CalendarofeventS

THE BEST WAY TO KNOW whether religious life is right for you is to meet men and women in vowed life. There are hundreds of ways to do that: Attend a lecture where a sister, brother, priest is speaking, spend time with a community on a discernment weekend or volunteer activity, or make a retreat hosted by areligiousorder.Tofindupcominglocalornational events, make a habit of checking the VISION Calendar at VocationNetwork.org/opportunities. Below is a samplingofwhatyouwillfind:

DISCERNMENT

Year of Consecrated Life

Event Dates Began Nov. 29, 2014 Closing Prayer Vigil: Feb. 1, 2016 Closing Mass with Pope Francis: Feb. 2, 2016, World Day for Consecrated Life Location Rome Description A year-long celebration of the unique lives and witness of those in consecrated life, which includes renewal for men and women in consecrated life, thanksgiving among the faithful for the service of religious sisters, brothers, priests, nuns, and others in consecrated life, and invitation to young Catholics to consider a religious vocation.

Today’s Catholic Sisters: Who they are. Why we need them. Event Dates

Sept. 12, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX Sept. 20, Dominican University, River Forest, IL Oct. 10, Immaculata University, Immaculata, PA Jan. 23, 2016, Mount St. Mary’s University, LA, CA Description These day-long seminars sponsored by NRVC feature the authors (Dr. Mary Gautier, and Sisters Mary Johnson, S.N.D.deN., and Patricia Wittberg, S.C.) of the acclaimed book New Generations of Catholic Sisters: The Challenge of Diversity. Free and open to the public.

National Vocation Awareness Week

Event Dates Nov. 1-7 Description A week-long celebration of the Catholic Church in the United States dedicated to promote vocations to ordained ministry and consecrated life through prayer and education, and to renew our prayers and support for those who are considering one of these particular vocations.

Holy Year of Mercy

Dates Dec. 8, 2015 until Nov. 20, 2016 Description Pope Francis proclaimed this Holy Year of Mercy to highlight the Catholic Church’s “mission to be a witness of mercy.” The biblical theme of the year will be “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” The yearlong extraordinary jubilee will include several individual jubilee days, such as for the Roman Curia, catechists, teenagers, and prisoners.

Vocations weekend for young women

Sponsors Faithful Companions of Jesus, UK Event Dates Jan. 29-31, 2016 Location FCJ House St. Hughs, Wavertree, Liverpool, Mersey, United Kingdom Description A retreat opportunity with time for prayer, reflection,input.Theretreatwillprovidespaceandtimeto meet with other young women who are discerning religious life. Contact: Sr. Lynne, FCJ at lynnefcj@hotmail.com.

Come and See Vocation Discernment Weekend

Sponsors Sisters of Bon Secours Event Dates Oct. 16-18 Location 11525 Marriottsville Rd., Marriottsville, MD, 21104, US Description Join us for a weekend when single Catholic women come together to learn more about religious life from the women who live it! Meet and talk with Sisters of Bon Secours in a relaxed environment. You’ll be surprised at how much you will get to know about religious life and how much you will enjoy being with the sisters. Meet others exploring too. There is time for prayer, liturgy, group sharing, and relaxation. We begin Friday at 6 p.m. and end Sunday at 1 p.m.

World Day for Consecrated Life

Event Dates Feb. 2, 2016 (celebrated in parishes Feb. 6-7) Description This day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. This feast is also known as Candlemas Day, the day on which candles are blessed symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflectthelightofJesusChristtoallpeoples.

World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Event Dates April 17, 2016, Fourth Sunday of Easter Description Also known as “Good Shepherd Sunday,” the

purposeofthisdayistopublicallyfulfilltheLord’sinstruction to, “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest” and pray that young men and women hear and respond generously to the Lord’s call to the priesthood, diaconate, religious life, societies of apostolic life, or secular institutes.

World Youth Day 2016

Event Dates July 25-31, 2016 Location Kraków, Poland Description World Youth Day is a worldwide encounter withthepope,celebratedeverythreeyearsinadifferent country. WYD is open to all young people who want to take part in a festive encounter with their contemporaries centered on Jesus Christ. This event is an opportunity to share with the whole world the hope of many young people who want to commit themselves to Christ and others.

SERVICE

Service with immigrants, children and elderly

Sponsors Ursuline Sisters - Roman Union Event Dates July 8-15 Location Ursuline Sisters, 136 Palencia Avenue, Laredo, TX, 78046-8525, US Description Women aged 18-30 are invited to join Ursuline Sisters for a week of service, community, prayer, and fun. Provide art activities for children and crafts and music for elderly at the diocesan-sponsored Senior Center. Some activities will be intergenerational. There will also be opportunity to learn about immigration and border issues. No cost except your transportation to New Orleans. Financial help is available.

Fr. John Converset Fr. Ruffino Ezama Fr. Chris Aleti Fr. Jose Pimentel St. Lucy Church 1318 Nagel Road. 1615 E. 31st St. 4705 S. Main St. 118 7th Ave Cincinnati, OH 45255 LaGrange Park, IL 60526 LA, CA 90037 Newark, NJ 07104 (513) 474-4997 (708) 354-1999 (323) 234-5984 (973) 744-8080 vocation@ amadriga67@gmail.com joalpigu@msn.com j44converset@gmail.com combonimissionaries.org

ONLINE EVENTS

Summer Online Discernment Retreat - Daughters of Charity

Sponsors Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul Event Dates July 26-30 Description Attend this retreat from where you are via Skype, email, or phone. This vocation discernment retreat is for women ages 18-40.

RETREATS

Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration

Sponsors Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration Event Dates First Monday of every month, now through February 2016, 4 to 6 p.m Location 701 Franciscan Way, La Crosse, WI, 54601, US Description Join us in our most sacred tradition, perpetual adoration. You’ll be ushered to our Adoration Chapel where you can pray for a few minutes or the full two hours. It is our hope that in this chapel you allow yourself to be overwhelmed by God’s sustaining love. Contact: communications@ fspa.org.

FOR MORE EVENTS AND THE LATEST POSTS, GO TO VOCATIONNETWORK. ORG/OPPORTUNITIES