Vocation Ministry and the importance of Prayer for Vocations
What is Vocation Ministry?
Vocation Ministry (VM) is a group of disciples from our family of parishes who have joined together on a mission to promote, encourage, and appreciate all vocations. Their focus is to pray for and support vocations to the priesthood, consecrated life, sacramental marriage, and holy single life.
Vocation Ministry members understand the importance of praying for Vocations. Prayer provides a strong foundation for our Ministry. Through our prayers, and the prayers of the faithful, we ask God to lead all aspects of our Ministry. If we can truly surrender to God and allow Him to lead, the fruits of our labor will be great.
A few of the activities VM has sponsored within our parishes include: holding a monthly Holy Hour for Vocations the 2nd Tuesday of each month at St. Patricks in Battle Creek, transporting our youth/other parish members to Priestly Ordination in Omaha, hosting the Marriage Celebration, providing testimony and discernment gatherings for our youth and college students, preparing the vocation cards that we pray together each weekend at Mass.
Vocation Ministry and the Priesthood
Vocation Ministry (VM) members love the Holy Eucharist and want to do all that they can to ensure that their children and grandchildren are always able to receive Jesus. For this, we need priests. Without priests, we have no Eucharist. VM appreciates and supports our priests, seminarians, and deacons through prayer, letters of encouragement, and kind gestures throughout the year.
If you have a love for the Eucharist and Priesthood and think that God may be calling you to be a part of Vocation Ministry, please text Be Rudloff at (402) 360-0365 and she will return a call to you. We are always looking for passionate people to join us on mission, even if you can only attend one parish event or help with one event. We are grateful for any/all support. Since Vocation Ministry serves all parishes, it would be helpful to have 1-2 individuals from each parish on our team to share ideas on behalf of their parish. We encourage all Heart of Jesus Parish members, High School age students through adulthood, to consider whether this might be you.
Consecrated Life (Sisters, Nuns, Brothers & Monks)
Vocation Ministry members appreciate those who have followed God’s call to the consecrated life. They pray for the salvation of the world and work in a wide variety of service to others including education, health care, social work, and spreading the Catholic faith, either as missionaries or through their daily work. In impoverished areas in the United States, such as inner cities, active religious may live among the people, teaching basic literacy skills, life skills and job skills. They may conduct programs to help the poor or homeless, or work in homes for disadvantaged children. Sisters and brothers who work as missionaries may work in countries plagued by famine, disease, civil war, or places where the Catholic faith has not yet been established.
Vocation Ministry appreciates all of the Sisters at Immaculata in Norfolk and the strong relationship that we have developed with them over the years. The Sisters have opened their home to adults and to the youth of our family of parishes for various activities. We are especially happy to see Sr. Laura Ann from Madison when we visit Immaculata. We are very proud of her for her “yes” to God and for her dedication to her calling. Please pray for all those who have answered God’s call to Consecrated Life and for all discerning Consecrated Life.
If you think God may be calling you to be a part of Vocation Ministry, please text Be Rudloff at (402) 360-0365 and she will return a call to you. We are always looking for passionate people to join us on mission, even if you can only attend one parish event or help with one event. We are grateful for any/all support. Since Vocation Ministry serves all parishes, it would be helpful to have 1-2 individuals from each parish on our team to share ideas on behalf of their parish. We encourage all Heart of Jesus Parish members, High School age students through adulthood, to consider whether this might be you.
Sacramental Marriage
Vocation Ministry disciples understand the importance of Sacramental Marriages if we want to raise holy, single youth and adults. We understand that all marriages need God as their center to raise future priests, sisters, monks, holy singles, and future holy sacramental marriages.
Our Marriage Celebration was held this past April. Married and engaged couples from all parishes within our family attended, enjoyed a lovely meal, excellent speaker, and fellowship with each other. Thank you to all of you who attended. Currently, our plans are to hold the Family of Parishes Marriage Celebration every other year. We look forward to seeing all of you again on Friday night, April. 17, 2026. Put a note on your calendar and bring another couple with you.
You do not need to be married to come to the Sacramental Marriage Celebration. All are welcome to come and celebrate Sacramental Marriages.
If you think that God may be calling you to be a part of Vocation Ministry, please text Be Rudloff (402) 360-0365 and she will return a call to you. We are always looking for passionate people to join us on mission, even if you can only attend one event or help with one event. We are grateful for any/all support. Since Vocation Ministry serves all parishes, it would be helpful to have 1-2 individuals from each parish on our team to share ideas on behalf of their parish. We encourage all Heart of Jesus Parish members, High School age students through adulthood, to consider whether this might be you.
Holy Single Life
Vocation Ministry members communicate with various parish groups to provide discernment nights/activities for the youth and college age students within our family of parishes to help them discern God’s will for their lives. VM has walked beside parish youth groups by providing prayer, meals, treats, games, testimony sharing, and encouragement.
A Discerning Life Well Retreat for college students was held at Immaculata Jan 31-Feb 2, 2025. Fr. Scott and Sr. Sarah Elizabeth led the event. Vocation Ministry walked beside this group by providing/serving a meal for attendees.
High school students from our family of parishes are invited to Immaculata each year for a Testimony Sharing Night. A Priest, Sister, Married Couple, and Single share testimony of their love for their Lord and for their Vocation. Vocation Ministry has walked beside this group by providing a meal, games, prayer, and Adoration.
St. Patrick’s Vocation Ministry sends care packages and letters to their college students to encourage them in their faith at the start of the school year, prior to Advent and prior to Lent.
If you think God may be calling you to be a part of this Ministry, please text Be Rudloff at (402) 360-0365 and she will return a call to you. We are always looking for passionate people to join us on mission, even if you can only attend one event or help with one event. We are grateful for any/all support. Since Vocation Ministry serves all parishes, it would be helpful to have 1-2 individuals from each parish on our team to share ideas on behalf of their parish. We encourage all Heart of Jesus Parish members, High School age students through adulthood, to consider whether this might be you.
Heart of Jesus Parishes Vocation Ministry
Invitation to Service
If you have a love for the Holy Eucharist and Sacraments shared via our priests, appreciate the prayers/work of our Sisters and those who enter consecrated life, Believe in the importance of Sacramental Marriages and the need to enrich marriage and family life, understand the need to encourage school age children through young adult life to live holy single lives, and want to know more about Heart of Jesus Vocation Ministry, please feel free to come to one of our gatherings listed below. We meet from 7-8 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall in Battle Creek. If you would like to know more, have questions, or wish to be a part of Vocation Ministry, we would be happy to have you join us, even if you can only attend one parish event or help with one event. Please text Be Rudloff at 402-360-0365 and she will return a call to you.
VOCATION MINISTRY SCHEDULE 2026
January 27, 2025
February 24, 2025
March 31, 2025
April 28, 2025
NO VM IN MAY, JUNE OR JULY
August 25, 2025
September 29, 2025
October 27, 2025
November 24, 2025
NO VM IN DECEMBER
**We are very grateful for Fr Pat’s support of Heart of Jesus Vocation Ministry and for the support we have received from all parishes.