RSVP Vocations Support John Lopez

Supreme Vocations Objectives Objectives: Awareness, Climate, Motivation Awareness: 1. Awareness: The aim is to explain the meaning of different vocations, underline the Church’s urgent need, and encourage people – young people in particular – to hear what God is asking of them. 2. Climate: This means being aware – and working to make others aware – of the social, cultural, and religious spirit of the times and how it impacts – for good and for ill – people’s readiness to heed and answer God’s call. 3. Motivation: The intent is to move people to respond positively to God’s call by entering seminaries and novitiates, if this is what God is asking of them, and to persevere in the program of formation for the priesthood or religious life after having done so.

State Vocations Chairman The primary responsibility of the state vocations chairman is to ensure the proper and complete implementation of RSVP. Chairman make contact with each vocations director or directors of the diocese or dioceses in his jurisdiction and develop a good working relationship. In particular, the chairman should make sure that every diocesan seminarian and religious novice in his jurisdiction is included in RSVP.

Responsibility of the Council/Assembly/Circle Chairman The primary responsibility of the council, assembly, or circle vocations chairman is to ensure the proper and complete implementation of the RSVP program at the local level. He should work with the state vocations chairman to ensure that every seminarian sponsored by the diocese or dioceses, and every religious novice in his jurisdiction is included in RSVP.

Guidelines ELIGIBILITY Seminarians who have been accepted by a diocese and are currently in their spirituality year Seminarians attending major seminary in preparation for priestly ordination Seminarians in their pastoral year Seminarians attending minor seminaries Seminarians who belong to a religious institute and are currently in formation for the priesthood ( religious seminarians are often called “Brother” even though they will eventually be ordained as priests) Men and women who are novices or postulants in religious orders or religious communities

Supreme Supports you when you support Seminarians The RSVP Program returns $100 for each Seminarian (or Religious) that Councils, Assemblies support at the $500 level. Maximum refund a Council or Assembly can receive is $400 Columbian Squires circles contribution per seminarian is a minimum of $100 and eligible refund is $20 Form is on line

Action Steps Review RSVP guidelines and eligibility requirements After a candidate's name and address is secured, set up a planning meeting to determine: The Amount of Money to be raised How the relationship will be managed RSVP assistance also involves prayer and moral support.  Make at least one personal visit to each sponsored seminarian, or postulant. Encourage members and their families to keep the seminarian or postulant in their prayers. Send communications throughout the year – e.g., birthday, Christmas and Easter greetings. Invite them to all council activities. Include them in mailing of newsletter or other communications

Support materials In addition to supporting seminarians and postulants through RSVP, councils, assemblies and circles are encouraged to conduct programs and activities that promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life. The following vocations materials are available from the Supreme Council Vocations Prayer Card Item # 1874 Vocations Poster (11 by 17 inches) Item #2959 Parish Priest: Father McGivney and American Catholicism Item #40095 Everyone Has a Vocation to Love. What's Yours? – DVD Item #50046 To order audiovisual productions, please contact the Supreme Council Department of Fraternal Mission or order online.

Denver This last year Councils Supported over 60 Seminarians and Religious Associated with the Denver Diocese 90% Seminarians from Denver Diocese had Council, Assembly and Squire Support Note: If you were supporting a seminarian and stop please inform the Vocations Chairman so that I can get another council to support them. If I don’t hear from you, I assume you are still supporting.

Colorado Springs Councils Supported 10 Seminarians All Seminarians were supported for 2017-2018 Fraternal Year.

Pueblo Supported 2 Seminarians All Seminarians received support for 2017-2018 Fraternal Year I need a Knight from the Diocese Pueblo to act as Liaison to the Diocese.

New New New We expect to get the information on new Seminarians about Mid September. Futurepriest.com has been rebuilt. Can search by: Diocese, Seminary Council Also List Religious.

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Vocations Scholarships Father Michael J. McGivney Vocations Scholarships Bishop Thomas V. Daily Vocations Scholarships Two vocations scholarship programs, Father Michael J. McGivney Vocations Scholarships (based on need) and Bishop and Thomas V. Daily Vocations Scholarships (based on merit and academic excellence), provide scholarships to seminarians during their first four years of theological studies. Each grant of $2,500 for tuition, room and board is renewable up to a maximum of four years upon evidence of continued enrollment and eligibility.

Thank You To all the Councils, Assemblies and Squire Circles that Supported our Seminarians and Postulants for 2017- 2018 Fraternal Year. A Special Thank You to those Colorado State Ladies Auxiliaries whom supported Seminarians this fraternal year.