Time: First week of November

Catholic schools should be fertile soil for vocations! All schools in our diocese are asked to use the Vocation Lessons online curriculum, which teaches kids at every grade level about marriage, priesthood, religious life, and how to listen to God’s call. 

Link to VocationLessons.com 

Teacher login: queenofvocations 

Student login: marymostholy

Time: January 31

We’re declaring the Feast of St. John Bosco as a day to support our seminarians! A variety of activities are planned for schools and Faith Formation classes, including Zoom calls with seminarians and special postcards kids can color and mail.

Link to Coloring Postcard

Link to Greeting Card for Seminarians

Time: During the school year

Just as we counsel teens on choosing a career path, we should offer support as they think about their vocations. The Learn to Discern workbook has excellent readings, discussion questions, and assignments. The diocese is inviting all Confirmation students to complete the booklet before receiving the sacrament.

Link to Learn to Discern workbook

Time: early May

Parishes are asked to consider giving all second-grade students a special book that has a vocation theme. The book planned for 2023 is The Unsolvable Problem, by Mother Clare Matthiass, CFR. It’s a beautifully illustrated, delightful true story that teaches kids about religious life with humor, verve, and imagination. 

Link to The Unsolvable Problem

Dates: October 2-6

The Newman Center at UNK and Chadron hold a retreat each year that is very well-attended by students, and include spiritual directors from various dioceses and religious orders. The theme is encountering Jesus and learning ways to discern one’s direction in life.

Register Online

Date: TBA in November 2022

Visiting a seminary is one of the best ways to “demystify” the priesthood for teens. When they visit, young men participate in prayer, talks, sports, and meals with seminarians. Likewise, when teen girls visit the School Sisters of Christ the King, they learn about convent life and the vital mission of the sisters. They pray together, share meals, and get to talk with real sisters who share about their lives.  Open to all high school juniors, from both Catholic schools and public schools.

Times: Spring 2023, dates TBA

Bishop Hanefeldt and Vocation Director Fr. Neal Hock are planning special dinners at our two Newman Centers. Our priests are invited to join young people for a night focused on vocations, including prayer, dinner, and sharing vocations stories.

Times: Fall and Spring Semesters, dates TBA

Discerning one’s vocation isn’t just a “me and God” process—it’s best done with the help of other like-minded companions. Our hope is to begin special men’s and women’s discernment groups at both UNK and Chadron Newman Center.