A sense of renewal
March 28, 2010: Challenge, conversation and energy enriched the national vocation and formation conference which concluded in Toronto on March 17.
"I hope that participants are coming away with a sense of renewal within themselves, a stronger belief in their own commitment in life, and a greater awareness of the role that each one of us plays in fostering and encouraging people to embrace whatever vocation they're called to," says Sr. Maureen Baldwin, executive director of the National Association of Vocation and Formation Directors (NAVFD), which put on the conference.
Sr. Baldwin says keynote speaker Fr. Ron Rolheiser, a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, offered the 200 attendees - who included religious, priests, youth and laypeople - thoughtful and challenging food for reflection.
"For example, he talked about being in touch with what's going on in your own life before really looking closely at other people's lives," she says. "And the need for that, the need to look for the blessed and the sacred in your own life, and then to go out and spread that with others and help them to discern it as well."
Teamwork. NAVFD team members and keynote speaker Fr. Ron Rolheiser.
(l-r) Fr. Mike Traher, SFM; Sr. Maureen Baldwin, CND; Sr. Mary Clare Stack, UJ; Sr. Mary Rowell, CSJ; Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI; Sr. Marianne Rohrer, SA; Sr. Maureen O'Keefe, RSM; Sr. Kathleen Kelly, SSS; and Fr. Jim Murphy, CSB.
In his presentations Fr. Rolheiser also looked beyond the individual to encompass religious communities and the presbyterate. He believes these communities "have to have integrity, radiate the life, have the honesty, have the commitment that give them the authority to invite somebody in" and that there is a need to go beyond "all the labels and tensions that surround liberal and conservative."
The next NAVFD conference will be held in Edmonton in 2012. Until then the challenge will be to continue to build and sustain a culture of vocations - a culture which encompasses religious, priests, single and married.
"By inviting all to respond to their baptismal call, we are lighting a spark of new life in the Church," Sr. Baldwin says. "This allows for all vocations to become fully alive."
The conference also provided an opportunity to welcome two new members to the NAVFD board: Sr. Maureen O'Keefe, RSM; St. John's; and Sr. Mary Clare Stack, UJ, Edmonton. They join Sr. Kathleen Kelly, SSS, Toronto; Fr. Jim Murphy, CSB, Toronto; and Mary Rowell, CSJ, Peterborough.