From the desk of Sr. Elyse Marie

Looking over the minutes of the CAVA standing committee meetings which come into the office is inspiring. More than recordings of meetings, they witness an enthusiasm, generosity of time, heart, and resources. They exemplify the genuine commitment each of these members has for building a vocation culture in the Church. In Philippians 4:9 we hear, "Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you." These words come alive when I am with the Sisters, Brothers, Priests and lay women and men, gathered for collaborative vocation ministry. Having learned and received and heard and seen the face, mercy, and compassion of God by virtue of their consecrated lives, there is a desire to announce the possibility of this life, this call for others. Indeed there is a peace surpassing understanding accompanying all of us who gather with this shared commitment.  

                Thanks to each of you who braved the traffic, re-arranged your calendars, and generously spared your time and energy to join these first meetings of our CAVA standing committees. Whether you were physically present, Skyped in, or on conference call, your participation and help is priceless.   You serve as catalysts when the days get long and the nights seem short. Indeed for each one in this ministry there is and will always be peace when we keep on doing what we have learned and received and heard in the God who calls and sustains us. This is what attracts vocations to consecrated life. It is the genuine witness of a life so lived that sparks an interest in all who want to say "yes" to the God who calls.

Social Networking & Vocation Ministry-Sharing Resources

     Each year the J.S. Paluch Company sponsors a collaborative Vocation Seminar to promote vocation awareness and to assist diocesan and religious vocation directors in their ministry. At this year's seminar Ms. Kim Cavallero, Board Chair of the National Communicators Network for Women Religious, NCNWR, was among those who offered presentations with invaluable information about the potential social networking has for effective vocation ministry and how to best use it. Seminar participants were given permission to share this information and resources with our constituents. You will find these invaluable as you determine how and what to work with in the world of Social Media and Video Conferencing. These priceless resources can be found (accessed with Username: vocationscava and Password: avemarie) at Web Committee Resources on the Advertising & Web Committee's Resource page. We hope you will find these useful not only for yourself but also for the members of your congregations.

CAVA web Membership page  

Username: vocationscava

 Password: avemarie

CAVA Standing Committees News 

Username: vocationscava

Password: avemarie

The Advertising & Web Committee spent the summer designing ways for the website www.VocationsCAVA.org to be helpful for members participating in committee work. Now available on the Members tab under CAVA Committees (accessed with Username: vocationscava and Password: avemarie) is a new Committee Central page. Here you will locate meeting minutes, frequently updated event details, and resources appropriate to each committee's work. We hope you make this page your personal favorite! Join us at our next meeting Wednesday, October 12, 2011, 1:00-3:00 p.m., Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart, 9201 W. St. Francis Road, Frankfort, IL 60423. (Right after the NRVC Region VII meeting.)

      Be sure to check the side calendar for our Called Series Evenings of Discernment for the 2011-2012 academic year. This year presence at the evenings is not limited to the 3-member team assigned to that date. Campus Ministry/Young Adult Committee members are invited to be both witness and mentor to the young adultsby being present as a silent prayer support in the chapel. After the first hour, they will be invited to join the young adults for discussion and refreshments. Click here for time and location information.  You will also find the schedule for the 2011-2012 Busy Person Retreats on the side calendar.  If you would like to take part in these retreats but hesitate because of being unfamiliar with the program, Br. Jim will stay after our next meeting to answer questions and help you decide if you will participate.  We invite you to join us at our next meetingThursday, November 3rd, 2011, 10:00 a.m. to noon at CTU, 5401 S. Cornell Ave (original building) Chicago, IL 60615.  We welcome your innovation and energy.

       The CAVA Latina Committee is privileged to be invited to lead a rosary in Spanish Saturday, October 15, 4:00-5:30 p.m. as prayer support to the young adults gathering for a Jornadas Growth Retreat. If you would like to join us, send an e-mail to cava@archchicago.org for more information.  We are taking on the ambitious task of developing a discernment retreat program using the goals:  to seek, to illuminate, and to act (from the Aparecida document, 5th General Conference of the Episcopate of Latin America and the Caribbean, held in May 2007 in Aparecida, Brazil)as our guides. Please join us at our next meeting Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Viatorians - Province of Chicago, 1212 E Euclid, Arlington Heights, IL 60194.

Thanks, Thanks, and Thanks Again

CAVA's mission is strengthened and supported by many community and national organizations support and collaboration. In particular this month, we express our appreciation to the J.S. Paluch Company, the Serrans, and Loyola University, Chicago.

Incredibly, for the last twenty-five years the J.S. Paluch Company through the Paluch Family Foundation has been promoting three areas of the Catholic Church: Liturgy, Stewardship and Vocations.  CAVA has many times over been the recipient of the foundation's generosity. In the above article, "Social Networking & Vocation Ministry-Sharing Resources", you too share in this generosity by accessing the incredible resources for understanding how to use Social Media distributed at the 2011 annual Paluch Vocations Seminar. If this in itself was not enough to be grateful, the J.S. Paluch Company recently transferred copyright permission for the former NCCV resource, "Splash" (English & Spanish) to CAVA. "Thank-you" seems insufficient in the face of such commitment and generosity. We hope everyone at Paluch will trust our promise of prayer for their prosperity and blessing.

A similar generous sharing of resources recently came to CAVA from The US Council of Serra International. Serra generously granted CAVA permission to reprint the resource Ten Questions Parents Often Ask About Vocations (another former NCCV resource) for our members to use for vocation awareness presentations. CAVA members, this resource is quite helpful as you address parental concerns about church vocations. If you would like a copy of this resource please contact the office. Thanks Serra!

When plans for presentations by Dr. Edward P. Hahnenberg, PhD., author of Awakening Vocation: A Theology of Christian Call (Liturgical Press 2010) were being made by Loyola University, they made the extra effort to invite CAVA members to both of the October events at no charge. Thank you for thinking of us Loyola.

Thank you and God bless each of you at J.S. Paluch Company, the Serrans, and Loyola University, Chicago. 

WYD Chicago Style

Many CAVA member congregations participated in World Youth Day Chicago Style on August 20 at Maryville. It was an energy-filled night meeting Catholic youth on fire with their faith. Close to 1,000 participants (youth, young adults and chaperones) and almost 200 volunteers prayed, sang and learned more together about our Catholic faith and being participating members of the Church.

One member, Sr. Juanita Ujcik, OSF, wrote a reflection on her experience for her congregation.   With her permission we share it with you.  

The 2011 World Youth Day Chicago Style, was quite an "experience!" Gathered at Maryville for 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. to coincide with WYD in Madrid, Spain, these young people offered to me a vision of what the Church could be, will be, and really already is in our day. Over a thousand young people ages 13-25.

These are Chicago youth, but not the ones that the media tells us about daily. These young people have God in their lives. They are devout, inquisitive, seeking, hopeful, open to the Spirit, and filled with life.

Due to the rain, we all moved inside the two large gyms. Indeed it was hot, crowded and loud. Room for moving about was basically non-existent and with seating for only a fraction of the gathered assembly, many just sat on the floor. For a breath of cool, fresh air, many of us were grabbing seconds outside. Yet I did not hear a single young person complain. They seemed to revel being with each other and focusing on their faith.

Sr. Jaye, our "Express Yourself with Art Guru," encouraged me to bring art materials so the youth could "do their own thing." I found a mandala coloring book at Borders' closing (bargains are my "thing").  Interestingly, art became a focus for us. Over 75 mandala designs were used. We had six or seven young men and women at our table at all times throughout the night. As space around our table became full, others began kneeling at our table eager to create their colorful designs! Picture that! We talked with them as they worked on their mandalas, discovering some were genuinely interested in religious life. We also experienced their generosity and thoughtfulness as many asked for items for siblings, and another young lady requested information for a friend who is wondering about priesthood.

Mass was at midnight. Bishop presided. The readings and petitions were in at least ten different languages! The music and singing were full of enthusiasm and the participation was just great. After Mass the group prayed for a miracle since they did not have enough lunches prepared.  Reminiscent of what happened centuries ago on a hill in Galilee, they shared what they had with each other and from what I could tell, there was enough. The dancing, singing, and sharing continued for several more hours.

I am grateful to my sisters who supported our congregation being a part of the night. To Sr. Jaye Nelson, my partner and "right hand" all night, Sr. Meg Guider who came to the "Midnight Mass," and to all of my sisters who prayed for the success of this WYD Chicago Style II, I owe my deep gratitude. Being present affirmed my trust of Providence holding the future. These young people offer a vision of Church with grace, generosity and much hope.