Vocation

From the Latin vocatio/vacare, meaning “to call,” “summons.” This is an occupation to which a person is especially drawn or for which they’re suited, trained, or qualified. In modern times, it’s used in non-religious contexts; the meaning(s) of the word came out of Christianity.

There was a period where “vocation” almost exclusively referred to the clergy or the cloistered religious. The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), specifically the document Lumen Gentium, re-emphasized that every baptized person has a primary vocation: to become a saint. This was a spiritual game changer!

The idea of vocation is central to the Christian belief that God has made each person with gifts & talents towards a specific purpose & way of life. More specifically, in the Eastern Orthodox & Catholic Churches, this idea of vocation is especially associated with a divine call to service to the Church & humanity through particular vocational life commitments such as marriage to a particular person, consecration as a religious dedication, ordination to priestly ministry (in the Church, of course) & even a holy life as a single person.

The Church generally categorizes “secondary” vocations into 4 distinct states. Each is seen as a way of giving oneself away:

• The Priesthood:
  • This is a sacramental vocation. In the United States cultural context, there has been a massive historical shift. In the mid-20th century, “Irish-Catholic” culture often viewed having a son in the priesthood as the ultimate family honor.
• Consecrated Life:
  • This includes monks, nuns, brothers, & sisters. They live according to the Evangelical Councils:
    • Poverty: Owning nothing individually.
    • Chastity: Celibacy for the sake of the “Kingdom of Heaven.”
    • Obedience: Following the will of their superior.
• Married Life:
  • In Catholicism, marriage is a sacrament. The “call” here is for the sanctification of the spouse & the procreation/education of the kids. This was often seen as a “secondary” vocation to the priesthood. But modern theology (especially the “Theology of the Body” by Pope John Paul II) frames marriage as a primary icon of God’s love for the Church.
• The Committed Single Life:
  • While not a “canonical” state in the same way as the others, the Church increasingly recognizes those who remain single to serve others, the Church, or their professions with a level of flexibility & dedication that married people cannot maintain.

The American Catholic experience of vocation is unique. In the late 19th & early 20th century, Catholic vocations helped build the American infrastructure of healthcare & education. The Sisters of Mercy & Daughters of Charity built more hospitals & schools in the United States than almost any other group.

The Sisters of Mercy founded a hospital (St. Rita’s/Mercy Health) in our founder’s hometown. This particular hospital was built in 1918 to combat the Spanish flu pandemic.

One-Time Monthly Yearly

Make a one-time donation

Make a monthly donation

Make a yearly donation

Choose an amount

$1.00 $5.00 $10.00 $1.00 $5.00 $10.00 $5.00 $10.00 $15.00

Or enter a custom amount

$

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly #1918 #CatholicChurch #Catholicism #Celibacy #Chastity #Christian #Christianity #Consecration #DaughtersOfCharity #Early20thCentury #EasternOrthodox #EvangelicalCouncils #HolyOrders #Hospitals #IrishCatholic #KingdomOfHeaven #Late19thCentury #Latin #LumenGentium #Marriage #MercyHealth #Mid20thCentury #Nuns #Obedience #PopeJohnPaulII #Poverty #Priest #Procreation #Sacraments #Saint #SecondVaticanCouncil #SistersOfMercy #SpanishFlu #StRitaS #TheologyOfTheBOdy #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Vocare #Vocatio #Vocation

David Burliuk
Live Lobsters at Joe's
1961
---
#DavidBurliuk #modernart #mid20thcentury #art #painting

🟡 Use Air Mail Give Wings To Your Letters 1950s Poster Art⁣
⁣
#AirMail, #American, #Communication, #correspondence, #Letters, #Mid20thCentury, #PostOffice, #PostalService, #SnailMail⁣
⁣
Vintage ◦ Classic ◦ Historical | Art ◦ Design ◦ Inspiration | Restored ◦ Enhanced ◦ Remixed⁣
⁣
Prints, T-Shirts, Stickers, & More by @rocketshipretro via RedBubble → https://bigplanetprints.com/go/7z6zMf

🟡 Five Flying Seagulls Against Blue Sky⁣
⁣
#birds, #BlueSky, #Mid20thCentury, #Ocean, #Sea, #Seagulls⁣
⁣
Vintage ◦ Classic ◦ Historical | Art ◦ Design ◦ Inspiration | Restored ◦ Enhanced ◦ Remixed⁣
⁣
Prints, T-Shirts, Stickers, & More by @rocketshipretro via RedBubble → https://bigplanetprints.com/go/dSCsOd

🟡 Head of the Buddha 1943 Reijer Stolk⁣
⁣
#Awakened, #Buddha, #Buddhism, #Dutch, #Enlightened, #Enlightenment, #Mid20thCentury, #ReijerStolk⁣
⁣
Vintage ◦ Classic ◦ Historical | Art ◦ Design ◦ Inspiration | Restored ◦ Enhanced ◦ Remixed⁣
⁣
Prints, T-Shirts, Stickers, & More by @rocketshipretro via RedBubble → https://bigplanetprints.com/go/xbbGuK

🟡 Sun Shining Moon Stars Night Sky 1950 Dirk van Gelder⁣
⁣
#DirkvanGelder, #Galaxy, #Mid20thCentury, #Moon, #Night, #Space, #Stars, #Sun⁣
⁣
Vintage ◦ Classic ◦ Historical | Art ◦ Design ◦ Inspiration | Restored ◦ Enhanced ◦ Remixed⁣
⁣
Prints, T-Shirts, Stickers, & More by @rocketshipretro via RedBubble → https://bigplanetprints.com/go/6v7iNR

🟡 Harlem Street Dance New York City by Elizabeth Olds 1935-1943⁣
⁣
#AfricanAmerican, #BlackAmerica, #Dance, #ElizabethOlds, #Mid20thCentury, #NewYork, #NYC⁣
⁣
Vintage ◦ Classic ◦ Historical | Art ◦ Design ◦ Inspiration | Restored ◦ Enhanced ◦ Remixed⁣
⁣
Prints, T-Shirts, Stickers, & More by @rocketshipretro via RedBubble → https://bigplanetprints.com/go/89zetV

🟡 Small Town Harlem 1945, New York City, Saul Kovner⁣
⁣
#City, #Harlem, #Mid20thCentury, #NewYorkCity, #NYC, #SaulKovner, #SmallTownHarlem1945⁣
⁣
Vintage ◦ Classic ◦ Historical | Art ◦ Design ◦ Inspiration | Restored ◦ Enhanced ◦ Remixed⁣
⁣
Prints, T-Shirts, Stickers, & More by @rocketshipretro via RedBubble → https://bigplanetprints.com/go/bpYdvb

🟡 Sleepy Time Down South, Bluesman & Guitar 1941 by Saul Kovner⁣
⁣
#AfricanAmerican, #AmericanSouth, #BlackAmerica, #Blues, #Mid20thCentury, #Musician, #SaulKovner⁣
⁣
Vintage ◦ Classic ◦ Historical | Art ◦ Design ◦ Inspiration | Restored ◦ Enhanced ◦ Remixed⁣
⁣
Prints, T-Shirts, Stickers, & More by @rocketshipretro via RedBubble → https://bigplanetprints.com/go/Icvtwq

🟡 Inland Puerto Rico 1935 by Albert Potter⁣
⁣
#AlbertPotter, #Islands, #Mid20thCentury, #PuertoRico, #Village⁣
⁣
Vintage ◦ Classic ◦ Historical | Art ◦ Design ◦ Inspiration | Restored ◦ Enhanced ◦ Remixed⁣
⁣
Prints, T-Shirts, Stickers, & More by @rocketshipretro via RedBubble → https://bigplanetprints.com/go/79SGU0