What's Your Vocation Story?

If you’ve ever asked priests or vowed religious this question, you know that the answers range from the deliberate and reasoned to the wild and miracle-studded. Some people come to their vocations by trying several paths before realizing that God had a particular path in mind for them. Some people had absolutely no intention of taking vows, and God had to pretty much smack them upside the head, multiple times, before they got the message. Some people were devout kids from a devout family, for whom Jesus was a steady flame in the center of their lives. Others spent high school smoking out by the dumpsters rather than censing the altar, until Jesus took hold of their hearts and changed the course of their lives.

What stands out in Catholic vocation stories is the variety. God calls people to diverse paths: martyrdom or a long life teaching the children of the poor; Dominican, Carmelite, School Sister of Notre Dame, Josephite; priests renowned as preachers or confessors or almsgivers or administrators, men whose most striking gifts are in theology or penitence or friendship.

The same is true for God’s call to LGBT/SSA+ people. At BCF’s founding retreat, we had people who were living out God’s call to love in many different paths: artistry, motherhood, priesthood, music; parish ministry, education, spiritual brotherhood; poetry, friendship, godparenthood, service.

Where gay people are not welcomed as missionary disciples, vocation stories become stories of pain. Marriage and religious vows become places to hide. Where Catholics assume that God calls gay people, not to make us straight but to guide us in love, then vocation stories become stories of wonder and discovery.

BCF believes that a community that fosters gay people’s discipleship will serve all its members better. When we highlight the many ways people can love, we free Catholics from the fear that if they don’t find a spouse or gain acceptance to a seminary their lives will be useless and loveless. When we highlight the many saints and other devout Catholics whose lives have been shaped by friendship, we encourage Catholics of all orientations to seek deeper friendship with one another and with Christ. When we highlight the many queer Catholics who have lived out “spiritual motherhood” or “spiritual fatherhood” as beloved teachers, godparents, children’s authors and more, we demonstrate that not having biological children doesn’t mean being childless.

All vocation stories should be stories of love, not fear. In the words of Dunstan Thompson, one of the Catholics featured on BCF’s biographical worksheets:

“Prayer,” says the Abbot, “is the price of peace.

In time, the khamsins from the desert cease:

The grains of sand drop down together, pure

In imperfection, and like rocks endure.

As for water, we have our own wells here.

This ordered life is not for everyone.

Never, to their surprise, for those who run

Away from love.”