If you or someone you know is contemplating a vocation to the priesthood, diaconate or religious life, check out the following general resources online.
Talk with your pastor, reach out to the diocese’s vocations promoter, read up on consecrated life and the various religious communities that exist, and contact communities that interest you. Many offer “come and see” days or retreats that are good opportunities to learn more and meet others who have already accepted God’s call to religious life.
For young men and women, there are also summer discernment retreats offered by the Diocese of Charlotte and hosted at Belmont Abbey College: Quo Vadis Days for young men, and Duc in Altum for young women. This year’s retreats are already fully booked, but information about the 2022 retreats will be posted next spring online at www.charlottediocese.org/vocations.
Overall, remember: Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions!
Diocesan Vocations Office
Father Christopher Gober, Vocations Director: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Father Brian Becker, Vocations Promoter: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
General information
- www.foryourvocation.org: Set up by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, dedicated to the promotion of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life for both men and women. They are also on Facebook and YouTube. There are resources for parents and teachers, questions to ask yourself if you feel God is calling you, videos of vocation stories from priests and religious all over the U.S., and more.
- www.religiouslife.com: The Institute for Religious Life’s website, with plenty of resources for both men and women interested in a vocation or those who wish to support religious life.
- Not sure what religious communities are out there that might be a good fit for you? Check out: www.religiousministries.com. Search this database to find a men’s or women’s religious community, whether you wish to become a priest, nun, brother or lay missioner, or just want to find out more about living a religious life.
- www.cloisteredlife.com: Aims to bring to attention the gift of cloistered and monastic life in the Church, sponsored by the Institute for Religious Life.
Religious communities for men
- www.cmsm.org: The Conference of Major Superiors of Men serves the leadership of the Catholic orders and congregations of the more than 17,000 vowed religious priests and brothers in the U.S.
- www.religiousbrotherhood.com: Sponsored by the Institute for Religious Life specifically to increase awareness of the specific charism of religious brotherhood in the U.S.
Religious communities for women
- www.cmswr.org: The Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR) is a canonically approved organization, founded in 1992, to promote religious life in the U.S.
- www.lcwr.org: The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) is an association of the leaders of congregations of Catholic women religious in the U.S.
Interested in becoming a permanent deacon?
If you are interested in serving as a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Charlotte, contact Deacon Ed Konarski at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by July 15. Only those men who appear to have a genuine call to formation as a deacon will be invited by the formation team to complete an application for admission to the next formation class. Details are online at www.charlottediocese.org/permanent-diaconate
— Catholic News Herald