When children are young, you can create an environment that fosters vocations by going to Mass frequently and seeking the sacraments, praying together as a family, actively participating in Church activities, sharing your faith journey, and reading stories about saints who made an impact in areas that speak to your children’s interests. For young men and women, there are summer discernment retreats offered by the Diocese of Charlotte and hosted at Belmont Abbey College: Quo Vadis Days for young men, and Duc in Altum and Talitha Koum for young women.
When young people begin to ask more complex questions about vocations, encourage them to find answers through websites like www.foryourvocation.org (and more here). Set up by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, it’s dedicated to the promotion of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life for both men and women. They are also on Facebook and YouTube. There are resources for parents and teachers, questions to ask yourself if you feel God is calling you, videos of vocation stories from priests and religious all over the U.S., and more. Find more resources at www.charlottediocese.org/vocations. Young people can also reach out directly to Father Brian Becker, the diocese’s vocations promoter, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..