Dispelling Myths and Misconceptions

​​When I was down at our Provincial house earlier in the month, I helped a fair amount in the convent library, working with A/V materials. A CD caught my eye. Entitled “Myths & Misconceptions Concerning Vocations,” it was by a Norbertine priest, whose lectures for the Institute on Religious Life we had used during my postulancy.

The curriculum during that time had been very influential to me, teaching me more of the beauty of the consecrated life and thus increasing my desire for it. I thought it would be enriching for me to listen to material of this nature again now, and I was right.

The CD, which I finally got around to listening to late yesterday afternoon, detailed several different myths/misconceptions about priestly and religious vocations which prove to be a hindrance, both in young people in following this call and for those around them, in encouraging and supporting a religious vocation.

The first myth was that a person has to be perfect, that religious life presumes exceptional holiness. Father explained how this is not the case, and that religious, while definitely called to holiness, are still on the way. Convents and monasteries are full of sinners striving to be saints one day, rather than full of people who are already “perfect.”

The second myth is that celibacy equals loneliness and unhappiness. Father shared statistics on the number of priests/religious who leave after making vows as compared to the number of marriages that “don’t work out.” Celibate commitments, according to his statistics (dated, by now), had a 1 in 10 “dropout rate” as opposed to the 50% divorce rate. The unhappy priests or religious, he stated, get the press, but they are not the majority!

Another myth shared in the talk was that religious life limits one’s freedom. In actuality, it makes us more free. Father stressed the fact that often people rush into a marriage, caught up in their emotions, and don’t go through adequate time, preparation, or testing (including experiential learning) to make a totally free and rational commitment. On the other hand, religious formation gives one a lengthy and experiential knowledge of the vocation, with ample opportunities to step away. He mentioned that there is no stigma in leaving before profession; in fact, religious formation or seminary experience has prepared many young people to embrace married life.

At this point, the presenter went into greater reflection on the role of parents, who sometimes are afraid of limiting freedom. The above-mentioned lengthy process enables great freedom and time for discernment. The decision is not made overnight, but rationally and with maturity. We should never be reluctant to encourage young people to explore the possibility of a religious vocation.

The final misconception he shared was that a religious vocation is “rare.” Father stressed that God is generous. Although we do not know exactly how many young people are called to this life, saints have estimated that it is quite a high percentage. Man’s generosity is what is rare, rather than God’s great gift of a vocation. Father brought out the Old Testament precept that the firstborn should be consecrated to the Lord, and shared his reflection that the precept could be extended to families today, though the term “firstborn” need not be a chronological term.

The speaker also stressed the point that Christ advised the living of the evangelical counsels and that it would make sense to follow this form of life, unless one had good reason not to do so. He shared that in times past, in early centuries of the Church and in a more Christian age, people would presume one had a religious vocation because this was the better way suggested by Christ. Now, in our more secular time and culture, the opposite is true.

This is not to say that everyone should become a priest or religious but that we should not be afraid to encourage young people to explore this gospel way suggested by Our Lord.

Father made another point that the Church needs religious and priestly vocations and is dependent upon them.

That a religious vocation is rare, exceptional, and extraordinary, is a lie. It is meant for normal Christians who are striving to keep the Commandments.

He encouraged us to get the truth out and dispel the darkness by what we say and how we live.