We have recently posted a number of blogs on vocation, courtship, and marriage, and it may seem like overkill…but here’s another. Yesterday Catholic News Service published an article quoting Archbishop Timothy Dolan as saying, marriage and family is “where we have the real vocation crisis…If we take care of that one, we’ll have all the priests and nuns we need for the church.” Part of this crisis, he noted, is that only 50% of young Catholics are getting married.
How can each of us encourage young Catholics in their vocational discernment to marriage?
We can guide a young Catholic toward spiritual direction; we can support a friend who has just begun a courtship; we can speak about the vocation of marriage to a single son, daughter, neice, or nephew; and we can pray for the Spirit of Wisdom and Courage for all people.
Share with us what you’re doing to support marriage and family!
Note: I’m using the antiquated word courtship on purpose. To court is defined as “to seek the affections of; to seek to win a pledge of marriage from; to perform actions in order to attract for mating.” (Merriam-Webster) Courtship is what leads to marriage and mating…which leads to little boys and little girls growing up and consecrating themselves in service of the Church. It also leads to little boys and girls growing up and making the commitment to court and marry. The circle of life!
Well, I was courting a nice Catholic girl, but she seems to have grown disinterested, so I guess it’s back to square one. Geography didn’t help much there, by the way.
On another front, a few weeks ago I was explaining the Catholic view of marriage to two friends (without mentioning that there was a Catholic background), and they just didn’t understand it. “Marriage is for kids??? That’s nuts!” Oh well, I’ll have to keep trying.
Oddly enough, it’s easier to have a conversation like that than to try to have it with my younger siblings. Geography doesn’t help much there either.
I prayed to St. Anthony for his intercession in helping me find a Catholic mate. Thankfully my husband’s mother was also praying to St. Anthony for him to find a “nice Catholic girl”. We met under unusual circumstances and 14 years later are the proud parents of 4 young Catholics. So I believe that prayer is what united my spouse and I. Praying to find someone that matches and compliments me – who better to know this than the One who made me?
I am sad that more people have not replied. I belong to Serra Club and stumbled upon this when I was researching the real vocation crisis of the family. There are soooo mnay things that people can do to support vocations,a nd in turn raise the vocation of the family.
We need to call on strong families to be good example of faithful marriage – we do that here through a family friendly ministry where twice a month different families host a potluck dinner in their homes (kid friendly of course) followed by a rosary. The kids go play, parents get to talk during their meal about what they are facing, and then all ages come together for a rosary that the kids take turn leading with their dads.
We do a similar thing for marriage preparation – where young people come together and discuss their fears and concerns about marriage with a married couple that has children. It is done in their homes and follows the guidelines and curriculum of the marriage prep workbook. It just makes it real for the “to be” married couple.
During the National Vocation Awareness Week, we pass out flyers that talk about everyone’s vocation – how to enrich it, how support your spouse, and how to support the vocations of those around you. Churches should embrace this week as a time for celebrating the vocation that God has given you!
All the good Catholic women I seem to get feelings for all seem to date and get engaged to other men. And those women are few and far between.