Through our baptism we are committed to try and follow God’s law in our life, living our life in accordance to the teachings of Jesus and being witnesses of God’s love in our world.

For many people, their vocation becomes more visible when they think about their work. There are some careers, nursing, teaching, medicine that are vocational. It is not just what you know, or what who do, but a calling deep within a person to be in that field of work.

Once we are living our life as full members of the Church, having usually completed the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation), people begin asking, what state of life do I feel called to? For many people the call to marriage is the way where they find their fullest meaning. For some it is the call to single life, not just as a temporary measure but as a lifelong way of loving God. There are then those who are called to consecrated life - as religious sisters and brothers, and those vowed in consecration in various ways through the church. The most visible witness of a vocation in the church is often the call to be a priest, which can be lived in the individual’s local Diocese, or within a religious congregation. Some men feel called to the Permanent Deacons. They can be single or married men, whose role is to be serve the Church, through good works, the Word and service at the Altar. The important part of this journey is that all these states of life are equal in dignity, and complementary in their differences. They are each rooted in our baptismal calling, offering unique ways of deepening the grace received at our baptism, which enable the person living them to be fully alive.

To find out more about vocation contact your chaplain or visit www.ukvocation.org