Vocations are signs of hope founded in faith. While this is true of all vocations, it is most certainly true of religious life. In abandoning all in faith to follow Christ in service of His church and the world, religious brothers and religious priests seek to transform their very lives into visible signs of hope.
In his homily at the Mass of his Initiation of the Petrine Ministry, Pope Francis said, “Today, too, amid so much darkness, we need to see the light of hope and to be men and women who bring hope to others.”
The Congregation of Holy Cross echoes the Pope’s words in inviting young men who love the Lord and His Church and desire to serve His people to discern a vocation with us. The Church and the world need good, holy men who, founded in faith, are willing to answer the Lord’s call to be signs of hope as religious brothers and religious priests.
The Lord continues to call young people, “Come. Follow me.” We pray that you may hear the Lord’s call in “our steadfast witness to the gospel, the companionship we offer one another, the cheerfulness with which we serve in our mission without counting the cost, and the sincere welcome we openly offer men who join us” (Constitutions 6:60).
When exploring a vocation to religious life or priesthood, one of the most enlightening things can be to read the vocation stories of religious brothers and religious priests to see how your story might resonate with theirs. Prayer is another essential, not only to express our desires to the Lord, but to listen to His invitation to us.
The most important step you can take, however, is to contact one of our vocation directors around the world. They can best assist you in discerning a vocation with Holy Cross.