by Andrew O'Connell

Three years ago I started work as the communications director for the Presentation Brothers with a special responsibility for the promotion of vocations. That was 2006. This is 2009. Has anything changed in that period? Is the situation better or worse? When I started I recall that a very common reaction was bemusement. Especially from those within the church! Three years ago vocations ministry was very much a ministry at the margins.

I feel that today, notwithstanding the huge challenges we face, we are in a better place. Vocations ministry is more highly regarded, is more professionally conducted and has managed to carve out a more secure niche.

I can see three key factors which are each, in part, responsible for moving us closer to our goal of having a vibrant ‘culture of vocations’ in the Church in Ireland.

These three factors are:

1. The Celtic Tiger (RIP)
2. The Year of Vocation (May 2008 - May 2009)
3. Vocations Ireland

1. The Celtic Tiger (RIP)

2006 will probably be remembered as the high water mark of the economic boom. But it was also the year in which media commentators began to openly express misgivings about the direction Irish society was taking.

It was also around this time that a growing sense of unease began to be articulated about the kind of society that we had created. It started with ombudswoman, Emily O’Reilly’s comment at the Céifin Conference that perhaps it was time for us to consider tiptoeing back to Church. These misgivings grew louder over the final years of the Tiger’s lifetime.

This was the mania period in the lifecycle of the economic boom and there was a realisation that what we say happening around us could not be sustained. For the first time the national discourse began to focus on what we had lost in the boom years. From speeches by President MacAleese to conversations in pubs and sitting rooms, we began to mourn the sense of community and family which in the past protected us from the new enemies of isolation, depression and fear.

It was around this time that John Waters released his excellent book, “Lapsed Agnostic” in which he discussed his own spiritual journey and Rónán Mullen was elected to the Senate with a campaign slogan, ‘Vision with Values’. The Irish Times carried news of his election on the front page the following morning describing it as a “shock result”. But should it have been much of a shock that people were beginning to feel that something important might be missing?

During this period it was increasingly acknowledged in the media and in society at large that perhaps faith and values might have something useful to offer.

Having realised that money did not bring happiness there was a new willingness to at least listen to other suggestions. Since vocation is ultimately about happiness in life, it’s no surprise that it came into its own. For instance many Leaving Certificate RE teachers were eager for their students to hear about vocation and the meaning of life.

2. The Year of Vocation

Firstly, I will acknowledge that there are mixed feelings about the Year of Vocation. From the beginning I warned people that the Year of Vocation was going to depend on what was done locally. Those who waited to be spoon fed by ‘head office’ went hungry, whilst those who took the initiative managed to make some progress.

The significance of the Year of Vocation was that it put vocations back on the agenda within the Church in Ireland. We could never ask others to take vocations seriously if we did not take it seriously ourselves.

So, how did the Year of Vocation make a positive contribution?

For a start it reminded people about our common baptismal call, the universal call to holiness and the priesthood of all believers. This was a crucial component of the project.

Many religious congregations in Ireland then used it as an opportunity to honestly re-assess their vocations strategy and to begin efforts to foster a culture supportive of vocations in their congregation. I saw this happening at first hand as I was invited to address several groups who were interested in kick starting their efforts. I also spoke to the clergy of almost 20 dioceses about why they needed to refocus energy on this area. Much of this would not have happened were it not for the Year of Vocation project.

And there was more.

One young person who entered a religious congregation this autumn describes how he had been considering a vocation for some time but it was during the Year of Vocation that he made the decision to begin a process of discernment with a vocations director. He describes how he could not escape the word ‘vocation’ during the year – it appeared on banners in churches, on posters in porches, and as prayers of the faithful during Mass.

Catholic youth festivals in Knock and in Clonmacnoise also had a vocations focus as a result of the Year of Vocation. Novenas and parish missions adopted the theme of vocation too. I have been told about one novena in September 2008 which included an evening devoted to vocations. Afterwards a young man in the congregation approached the preacher and asked to meet for a chat. That young man began has seminary formation for his diocese last month.

3. Vocations Ireland

Vocations Ireland is the umbrella organisation which resources the vocations directors of Ireland’s religious congregations, male and female. Under the leadership of Frances Dignan Vocations Ireland has supported the establishment of several regional vocations teams around the country who have taken on different projects and initiatives to promote vocations locally. These groups are modelling collaborative ministry and involve cooperation between male and female congregations, diocesan and religious, as well as lay participation. Interestingly, attendance at the Vocations Ireland AGM has doubled in recent years.

Vocations Ireland regularly attends all the major careers fairs at Croke Park and in the RDS. They also have a stand each year the Ploughing Championships.

Vocations Ireland has facilitated and empowered individual religious congregations to go out into the public square.

This year, the new Director, Sr Eileen Linehan, organised a stand at the Ploughing Championship in Athy and the response was very positive.

Who would have thought during the bleak days after the publication of the Ryan Report that there would be enough confidence to do this again? It happens when the religious congregations cooperate and support each other.

Ní neart go cur le chéile.

Support for Vocations

Finally, it’s worthwhile to note the publication of the results of Fr Micheál MacGréil’s  survey on attitudes to vocations which appeared as a chapter in his report “The Challenge of Indifference”, published this summer. The survey was conducted by the ESRI between November 2007 and March 2008. The most interesting question and result was:

“If you had a son/daughter and he/she came to you and said he/she had decided to become a priest/nun, how would you respond?”

The results were:

Son becoming Priest:
Greatly Welcome: 33% (48% in 1988)
Welcome with reservation: 31%
Would discourage: 12% (3% in 1988)

Daughter becoming Nun:
Greatly Welcome: 32% (47% in 1988)
Welcome with reservation: 29%
Would discourage: 15% (6% in 1988)

It’s probably fair to say that many would be surprised at the low level of discouragement. 

Andrew O’Connell (31) is a layman and is the Communications Director for the Presentation Brothers. He holds a PhD in Chemistry and previously worked as an engineer with Intel. If you have any comments on this article feel free to contact Andrew at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it