religious sightings
2013CATHOLICRELIGIOUSVOCATIONDISCERNMENTGUIDE APublicationoftheNationalReligiousVocationConference
SponsorsofVocationMatchcomandEncuentroCatolicaorg
VocationNetwork.org
DigitalVocationGuide.org
Find your calling
at the crossroads
Read our stories inside and learn more
about religious life and church vocations
ABOUT OUR COVER: The happy faces that grace this year’s cover
are all people who wanted to make sure that we knew—and
you knew—how helpful VISION Vocation Guide and our Vocation
Match service has been to them as they discerned their
religious vocation. We found their stories inspiring. You will, too!
My name is Guerline
Joseph. I was born
in Haiti and moved to
New Jersey at the age
of 10. After a young
adult conference at Steubenville
University, I was reading through a
VISION magazine in my room, and
for some reason the ad for the Salesian
sisters attracted me. I was courageous
enough to send an email although I
was not expecting a response back.
I met more sisters after that and was
very fascinated by their joy and love
for Jesus through the young people.
Today I am still on this journey hoping
to fulfill my yearning and desire to love
and serve God and his children with all
my heart. So far, it has been great!
Sr. Colleen Clair,
F.M.A. is another
Salesian who finds
VISION very helpful in
her ministry. Read Sr.
Colleen’s vocation story at happynun.
wordpress.com/about
Jack Tierney: I used
the VOCATION MATCH
finder earlier this year
after encouragement
from my local priest.
The tool was tremendously helpful
as I was struggling with discernment
to religious life. After submitting my
answers, I received information from
a number of orders who were more
than happy to speak with me or even
to arrange a visit. I ended up going to
a weekend visit with the Midwestern
province of the Augustinians. I loved
the experience and am now full time
discerning the call to the Order of St.
Augustine. Your internet ministry is
extremely valuable!
I am Jacqueline
Mangus. I attended
Bishop Kelly
High School. I am
considering becoming
a tertiary (third order sister) or a nun;
maybe a Dominican.
I’m Kendall Ketterlin.
It has been more than
18 years since I first
experienced a call to
serving God as a priest
in the Catholic Church. I will be
entering formation with the Society of
the Missionaries of the Precious Blood,
Kansas Province, with an anticipated
date of priestly ordination in 2016/17.
Becoming a priest isn’t simply a matter
of the next career move, but an integral
realization of who I am and who God
is asking me to become. Yet this road is
not still without its challenges.
Ironically at this time, the most
significant hurdle in accepting this
life and commitment to poverty is the
remaining debt I have accrued through
student loans. I am very glad that the
National Religious Vocation Conference
[VISION’s parent organization] is
putting together more work on the debt
issue. Not only is this a major issue
for the church, but like so many other
things, this is a time that we can bring
some light to how much this problem
is affecting an entire generation.
Marita Capili found
her way to the Sisters
of Providence, Mother
Joseph Province,
through VISION
magazine, Jennifer Roseman, the
community’s communication director
tells us. Glad we could be of service!
Br. Josh Warshak,
O.SS. T.: With
VOCATIONMATCH.COM’S
help I have discerned a
call to the priesthood;
more specifically to the religious life. I
am now a novice for the Order of the
Most Holy Trinity founded by Saint
John De Matha in 1198. The order was
founded for the redemption of Christian
captives. Today our ministry continues
the redemptive work of our founder by
redeeming those held captive by social
differences, language barriers, and those
in poverty. We also work with and in
areas that are in danger of losing their
faith. I feel truly called to serve God as
a Trinitarian because of the redemptive
aspect of our charism. Everyone is held
captive by someone or something. I
wish to be a servant to anyone in need.
My name is Rachel
Worden and I am
seriously discerning
a vocation with the
Sisters of St. Francis of
Perpetual Adoration in Mishawaka,
IN. This order was one of the top
suggestions from VOCATION MATCH and
also one I had been looking into, so the
Match was a nice affirmation!
The Sisters of St. Francis of
Perpetual Adoration are the third order
10
I have visited. I absolutely fell in love
with this beautiful, orthodox, joyful,
vibrant order and recently attended a
“Come and See” retreat with them. I’m
looking forward to the fruits that this
blossoming relationship will continue
to bear in my life and in the lives of
those journeying with me through
discernment.
My name is Mary
Meleski. The internet
has helped me quite
a bit in discerning my
vocation. It was during
my time volunteering with Cabrini
Mission Corps, living and working with
the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus (Cabrini Sisters), that I
was finally ready to seriously discern
whether or not I am called to religious
life.
During my discernment
and application process, I used
VISION’s VOCATION MATCH to find
other communities that I might be
compatible with to visit. I did finish
applying and have since been accepted
and entered as a pre-novice. Though
I stayed with the MSCs, it was an
enlightening experience to spend time
in prayer and dialogue with the other
communities I was matched with!
Thank you, VISION!
My name is Mark
Martin. I am discerning
with the Capuchin
Franciscans. I started
thinking about a
religious vocation about a year ago,
and a friend of mine recommended
VOCATION MATCH. It put me in
contact with 52 different orders and
societies, educating me on the tons
of possibilities, and all these vocation
directors and articles helped me to
discern what God might be calling me
to do.
After getting a better idea of what
I might be looking for, I was able
to go back to my MATCH results and
apply my new understanding of what
I was looking for. I ended up going to
a “Come and See” with the Order of
Friars Minor, Capuchins in Denver,
Colorado. I felt a strong positive feeling
for that route and was able to discuss
with the vocation director what my
next step might be. That next step
has led me to the Borromeo College
Seminary in Wickliffe, Ohio. I continue
to discern God’s will for me.
Sr. Maria Victoria
Cutaia, O.S.B. is a
Benedictine Sister of
Perpetual Adoration in
Clyde, MO who used
VISION in her discernment. She is
featured on p. 150 of this issue.
Sr. Sandra N, O.S.B. is
entering the Benedictine
Sisters, St. Scholastica
Monastery, Fort
Smith, AK. According
to her vocation director, she used
VOCATION MATCH and visited two of
the communities with whom she was
matched. Each community helped her
discern where God was calling her.
Our young brother,
Br. Brian Poulin,
F.M.S., is happy to have
his face on a poster
[promoting VISION
and vocations]!,” says Marist Brothers
Vocation Director Br. Mike Sheerin.
VISION was instrumental in his
discernment.
Alison McCrary is a
candidate with the
Congregation of St.
Joseph. While in
formation, she is living
with Sisters of St. Joseph in New
Orleans and working in ministry as a
social justice lawyer. She is happy to
vouch for VISION and its usefulness as
a discernment tool.
Sr. Jeana Visel, O.S.B.
used VISION magazine
and the Vocation
Network to help her in
her discernment and
eventually find her community, the
Benedictine Sisters of Ferdinand, IN.
My name is Br. Adam
Dupré, S.D.B. I first
felt an inclination of a
calling to the priesthood
when I was in the sixth
grade. But I turned from it and filled
my life with sports and work. During
my senior year of high school my
maternal grandmother became sick
with cancer. One day while visiting her
in the hospital I witnessed her receiving
the sacrament of the Anointing of the
Sick. It was a moment that stopped
time. It moved me deeply. After that I
felt God’s call to me growing stronger
with every passing moment. In the fall
of 2006 I filled out a questionnaire on
VOCATIONMATCH.COM. I quickly received
many inquiries from different religious
orders. One stuck out in particular:
the Salesians of Don Bosco. Their
handwritten letter of invitation was
very moving and personal. I went for a
visit in December 2006 and entered in
August 2007. In August 2011 I made
my first religious profession!
Have a story you want to share? Email
it to VISION’s executive editor, Patrice
Tuohy, at mail@vocationguide.org.
VISION 2013
