“Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee.” 

These words, taken from Saint Augustine’s famous Confessions, are foundational to truly understanding the meaning of life and vocation.

Every human being, whether he acknowledges it or not, burns with a desire for something more; something that is more than he could hope for from this world. This burning desire is to be with the Triune God. The road toward that union with God is called vocation.

What then is our vocation? In the broadest sense, all people share the same vocation. Lumen Gentium makes it clear that all people are called to holiness. It says,

“Thus it is evident to everyone, that all the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity; by this holiness as such a more human manner of living is promoted in this earthly society. In order that the faithful may reach this perfection, they must use their strength accordingly as they have received it, as a gift from Christ. They must follow in His footsteps and conform themselves to His image seeking the will of the Father in all things. They must devote themselves with all their being to the glory of God and the service of their neighbor. In this way, the holiness of the People of God will grow into an abundant harvest of good, as is admirably shown by the life of so many saints in Church history.”(LG 40) 

So we can see then that our vocation in the broadest sense is a perfection of charity and an absolute holiness. But as individuals we are each called to this holiness and this perfection of charity in a unique and special path. These individual paths to perfect charity and holiness are the particular vocations that each of us are called to discern and live throughout our lives. Whether married life, single life, religious life, or priesthood; down whatever path Christ might be calling you, it is my hope that this office will help you to discern it and then to walk it.