Building a culture of vocations in the Davenport Diocese

By Lindsay Steele
The Catholic Messenger

IOWA CITY —  Addressing a nationwide decrease in vocations to priesthood and religious life requires more than just one person or one solution. It requires Catholic communities to collectively build a culture of vocations where men and women can hear — and answer — God’s call with confidence. “Everyone has a role to play, even if it’s just praying,” said Father Andrew Rauen­buehler, director of vocations for the Diocese of Davenport.

After Rhonda Gruenewald, founder of the nonprofit Vocation Ministry, spoke to clergy in November about building a culture of vocations throughout the diocese, Bishop Dennis Walsh encouraged them to send parish and school representatives to a Jan. 24 vocation ministry workshop at St. Patrick Parish in Iowa City. More than 100 people attended the workshop, which included Mass, training, eucharistic adoration, and updates from the diocesan vocations office.

All hands on deck

Bob McMorrow of Vocation Ministry, the January workshop’s main presenter, offered several areas of focus for parishes and schools looking to build a culture of vocations:

• Host a holy hour for vocations.
• Develop parish/school level committees focused on the work of promoting vocation awareness. A broad invitation, followed by individual invitations, should help parish and school leaders bring together a solid team, McMorrow said.
• Affirm clergy and religious. “Not everyone is excited about sending their young people in that direction,” especially parents who desire grandchildren or worry that their children will be lonely and unhappy, McMorrow said. Affirmation boosts morale while helping youths and parents see these vocations as a gift.
• Plan events that bring community members and clergy/religious together. The diocese recently developed a database of clergy and religious with ties to local communities. “That connection that a person has to your parish is an opportunity for you to have a role model for someone discerning a vocation,” said Father Dale Mallory, a member of the diocesan vocations team.

McMorrow urges vocation committees to start small, persevere through challenges and understand that an approach that was successful in one community might not work for everyone.

Good signs

Father Rauenbuehler said the diocese has undertaken several initiatives to walk with men and women at various stages of discernment. A recent pilgrimage to LaCrosse, Wisconsin, brought together seminarians and young men discerning a call to the priesthood. Father Rauenbuehler believes it’s helpful for men discerning priesthood to know they’re not alone and that they’re “not a lone wolf or weird for thinking about priesthood.”

The diocese also hosts discernment groups. A men’s group meets monthly, offering participants the opportunity to ask questions and build relationships with others who are discerning a vocation. Women who might not otherwise have contact with religious sisters are invited to discernment nights. An event held in the fall drew 35 people, and another is planned for this spring.

Additionally, the diocesan Office of Vocations has handed out discerner’s prayer books at the high school level. “I think the first step of fostering vocations is facilitating (a culture of vocations) and teaching young people how to pray,” Father Rauenbuehler said.

These initiatives seem to be bearing fruit. The number of diocesan seminarians rose from 5 to 9 this year. “It’s a good sign among many,” Father Rauenbuehler told the gathering. “We are in contact with 26 men at various ages who have expressed interest in pursuing the priesthood or who want to learn more.”

A message from the bishop

As the workshop wrapped up, Bishop Walsh reminded participants that there is no silver bullet when it comes to fostering vocations in the Diocese of Davenport. “Life is complicated, and complex problems have complex solutions” that require vibrant, prayerful parishes and families working toward a common goal. “The fruit of a culture of Catholicism is vocations,” he said.

Called by Name

A study by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) of ordinands in 2019 found that four people on average encouraged a man to consider the priesthood. On Called by Name Sunday, March 1, clergy will talk about vocation discernment and ask parishioners to observe and pray about who in their parish community might have a calling from God to be a priest or sister. Parishioners can write that man or woman’s name on a form to be turned in by March 20. The diocesan Office of Vocations will reach out to him or her with an invitation to an upcoming discernment event. “What happens next is all in God’s time,” presenter Bob McMorrow said during the recent vocation ministry workshop in Iowa City. “We also hope that our families will embrace the possibility that their loved one may have a religious vocation.”