How Counselors Should Cultivate Vocations to the Religious Life

Many are called but few are chosen has always been a phrase to identify the elite. Within Christianity and scripture this is also true. The vocation to become a minister or priest is a special calling and should be cultivated by Christian Counselors It does not entail superiority because many have other vocational callings in the Mystical Body of Christ. It does however answer in spiritual terms the highest calling Christ can give someone. St. Paul emphasizes this in his writings as well.  Rare and precious, vocational callings should be nurtured at a young age when signs begin to manifest. Potential vocations can be seen in children who possess extreme spiritual insight and above average interest and love of God. Also supernatural occurrences around the child can spell the potential for a vocation.
As Christian  Spiritual Counselors, sometimes one needs to help an adult rediscover his or her vocation. Over years, secularism and vice can corrupt a vocation but through faith and rediscovery a person can return to his vocation. This is a truly special moment for a Christian counselor who can help re-foster a lost vocation.
If you are working with a person in discernment of vocation, you should encourage prayer, scripture and retreats. It is also good to send a person to visit a religious community or seminary and see if the person likes it.

A vocation is a special thing that should not be taken lightly. Whether it is a minister, priest, nun or religious, all vocations are gifts to this world from God. As a Spiritual Director, one should take this very seriously when counseling potential vocations.
If you would like to become trained as a Christian Counselor, then please review the program.

By Mark Moran, MA