Promoting Religious Vocations Through Digital Media
For Parents
7 things parents can do to help their children be open to God’s call
As the first and primary educators of their children, parents play a unique role in their child’s vocation. Parents have the opportunity to teach their children about God’s plan for their lives and can show them from a young age how to listen to God’s voice. Read more below about practical things parents can do to help their child be open to God’s call, even one to religious life.
1. Talk openly about how God has a plan for your child’s life.
More specifically, how He has a plan that will lead them towards happiness, a relationship with Him, and eternal life!
2. Live an active Sacramental life as a family.
Go to Mass and Confession together. If possible, take your children to adoration where they can sit and listen to God. God is ultimately the one who whispers the call of a vocation in your child’s heart, so do the best you can to help them learn to listen to God’s voice.
3. Foster Marian devotion in your children.
Mary often seems to have a special role in guiding young hearts towards their vocations. Any Marian devotion they can form from an early age will serve them well later on. The Rosary is an especially helpful prayer for this.
4. Talk openly about religious life in a positive light.
Children that grow up hearing about religious life are more likely to consider that as a true vocation option. Moreover, hearing their parents talk about religious life in a positive way will help them know you would support them if they ever chose that path of life.
5. Take your children on vocation “field-trips”.
Spend a Saturday or Sunday visiting a convent or monastery. Many religious orders are accustomed to welcoming day guests. Call ahead to see if a community can give tours of where they live or if they would have time to interact with you and your children while you are there. Try to plan your visit at a time where you could see the community in prayer. Not sure if there are religious near where you live? Visit your diocesan website to see if they have local religious orders posted or view a map of religious orders here.
6. Watch videos or movies about religious life together.
Vocations Outreach has created a variety of videos to help young people understand more about religious life. View these videos here. You can also view our recommended movies here.
7. Pray for your child.
Above all, the most important thing you can do is to pray for your child, their vocation, and for their openness to receiving God’s will.
