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VOCATION WORK IN THE LIFE OF THE SOCIETY OF DIVINE VOCATIONS
They encourage others to do likewise relying not only on themselves and others, but principally on the grace of God. In carrying out this task, the Vocationist will administer to need of vocations within the Church. This is done not only as promoters of ordained ministerial priestly and religious life, but also as a religious people of God who encourage others to have faith and grow in holiness. This is at the heart of universal sanctification emphasized in the spirituality of every Vocationist. Our life not only as Vocationists, but also as a People of God baptized in the Christian faith are to love God above all else, and our neighbor as ourselves. In this way we tend to our sanctification as a people of faith.
The Vocationists also emphasize the significance of holiness universally. Holiness is not meant for a chosen few, but God yearns that every person live a holy life, established on doing his will by tending their personal sanctification. In this duty of our Apostolate, we strive to live a life of holiness ourselves calling on those we meet to do the same not only with our words but by our example as disciples of Jesus Christ. Carrying out this duty, the Vocationist realizes his goal is not only to be an apostle of vocations, but also a worker in the apostolate of universal sanctification.
The Society of Divine Vocations also operate schools, where young people are formed spiritually, morally, academically, and socially. In the missions we assist the local Church seeking to foster vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. The Society of Divine Vocations over the years increased not only in members, but in the locations of service. Presently, we serve the people of God presently in Italy, Brazil, Argentina, the United States, France, Philippines, Nigeria, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Columbia, and Ecuador.
“Divine Jesus, Son of the eternal Father and Mary Immaculate, grant many of the faithful true generosity in following your call, and bestow on them the grace of your Holy Spirit to persevere in overcoming all obstacles to their vocations. In this time of need, give the Church in this (arch) diocese and throughout the world many holy priests and fervent religious. Multiply the ministries by which we may serve one another in faith and love” (Devotional p. 208). |
A vocation is a universal call from God to
every person to live a life of holiness, which means to be dedicated
to God’s service as Christian believers. Fr. Justin Russolillo knew
the immense importance of this during his lifetime. This is why on
September 20, 1913, when he was ordained to the priesthood, he vowed
to the Lord to found a religious congregation committed to
identifying and fostering vocations. His vow to the Lord was
fulfilled on October 18, 1920, which marks the birth of the
congregation he founded: the Society of Divine Vocations. The
Society of Divine Vocations presently are in twelve countries of the
world. The members of the congregation realize it is an essential
aspect of their charism to work for vocations within the Church,
because this gives meaning to the reason Vocationists exist.
Vocations are the business of every Vocationist priest, brother,
and sister in the religious congregation of the Society of Divine
Vocations. God chose Venerable Justin M. Russolillo, the founder of
our congregation to be an apostle of vocations. This task was given
to him by God, which is now and forever the responsibility of every
Vocationist to be carried out in their apostolate.
The apostolate of Vocationists include ministry
to God’s people in parishes, schools, and missions, but especially
in the Vocationary. A vocationary according to the interpretation
of the religious congregation, is a house of formation, and also a
place where men come to discern their vocation from God with the
assistance from Vocationists. In carrying out this duty,
Vocationists are promoters and educators of vocations not only among
the youth of society, but among adult men and women as well,
especially those who are poor in the world. In vocation work, all
Vocationists are aware of their duty to pray, remembering while
doing so, “to ask the harvest master, to send out more laborers for
his harvest” (Mt. 9:38). The harvest master is our Lord and this
Scripture passage makes it clear that God calls every person to a
vocation in life. He calls some to a vocation as diocesan priests or
religious priests. He calls others to a vocation as religious
sisters or religious brothers. He also calls others to a vocation of
sharing their love as a husband and wife forever. In doing so they
are to pass on the Christian faith as loving parents to their
children. There are also others he calls to a vocation of remaining
as single men and single women in society, but he calls every human
being on earth to live a life of faith and holiness. 
The Vocationists, as a people of faith,
encourage others to have faith in God also, and in doing so we
express our missionary nature of implementing in our lives what our
Lord told his disciples; “Go and make disciples of all nations
baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Teaching them to observe all I commanded of you” (Mt. 28:19-20). We
the Vocationists do this by being faithful to God stressing the
following components of our Spirituality - the Holy Church, the Holy
Family and the Holy Trinity. As is noted in the book A Life for
Vocations, “the whole of our life should be a relationship of love
with God and neighbor. This relationship of love is built up in the
Militant Church, the Suffering Church and the Triumphant Church on
the model of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph so that it
can be fully lived out with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit” (A Life
for Vocations, pgs. 40-41). The essence of our spirituality is
Trinitarian and has its focus on Divine Union with God. 
We as Vocationists are promoters of vocations
to the priesthood and religious life, not only for ourselves, but
the entire Church. This ministry of vocations occurs primarily at
the Vocationary. It is here, where the Vocationists welcome men who
come and discern their vocation from God. Some of the men are not
yet oriented to a diocesan seminary or a religious congregation, but
have a desire to learn about the priesthood and religious life. It
is the responsibility of the vocation director, along with his
fellow Vocationists to direct perspective candidates for priestly
and religious life. In carrying this out we take on the role of
vocation educators providing necessary data to those who come to
discern their vocation. This is done in respect to the Vocationist
Fathers and Brothers, as well as in regards to the diocese and other
religious congregations in the church. If the perspective candidate
has an interest in the Vocationist Fathers and Brothers we inform
him about our admission and formation process. He is also taught
about the biography of our founder, Venerable Justin Russolillo, as
well as the history of our congregation and the Vocationist
spirituality with emphasis placed Fr. Justin’s writings from the
book Ascension. The Ascension is an essential aspect of the
Vocationist Spirituality which leads us to the Blessed Trinity with
the Holy Family within the Church.
Promoting vocations to the priesthood and
religious life is to also take place in parish ministry. Fr. Justin
spent thirty-five years as a parish priest utilizing his ministry to
encourage priestly and religious vocations. The Parish is where
vocations can blossom and flourish. It is noted in the book, A Life
for Vocations, “the parish is like a womb in which a vocation is
conceived and nurtured” (A Life for Vocations, p.14) In conceiving
in nurturing vocations, Fr. Justin took the youth to the Vocationary,
and also taught them the Catechism of the Catholic Church, along
with other catechists whom he trained personally. Teaching the
catechism was of profound importance to Fr. Justin because when
asked about the establishment of our congregation he would say the
following, “the Society of Divine Vocations was born from a
seminarian who used to teach catechism every day and sometimes all
day” (A Life for Vocations, p.6). Teaching catechism remains
important even today as Vocationists participate in religious
education of the youth, so that the young of our world will come to
understand and appreciate the value of their Christian faith. Also
the pastor is attentive to the pastoral care of families. He cares
about their sanctification and provides support to possible priestly
and religious vocations of their children. Another aspect that can
be implemented in the parish to foster vocations is having a
Prayerful Holy Hour of adoration for vocations. This is encouraged
not only at the Vocationary but also in the parish. 
Promoting vocations and nurturing them is not
only the job of the Vocationist Fathers and brothers, but the
Vocationist Sisters assist us as mothers and servants of vocations.
“The first Vocationist Sisters live for vocations and die offering
themselves as victims for vocations” (A Life for Vocations, p.18).
The Vocationist Sisters helped in the education process of children
in the past and still do so today planting seeds of a vocation into
the lives of young children by their words and their holy example.
Another important aspect in the life of Vocationists is our devotion
to Our Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Marian devotion as a
religious congregation is union with Mary. In the words of our
founder written in the book, Ascension, “Through this union with
Mary we intend to know, love and possess God, together with our
Blessed Lady and know, possess and love the Blessed Mother, together
with God constantly going from one to the other, evermore
intimately united to one for the sake of the other” (Ascension
#942). While we are devoted to Mary, Saint Joseph; her husband, the
foster father of Jesus, and the patron of the Universal Church, is
also included in our devotion to her. This is done to give her
greater honor and joy as we convey our thankfulness to God for Holy
Family. We the Vocationists also look up to Mary, under the title of
Our Lady of Divine Vocations considering her to be the Patron and
Superior of every house of Vocationists. It was on May 11, 1926,
when our founder, Fr. Justin M. Russolillo, had a vision of the Holy
Trinity informing him that Our Lady of Divine Vocations was to be
our patron and superior. For this reason, May 11th is
celebrated by all Vocationists with tremendous solemnity.
The most important way to provide for growth in
vocations is to pray for them, recognizing the power of prayer
changes things for the better. To pray not only for an increase in
vocations to the priesthood and religious life, but that all people
will persevere with faithfulness in their God given vocation in
life. This is indispensable in every age of the Church, if we as a
People of God are to grow in faith and holiness. The Vocation
Prayer that is prayed by Vocationists is the following:|
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