If we get our vocation right, the rest of life will follow. God has a good plan, listening is essential and you can never start asking for clarity too soon. Therefore, we have been praying a prayer, which some of them already pray, “Dear Jesus, tell me what you want me to do with my life and I will do it!”

Sister Mary Agnes and I put together “Vocation Kits” which will be coming home with each family. In the gray and white striped bag are rosaries and a notebook. In the notebook are prayer cards and stickers, which you are welcome to keep. Also in the notebook are vocation posters of the CKs (School Sisters of Christ the King) and of the seminarians, along with the unique vocation stories of our fathers and the sisters in our school.

We are very aware that strong marriages and families are also a primary building block of the church. Children know family life as they grow up in a family. Religious life and the priesthood can be much more mysterious. We hope you enjoy the stories.

During the month of November, the Vocation Kit should come to your home with the oldest child in your family that attends school. Please spend a little time with it or put it in a prominent place where it might be read for a day or two, then send it back to school.

As I prepared to write this note to you, I came across Sister Mary Gabriel’s vocation synopsis. Allow me to paraphrase. She was trying to figure out what to do with life and her parents were asking about what she planned to do after her college graduation. She described a few options for using her teaching degree in northern Illinois where her sister lived, as well as a few other options. Later as she recalled the dialogue with her parents she realized, “I get excited about many things, like reuben sandwiches and playing chess, but here I am about to use my college degree and I have no fire. Something is not right here.” Her discernment continued and she found the missing link. For her, she realized that teaching was good but combining it with the gift of self to the Lord in religious life created excitement and brought passion to life. I pray your children find the vocation to which God is calling them. Fostering a continual openness of heart facilitates the ability to hear. “Dear Jesus, tell me what you want me to do with my life and I will do it.”

I was the vocation directress of our CK community for 9 years, I could go on forever, but I’ll spare you that, and instead pray for your children, as I’m sure you do often.

Sister Mary Michael, C.K.