Celebrating Claretian Vocation Day
There are those who listen to a quiet voice, like Fr. Tom McGann, CMF, when he discerned the move from being a diocesan priest to becoming a Claretian Missionary. There are others who simply take a a leap of faith to see if religious life is for them, like Dinh Vu. And there are those who are inspired by the priests they long admired in their parishes, like Fr. Agustin Carrillo, CMF, and Fr. Rosendo Urrabazo, CMF.
Today, on Claretian Vocation Day, we celebrate the many ways God calls us and reflect on how important it is to open our hearts to hear God’s call.
As Pope Leo XIV beautifully reminds us, “He is the Shepherd who draws us to Himself, whose gaze reveals that life is truly beautiful when one follows Him.”
Everyone walks a unique path on their vocation journey, but one thing is clear for all vocations: There is a desire born in the heart that grows larger than any other dream—even the dream of becoming a rock star, as Fr. David Gutierrez, CMF, discovered when he set down the guitar and stepped toward the pulpit.
As Pope Leo XIV further reflects, “What is most extraordinary is that, in becoming His disciple, one truly becomes ‘beautiful’; His beauty transforms us.”
Each of us comes into this life with a mission to fulfill, always rooted in the love of God. Sometimes that mission is a religious calling. Sometimes it’s not. Bishop Placido Dominguez, CMF, once shared in an interview, even if you feel that call and don’t follow it, as long as you serve God in your own way and walk in His steps, God is pleased with you.
For some, the calling comes early. For others, much later in life. Father Marco Cardenas, CMF, remembers when he was a child he loved dressing up as a priest and celebrating “mass” with his sister. Brother Manuel Benavides, CMF, didn’t join the Claretians until he was older and today he shares the Gospel through art. There are countless stories of lay men and women who, after becoming widowed or seeing their children grow up, finally said yes to religious life.
As Pope Leo XIV beautifully reminds us once again: “We can see our vocation grow and mature, reflecting ever more fully the beauty of the One who has called us—a beauty shaped by fidelity and trust, despite our wounds and failures.”
If you’re thinking about religious life, Fr David Gutierrez, CMF, suggests that when you ask God to show you a direction in life, “be sure you are prepared and willing to follow the path the Lord has chosen for you.” Whatever your story, whatever your age, whatever your past, God’s call is patient— and His timing is perfect.
