*The following is presented by the Detroit Oakland Serra Club, an organization of lay men and women whose mission is to “promote and foster vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life.”  

In support of cultivating a culture of vocations for the individual, the family, and the Parish, our Serra Vocations Ministry promotes and highly suggests the following programs.

Altar Server Awards

Recognizing the young men and women who serve at Mass has become a popular activity within dioceses around America. There are several avenues for doing so.

Called By Name

This is a program designed to facilitate input from parishioners regarding potential candidates for the priesthood, diaconate, and religious life.  Among its main components are a stress, within Sunday homilies, on the need for vocations — and parishioner response cards.

Traveling Chalice/Crucifix in Parishes or Traveling Crucifix in Schools

With the constant visual reminder of a prominently placed chalice or crucifix they’ve taken home from church after Sunday Mass, a family (or individual) prays for vocations during a week-long period of time while also writing down their experiences in prayer. In schools, a beautiful crucifix is selected to travel to different classrooms, with students committing to host the crucifix for one week and to pray daily for vocations.

Vocation Prayer Calendar

After signing up, a member picks any date of the month — from 1 to 31 — that suits them; then, they commit to go to Mass or a Holy Hour on that day each month over the following year … and to devote that Mass or prayer to an increase in vocations and for priests and religious already serving the Church.

Holy Hours

The USCCB encourages Catholics to engage in a Holy Hour with the intention of an increase in vocations to their respective dioceses and around the world.

Annual Vocation Events

Several times each year, the faithful are afforded by the Church the chance to celebrate vocations.

Serra Vocation Videos

Selected videos are accompanied by a brief description and a notation of length.  They are arranged for men or women in groups for appropriate ages.

Group Visits to Seminary

Trips to seminaries, novitiates, and formation houses can provide great opportunities to young people vis-à-vis to the overall vocations experience.  They’re also relatively easy to organize.

High School Graduation Mass with The Knights of Columbus

In cooperation with The Knights of Columbus, a Sunday Mass of Commemoration is held at parishes to recognize all graduating students from both parochial and public high schools. This highlights the individual’s acceptance and participation in all parish activities including vocations.

Adopt a Seminarian

As parish-level efforts, Adopt a Seminarian programs are a grassroots means for the faithful to encourage, pray for, and provide for the material needs of priests in training. The programs are a great way for families to get involved in supporting seminarians.

Click here for other resources to help support vocations.