What vocations are available to lay-people?

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Seeks_God

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I was just curious about a couple of things:

1.) Is there a complete list of Catholic Religious Orders/Societies?

2.) Are there vocations available to lay persons and if so how can one obtain information?

3.) How can one become much more involved in working with their parish and performing work/ministry for our faith?

Thanks,

SG
 
Marriage/Parenthood are important vocations, and not to be minimized. But there are third orders and lay ministries, which you can investigate here: religiousministries.com/

As far as getting more involved in your parish, talk to the persons already involved! 🙂
 
Seeks_God said:
I was just curious about a couple of things:

1.) Is there a complete list of Catholic Religious Orders/Societies?

2.) Are there vocations available to lay persons and if so how can one obtain information?

3.) How can one become much more involved in working with their parish and performing work/ministry for our faith?

Thanks,

SG
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Well, you can be a lay member of a religious order. The Dominicans are the coolest order on the whole face of the earth. (I’m a lay Dominican.)
 
Opus Dei is a personal prelature of the church that is largely for lay people. I have been involved with it for about a year now and am making good use of the catechesis they offer. They are so sound in doctrine and so faithful to the Church! I was so amazed.
For more info visit: opusdei.org/

-unworthy
 
I second the Opus Dei suggestion – particularly if you do not feel especially drawn to any of the lay branches of the religious orders (ie, the Dominicans, Carmelites, Franciscans). Opus Dei is a great place to simply find help “getting on track” with your spiritual life, and then if you do feel drawn to one of the orders you can move on as the Lord calls. Opus Dei itself can also be a vocation, of course.

I’ve been going informally to their catechetical offerings for over a year now, and receiving spiritual direction from one of the supernumeraries. I am not a member nor in any way affiliated with them, other than as a participant. I’ve found Opus Dei to be a great place for support in the spiritual life for the laity at all stages (married or unmarried), whether or not you actually have a specific vocation to Opus Dei or not.

I like to pop over to www.escrivaworks.org every day and just randomly click on something that Escriva wrote - it never ceases to give me encouragement and inspiration in my common work-a-day struggles!
 
Yes, Opus Dei is a prelature devoted mostly to lay people. I’m also receiving spiritual direction from one of the numeraries and am attending meditations. I love it; it’s very uplifting. May you find the vocation most suited for you. Much love,

-Alison
 
Lay people can be single celibates or married for their state in life.

Men can become deacons.

There are a number of secular or third order institutes. I am a Third Order Franciscan for example. There are Third Orders with the Carmelites and Dominicans and others as well. The Benedictines have their Oblates. Other orders have Associates.

Those of the Third Order are vocations that one will feel a desire in the heart for and then there will be a particular charism that appeals to the heart.

You might check www.religiouslife.org

I love my religious life! I pray the office, the rosary, attend daily Mass and go to frequent confession among the recommendations of my Order.

Ave Maria!
 
All,

Thank you all for the information you have provided. There is always so much information available when you ask, but sometimes the hardest thing to do is to decide what to do with it all…lol…thanks again!

SG
 
Seeks_God said:
I
2.) Are there vocations available to lay persons and if so how can one obtain information?
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Vocations fall into two realms, celibate and married. Those called to celibacy can live that out in the ordained priesthood, as consecrated religious in communities with vows of various levels, or as unmarried lay persons, all of these in service to the Church.

The married vocation is the ordinary vocation for lay persons to build up the Church.

If you mean careers, the administration of churches, dioceses, schools, colleges, hospitals, social service agencies and other institutions under Catholic auspices require the same service and support as other organizations, financial, legal, administrative, education, training, medical, scientific, etc. and if you follow any such path you can seek employment with any church affiliation, as an alternative to business or government employment.

If you mean lay apostolates, yes, you may serve in any area under the Church umbrella as a volunteer, or start your own under proper guidance and leadership. You would begin in your own diocese by contacting the office in charge of the area of interest: office of catechetics or Catholic schools, Catholic charities etc.

for vocations info check out www.religiouslife.com you will find links to religious orders that support lay affiliates such as third orders or oblates. also search this forum for third orders, oblates etc. as this question has been answered here many times.
 
There is only one vocation available to the lay person. In fact there is only one vocation available to all. That is the universal call to Holiness. Religious and non-religious shae this common vocation.

Now how one decides to nourish, live out and mature in that vocation is very varied.
 
Two of you mentioned the diaconate. I think that we all need to be reminded that the diaconate is NOT a lay vocation. Deacons are clergy. They are Ordained. Should a deacon’s wife fall asleep, he is bound to remain celebate from that day forward.
 
The most lay-oriented vocation is Opus Dei. They have several possibilities for lay people who are interested to take on a vocation:
Numeraries - celibate, lives in a designated Opus Dei Center. Full time member.
Super Numerary - celibate or married, lives outside the Center, full time member.
Cooperators - can be a non-member, celibate or married but receives Doctrinal Formation from the Center nearest his residence.
All of the above are either professionals, bankers, lawyers, bus drivers or barbers, etc, even maids and housewives. who practice sanctification of daily work, among others, but mostly immersed in philosophy, theology, catholic doctrines and Catechesis.
 
I consider any state in life a vocation even the single life. If one is called to remain single while not taking on any religious commitments that is still a vocation.
 
Numeraries - celibate, lives in a designated Opus Dei Center. Full time member.
Super Numerary - celibate or married, lives outside the Center, full time member.
Cooperators - can be a non-member, celibate or married but receives Doctrinal Formation from the Center nearest his residence
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Just to clarify:
Members of Opus Dei->
Numeraries of Opus Dei: celibate members who normally live in a Center of Opus Dei
Supernumeraries of Opus Dei: single or married members (but not celibate-sngle supernumeraries usuallyget married in the near future), so they usually live with their families
Associates of Opus Dei: celibate members who normally don’t live in a Center because of certain family, professional or social obligations
Cooperators: are not members of Opus Dei but help out in the apostolic activities run by members whether, financially, with their prayers, with their work or all three. Some cooperators are not even Catholic or Christian but help out becase of the good to society they see being done by the social initiatives of the members.
 
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