orders. On the Internet they can pull up 500 different congregations in 15 minutes, whereas in the past they knew only a few in their area. Through vocationmatch. com they can answer a questionnaire and be connected to the type of community they are interested in. We get about 50 hits a month, but many are not viable.”

The two sisters engage in a variety of activities to reach out to young women such as college fairs, young adult liturgies, vocation days, workshops, retreats, tours of our monastery, service projects and individual encounters. They also keep in touch with contacts through e-mail, cell phones, and texting.

“We find young women are committed to their faith and trying to live it out as best they can in today’s world,” said S. Suzanne.

They have some suggestions for fostering vocations. “Parents can encourage their children to consider a religious vocation and give them opportunities to meet sisters,” S. Suzanne said. When they talk to them about future careers, they can include becoming a religious.”

In spite of the challenges, they find it a rewarding ministry. “I love helping people see where God is calling them,” S. Suzanne said. “It is a privilege to be part of their journey and a daily reminder of why I became a sister, what’s good about my life, and why I love my community.”