Vocation Lesson Plan High School Boys, Grades 9-12

1. What is a Vocation? a. Everyone has a vocation. It’s your life’s call from God. It is our personal response to give back to God by using the gifts God gave us with an open heart. A Vocation is NOT a job; it is about a way of life. Your job or career is separate.   b. God calls each of us to one of these vocations in life i. Married Life – A call to a lifelong commitment of deep and shared love in union with another person. ii. iii. Single Life – To live out your life as a single person independently with a serving heart and energy.   Consecrated Life as a religious brother or priest, or diocesan priesthood.  Religious dedicate their lives to God and to follow Jesus through vows. They live a prayerful life in community and in service to others.  Diocesan priest profess vows to a bishop of a diocese. 2. What is the difference between Priests and Brothers Priests and Brothers in religious life are men who have dedicated themselves to live the vows (chastity,   poverty and obedience) within the Catholic Church, following in the footsteps of Jesus in ministry.  A   diocesan priest promises obedience and chastity to the bishop of a diocese.  The difference, to put it simply, is   that a Priest is able to administer sacraments as an ordained minister, while a Brother does not have those   privileges.  A Brother, also considered a lay person, does not receive the sacrament of Holy Orders. 3. What kind of Priests and Brothers are there? a. Diocesan Priests – live and minister in a particular geographic area called a diocese, which is administered by a bishop.  He does not belong to a religious community and often lives at a parish.  He lives celibately and promises obedience to the bishop.  Through ordained ministry, a priest proclaims God’s word and celebrates the Sacraments.   b. Religious Priests – are members of a religious community in the same way that brothers and sisters belong to a particular religious community.  As a priest, he can administer sacraments as an ordained minister.  He is not restricted to a particular diocese but can be involved in a variety of ministries in many different places. c. Brothers – are members of a religious community who dedicate their lives to God through vows (chastity, obedience and poverty).  They engage in the works of the community in varied ministries given the community’s charism.