*WE* are to blame for the lack of religious vocations

Parents, how many times have you encouraged even mentioned the idea of a religious vocation to your child? Heck, how many times have you even talked about what a religious vocation is in front of your child? Sure, most Catholic children see priests every week, but only in the context of Mass. How often do your children see the priest doing less "liturgical" things?

How about a nun? You know the women in habits which are very devout and prayerful? When was the last time you told your child that when they grow up God may whisper to their heart and tell them to give their life in service to Him?

When we tell our children that they can "be anything they want" do we include religious vocations as "anything?" Or does "anything" only include jobs that make $75k a year and an HSA? Would you even know where to tell your children to find out more info about a religious vocation? Do you even know where the closest seminary or convent is?

I think we all need to ask ourselves: "How would we react if our child said, 'I want to discern a religious vocation.'" Would we react excited, scared, worried, confused, or appropriately?

How about the word vocation? Do you use that word with your children? Do you explain the context of a career in terms of a vocation? How about the role of a husband and wife as a vocation? Or do you use the word "job"?

These types of vocations need to be fostered in our families with a sense of normalcy. The reason we have a lack of vocations is the lack of reverence that exists for our faith, our church, and our Mass. We see priests wearing improper vestments, making liturgical abuses, and nuns who defy the Pope, dress like   they aren't nuns, and live in loft apartments. Very little in our faith lives model religious life as a legitimate or nobel vocation. Sure there is that whole "calling" thing, but that is for movies and "special" people right?

This whole "reform of the reform" isn't just about finding a Latin Mass in your area and listening to Chant on your iPod. Just because you read Fr. Z's doesn't mean you are part of the solution. In fact many of us "traddys" are more guilty than the "modern" Catholics... because we are supposed to be "more tapped in". Sure we can say the Ave Maria in... well latin, but what do *WE* do to foster vocations? We give a bunch of money to our church so we can get that swimming pool of a baptismal fountain for the narthex but how have we helped the men in the seminary? Have we sent them gift cards to "Aquinas and More"? *WE* are more than willing to donate our "services" to the local church fair so we can spend three days eating food and drinking beer while our kids ride-rides; but do we ever call up the local convent and ask if they need plumbing/electrical/yard/carpentry/misc. help? Do we ever utilize our vocation to help those in a religious one?

*We* are supposed to be the body of Christ. We need to take this task upon ourselves. Priests and Nuns are not made in laboratories they are made in homes and in families. Christ cannot whisper to their hearts if their hearts do not have "ears" to hear. Those "ears" must come from us as parents, brothers, sisters, and friends. Just as a child is encouraged to be a father, mother, doctor or lawyer, they also must be encouraged to discern a religious life if they feel the Holy Spirit calling them in that direction.

It is hard enough in a world of debauchery, materialism, and instant gratification to hear that calling. Yet, when you throw in the indifference, irreverence, and abusive attitude which many take towards the faith, the religious vocation becomes a quickly disappearing endangered species. *We* are to blame for this... *WE* are the Church. Therefore... *WE* must fix it.