Incredibly, this small weekly gathering that may have seemed an annoying hassle to those moms sometimes and insignificant to them at other times, bore perhaps the most astounding vocational fruit that has been seen in the history of the Church. From that generation came forth... wait for it... three hundred twenty-three vocations to the priesthood or religious life. In September 1946, there was a reunion of these classmates and village mates and this immortal photo was taken:
Photo Credit spiritualmotherhoodforpriests.blogspot.com
Back in January, I saw a CNN episode that our diocese posted on Facebook. It was about how the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan is defying all statistics and experiencing a vocations boom. I was curious about why and wanted to ask more questions than Lisa Ling did. After checking out their website (very excellent, with cool videos that they have produced), I noticed right away that they have a beautiful, young, consecrated single woman who serves the Director of Consecrated Vocations for their diocese. (Interesting!) I was still curious, so I decided to call the vocations director in Lansing and asked him what has been the key to their success.
His answer was something that the mothers of Lu figured out more than a hundred years ago. In order for vocations to thrive in a community, the parish and community must intentionally foster a culture of vocations and make it a normal life decision. Those mothers in Lu were a constant and weekly presence that was known and expected. The community was praying to God and truly expected God to answer them.
This vocations director also pointed out was that when discerning your vocation and highly considering priesthood or religious life became normal, it was more common for young men and women to try it and find out it was not for them. But he did not see this as a negative at all. In fact, when more of our young people enter seminary or formation for religious life, it is a sign that our young people are thinking more deeply about what it is that God is calling them to be. This culture leads to holier marriages, priests, deacons, and religious, because the young person's vocation is not something that is chosen by inertia or by default, but by choice. It reminds me of a great quote at the end of the movie The Trouble with Angels (which you should absolutely watch with your children--teenaged pranks notwithstanding): "She didn't yield, she chose. And I'd rather have one like her who chose than a hundred who yield."
It has been a very, very long time since All Saints has borne the fruit of a religious vocation. Yet we already are seeing the beginnings of new fruit as two of our parishioners have entered the aspirancy for the diaconate! Most definitely it will not be a "normal" thing for that first man or woman (young or not-so-young) to start a new tradition at All Saints. It will take greater courage than perhaps it will for those who take this step in the future.
So often we pray for vocations for the Church, but we don't pray intentionally for vocations in our parish or vocations in our families. Let us earnestly begin! Only then will we see God's hand clearly as He moves more and more of our parishoiners and children to listen to His call and equips them with all they need to fully answer Him.
