Discerning a Vocation: Big Questions of Young Adults

At the end of each conference we ask our young adult participants to answer to this question: "Which new questions did the conference raise for you?" Our participants have replied many times that they discovered how positive it was for them to ask the right questions in their discernment process and that being able to express what they needed was a step forward in their journey.

The Paschal Mystery: From Discernment to Action

During this Easter season, we have rejoiced in the risen Lord with the hearts of children—excited in the beauty of the moment. As we continue during this period between the Resurrection and Pentecost, our hearts begin to mimic the apostles, “Wait, Lord! Where are you going?

Stations of the Cross: Lent 2010

As we enter into the season of Lent, Catholics on Call is starting a new series of reflections. Every week we will post two short reflections on the stations of the cross based on those celebrated by Pope John Paul II on Good Friday 1991. They are presented as an alternative to the traditional stations and as a way of reflecting more deeply on the Scriptural accounts of Christ's passion. (You can follow the stations on the USCCB website.)

Finding the Ocean - A Guide for Spiritual Directon (by Sr. Marybeth Martin)

You may have heard the story about a little fish who swims up to the older and wiser fish and asks, “Where is the ocean?” The wise old fish says, "You are swimming in the ocean right now; it is part of you." the little fish responded, “No this is only the water. I want the ocean.” She shakes her head in frustration and swims away, saying, "Maybe someday I will find the ocean."

"Surrogates" and the Meaning of Suffering (by Jesse Martin)

About a month ago I went to see the movie Surrogates set in the not so distant future where people live their lives in the comfort of their own homes through remote-controlled robots called surrogates. Because people are safe at all times, and damage done to a surrogate is not felt by its owner, it is a peaceful world free from fear, pain, and crime.

A Quest for Vocation (by Tim Pisacich)

Tim is a CoC alumnus from June 2009 and graduated from Providence College, RI in 2007. He served for one year as a Jesuit Volunteer in Bridgeport, CT and is currently teaching at an inner-city High School.

US House of Representatives Honors Historic Contributions of Catholic Women Religious

Caritas in Veritate - The Pope Speaks Out on Social Justice

The young adult Catholics whom we meet through CTU’s Catholics on Call program are inspired by the church’s teaching on social justice. Even those who struggle with various aspects of church teaching find Catholic doctrine about peace, human rights and economic justice to be very relevant to their lives of faith. Pope Benedict XVI has authored another chapter in this rich tradition through his encyclical Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth), published in July.

Tips on Discernment

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4: 9-10)

We asked some of our partners and CoC alums what was helpful for them to respond to God’s love and calling in their lives. We’d like to start with four principles that Robin put together for a talk he gave on this year’s Days of Reflection.

Catholics on Call Summer Conferences: Reflections of a Mentor

If you are ever concerned about the future of the Catholic Church or even the world, just spend some time with the young adults that have attended the summer sessions of Catholics on Call (CoC). I have had the honor and privilege of being a “mentor” at both CoC sessions in summer 2007. The young people that have attended these two weeks have been such an uplifting inspiration for me!