vocation and mission: the aim of discipleship (building a better disciple part five)
DESCRIPTION
Faith that is not put into practice is sterile. Connecting the themes of the previous webinars we will explore how the faithful participate in the Church’s mission in the world through their particular gifts and calling. This is the fifth in a five-part webinar series on Christian discipleship.TRANSCRIPT
Jonathan F. Sullivan
Director of
Catechetical Services,
Diocese of Springfield
in Illinois
Originally from
Kansas City
Married, 6 (+1)
children
www.JonathanFSullivan.co
m
A few reminders…
This series will not
just be
“information
delivery”
More personal,
reflective
Opportunities to
respond – so
please participate!
Overview
10/13: Jesus
10/20: Scripture & Tradition
10/27: Christian Community
11/3: Liturgy & Prayer
11/10: Vocation & Mission
VOCATION
Vocation
Vocare – to call
Three types of vocation
Common Christian vocation
State-in-Life
Personal Vocation
Common Christian Vocation
Holiness!
Vatican II: Universal
Call to Holiness
State-in-Life
Clergy
Bishops
Priests
Deacons
“Principally and
expressly ordained to
the sacred ministry”
State-in-Life
Consecrated
Religious
Monastic
Mendicant
“Give outstanding and
striking testimony that
the world cannot be
transfigured and
offered to God without
the spirit of the
Beatitudes”
State-in-Life
Laity
Marriage
Single Life?
“It belongs to the laity
to seek the kingdom of
God by engaging in
temporal affairs and
directing them
according to God’s
will.”
Personal Vocation
“Unique combination of commitments, relationships, obligations, opportunities, strengths, and weaknesses that a particular individual who is trying to know, accept, and do God’s will uses as the material of his or her life living out the common Christian vocation and a state in life.”- Russell Shaw, Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church
Question:
If asked, how
would you
describe your
personal
vocation?
Charisms
Gifts of the Holy
Spirit
Differ from natural
talents and
strengths
Given to build up the
Kingdom
Many different types
of charisms
Discernment
Process by which we discern
God’s will
Clues:Pull of the heart
Affirmation of others/the community
Observable results
Congruence with Church teaching
MISSION
Evangelization
“[The Church] exists
in order to
evangelize.” – Pope
Paul VI
Community Context
Witness and Proclamation
“[E]ven the finest witness will prove ineffective in the long run if it is not explained, justified - what Peter called always having "your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you all have" - and made explicit by a clear and unequivocal proclamation of the Lord Jesus. The Good News proclaimed by the witness of life sooner or later has to be proclaimed by the word of life. There is no true evangelization if the name, the teaching, the life, the promises, the kingdom and the mystery of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God are not proclaimed.
- Pope Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi no. 22
Witness
Photo by Jesslee
Cuizon under a CC-BY
license.
Proclamation
Photo by spDuchamp
under a CC-BY license.
Works of Mercy
1. To feed the hungry
2. To give drink to the
thirsty
3. To clothe the naked
4. To shelter the
homeless
5. To visit the sick
6. To visit the
imprisoned
7. To bury the dead
1. To instruct the ignorant
2. To counsel the doubtful
3. To admonish sinners
4. To bear wrongs patiently
5. To forgive offences willingly
6. To comfort the afflicted
7. To pray for the living and the dead
Corporal Spiritual
Questions:
What aspect of
the Church’s
mission speaks to
you?
How have you
participated in
evangelization or
the Works of
Mercy?
Q&A
Video and slides available tomorrow at
bit.ly/BetterDisciple