More than one hundred participants, including lay and religious from the United States and Canada, met in the United States and Canada. at the Novitiate Center of the Legionaries of Christ in Cheshire, Connecticut, with a common goal: to build a strong vocational culture in an increasingly disconnected society. Through conferences, workshops, Eucharistic adoration for vocations & pastoral planning, In the afternoon, the attendees reflected on the universal call to holiness and how to respond to the urgent need for spiritual leaders in today's Church. The summit also included a misa held by Msgr. Juan Miguel Betancourt, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford.
A wider network for a Church in search of vocations
It was in the month of March that took place the third annual National Vocation Summit in the United States, held in the Novitiate of the Legionaries of Christ in Cheshire, Connecticut. Participants gathered to learn from experts and each other how to collaborate in building a vocation culture in their own families, schools and parishes. Attendees included lay people and representatives from nine religious congregations., among them legionnaires, consecrated laity, consecrated & two locality directors ofl Regnum Christi: Tony Frese, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Jane Nagel, of Columbus, Ohio.
The theme of this year's Summit was «Launching the redes mMore lejos». El Dr. Andrew Lichtenwalner, Director of the Office of Evangelization and Discipleship, Director of the Office for Evangelization and Discipleship from the Archdiocese of Atlanta; Jackie Couture-Gonzales, national director of the Archdiocese of Atlanta; Jackie Couture-Gonzales, national director of Vocation Action Network; John VanDorpe, L.C., Martin Connor, Regional Vocation Director for the Legionaries of Christ in Atlanta, Georgia; Fr..C., Shawn Aaron, National Vocations Director for the Legionaries of Christ; and Fr..C., North America Territory Manager, were among the speakers at the Summit..
The main conference, entitled «A experience to create a culture vocacional», was given by Stephen D. Minnis, president of Benedictine College. A few years ago, while the strategic plan was being prepared in Benedictine, the question was raised: «What are people most concerned about in the United States?». The answer, he shared Stephen Minnis, was ahe culture marked by loneliness, hopelessness, lack of faith and truth, which has had a profound impact on today's youth.
Construby going a new vocational culture
The response from Benedictine College, and the mission of the National Vocation Summit is to form leaders, educators, and members of diocesan and religious communities to begin to transform that culture into a culture of vocations. culture vocationat, The mission is to be a place where everyone can recognize and respond to God's call on their lives.
On the other hand, eo the conference titled «The lcalled universal to the santidad», Dr. Andrew Lichtenwalner stressed the importance of discernment, especially in today's culture..
«Pope Francis urges us toó constantly in his pontificate to a new and deeper discernment, to truly give ourselves to the Lord, and he presents it as a gift that we must implore him. He is really calling the Church to pray for that gift of discernment, which is an urgent need, especially in this culture where we constantly jump between screens and technologies. Without the wisdom of discernment, we can easily fall prey to every fad.» (Dr. Andrew Lichtenwalner).
Conceived to respond to this need for discernment and openness to the Holy Spirit, and with a mission inspired by the charism of Regnum Christi, the National Vocation Summit brings together Christian leaders with a heart for vocations and a desire to help the next generation become vocational apostles.
L. CThe goal of the program is to build a true vocational culture, rooted in Sacred Scripture, and sending to participants to work for vocations, with greater dependence on the Lord of the harvest (cf. Lucas 10, 2), a renewed love for the Church, fervor for a common mission and a deeper hope in Christ and his grace.
Five ways to impact culture
The National Vocation Summit strives to send priests, consecrated and lay vocation apostles to impact the culture in five specific areas: 1°: Center all vocational discernment on Eucharistic adoration and an authentic sacramental life. 2°: Raise the importance of the universal call to holiness for all the baptized (cf. Lumen Gentium c. 5, 39-41). 3°: Making the subject vocational a regular, everyday conversation. 4°: Accompany and train leaders to help young people discern and fulfill God's plan in their lives. y 5°: To achieve greater unity in vocation work in all sectors of the Church's life, resulting in a vocational fullness of priests, consecrated persons and holy couples.
Events such as the Summit are very important in this time of vocational crisis to counteract the loneliness that often accompanies vocational ministry, and to renew and awaken a vision of hope in the participants and in all those they meet.
Next year's National Vocation Summit will be held March 13-15, 2026, at the same site of the Legionaries of Christ Novitiate, with the topic «Awakening .postholes of esperanza», and is open to all who wish to help the Church foster vocations and build a culture of vocations.
To learn more about the Summit, visit their website at web in English here.
We thank the North American territory for the information for this article. An article about the event is available in English, here.
Photo credit: Regnum Christi North America.
