First Poster Highlighting Women’s Vocations Accompanies Seminarian Poster

Story by Shelley Wolf

If you take a look around your parish or Catholic school, you may notice two large new posters pinned to the bulletin board or placed on easels, putting a spotlight on vocations. And if you do a double take, that’s to be expected.

This year, to double its efforts highlighting vocations, the Archdiocese of Hartford is publishing two vocation posters: one for men discerning a call to the priesthood and one for women who are exploring a call to consecrated religious life.

In a first, the Office of Vocations has partnered with the Delegate for Religious to publish a poster of women aspiring to the religious life, in addition to the annual seminarian poster.

“I’m happy with the joint effort. I think it’s a step forward in the complimentary nature of our two offices,” says Sister Barbara Mullen, delegate for Religious for the archdiocese and a sister of St. Joseph of Chambéry.

A total of 520 posters, 260 of each, were printed in early December. Two of each were delivered last month to Catholic parishes, elementary schools, high schools, colleges and religious communities.

The idea for the women’s poster was forwarded by administrative assistant Maura Dooley of the Office of Vocations, who attended the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors last summer and heard a panel discussion about promoting women’s vocations on a poster alongside the men’s poster.

“Maura thought it was a great idea and told me about it,” says Father Anthony Federico, director of Vocations. “I brought it to Sister Barbara and she was on board as well, and Sister Barbara designed it herself.”

To start the process for the women’s poster, Sister Barbara reached out to the religious orders. “I contacted all the orders in the archdiocese and asked if they had any women in stages of formation,” she says, “from postulants through novices, and including temporary professed.”

Five different communities forwarded 28 names along with their photos. Sister Barbara published first names only to protect the privacy of the discerners, who are free to drop out at any time. The men’s poster, which includes the names and photos of 11 seminarians, was already in progress.

Now, Sister Barbara is hoping that parishioners throughout the archdiocese will pray for the discerners, providing prayerful support.

“Both Father Federico and I are hoping the first thing to come out of this is prayer, that people will understand that we have men and women who are searching,” she says. “We have all these men and women who are in the process of discovery.

“I hope they feel the wealth of prayer coming back to them, by name perhaps,” Sister Barbara says, “as people read the posters and call out a name.”

In another first, this is the first time that either vocation poster has been sent to any Catholic schools. Sister Barbara credits Father Federico for suggesting it. “In schools, the posters will let young men and women know this could be a viable option in life,” she says. “In reality, most people don’t think about it.”

At 2-feet-by-3 feet, both posters are much larger than the seminarian poster of past years. “With everything the Lord is doing in the Archdiocese, we thought it was the right time to make it bigger,” Father Federico says. “I hope parishes and schools will display the posters prominently.”

For more information on vocations, contact the Office of Vocations via email at vocations@aohct.org or call 860.761.7456. For more information about different forms of professed religious life, contact Sister Barbara Mullen at sr.mullen@aohct.org or call 860.242.5573 ext. 7492.