Vocations

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 five Knights of Columbus vocations films onto one digital video disk. Featured are The Vocation to the Priesthood, The Vocation to the Religious Life for Men, The Vocation to the Religious Life for Women, The Vocation to Marriage and the recently 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.

 

Knights of Columbus Vocations Schoalarship Endowment Funds

Fund	Cumulative Donations
Bishop Thomas V. Daily Vocations Scholarship Fund	$991,250
Count Enrico P. Galeazzi Fund for North American College in Rome	$3,845,216
Father McGivney Fund for Advanced Studies for Priests in Puerto Rico	$31,860
Father Michael J. McGivney Fund for Advanced Studies by Priests from the Philippines	$507,023
Father Michael J. McGivney Fund for Advanced Studies for Priests in Canada (Pontifical Canadian College in Rome)	$833,214
Father Michael J. McGivney Vocations Scholarship Fund	$4,181,702
Father Michael J. McGivney Vocations Scholarship Fund (Canada)	$614,250
Knights of Columbus Vocations Fund (Canada) Refund Support Vocations Program (RSVP)	$568,758
Knights of Columbus Vocations Fund (RSVP)	$9,877,420
Our Lady of Guadalupe Fund - Advanced Studies for Priests in Mexico (Pontifical Mexican College in Rome)	$748,703
Total Vocation Endowment Funds	$22,199,276

Vocations Materials – Order Form

The Supreme Council provides a variety of printed materials to help councils work with their pastors and chaplains to promote vocations in their parishes. These materials are listed on the Order Form (#4343), which can be opened at this link, printed out, filled in and submitted to the Supply Department.

Councils are especially encouraged to conduct a vocations awareness event on or near the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, observed each year on the Fourth Sunday of Easter. We recommend that all councils order the Vocations Poster (#2959), shown below. This poster should be placed in a prominent spot in your church to spread the message of the need for vocations. Ideally, after all Masses celebrated on the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, your council would distribute the Vocations Prayer Card(#1874) and the booklet on Father McGivney, A Model for Our Times (#5044). Councils may also set up a laptop to play the inspirational DVD “Everyone Has a Vocation to Love — What’s Yours?”(#50046). This DVD may be screened continuously during the vocations awareness event.

In addition, invite a local seminarian or religious postulant to speak about their own vocation. Work with your pastor on planning this talk, or simply have the seminarian or religious stand by your table to meet parishioners and answer questions.

Vocations Poster

The 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 church or even to hand out copies to parishioners. Copies of the poster are available through the Knights of Columbus Supply Department.

Keeping the Faith Alive

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