The discernment of a religious vocation for a young man or young woman is accompanied by prayer, questioning, and finally a decision. At some point the person tells his or her family of the choice to further prepare for the priesthood or religious life. In most cases, the person’s close family members have a sense of what he or she is leaning towards. Sometimes the decision catches some family members by surprise.
Arrange for the students to form in groups of six and develop a role play where the person with the vocation has just come home with the news that they have been accepted into the seminary or into a preparation program for a religious community. Here are some suggested characters, though some can be changed.
- The person with the vocation
- Mom
- Dad
- The person’s 20 year old sister
- The person’s 15 year old brother
- Grandma (or Grandpa)
- Non-Catholic Aunt or Uncle
After the groups have practiced their role plays, have them present them to the entire class.
As follow-up, have the students write a response to this question: “How would your family respond if you told them you were planning a religious vocation?”
