Vocation in Action
Everyone has a vocation.
In fact, everyone likely has many vocations.
– John Neafsey, author of A Sacred Voice Is Calling
Produced by the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, Jesuit Vocations, and the Office of Ignatian Spirituality.
Swimming with God
Cristo Rey Schools have a singular mission: provide college preparatory education in the Catholic tradition for students with limited economic resource. Br. Matt Wooters, SJ, believes passionately in that mission — so much so that he swam eight miles in Lake Michigan in August 2021 to raise money in support of it.
We spoke with Br. Matt about his faith, his swim, and his vocation as a Jesuit brother. We asked him how he decided to become a Jesuit, and how he is living out his vocation now.
“For me, a vocation is somewhere between your gifts and talents and how do you want to love the world,” Br. Matt told us.
I love the parable of Jesus feeding the 5,000. Some little boy had some sad, old fish and stale bread and was like, “I don’t know. This is what I’ve got.” And Jesus was like, “Great. Thanks! Let me take it, and bless it, and multiply it.” I think that’s something we can each do. What’s our sad, stale fish? What’s our gross, old bread? This is what I’ve got. These are my gifts. But can we offer them freely and let the Lord do the Lord’s work?
Br. Matt set out to raise $25,000 for Cristo Rey Schools. By the end of his swim, he had raised $29,453.92.
That is how Br. Matt lived his vocation in Summer 2021. His vocation story is still unfolding — and so is yours.
Scroll down to find tools to discern how God is calling you.
Resources for Discerning Your Vocation(s)
Ready to discern your vocation?
You can go on retreat right now to hear God’s invitation in your life. How? Listen to this podcast.
Watch “Vocational Discernment,” a CLA workshop with John Neafsey, author of A Sacred Voice is Calling.
“The art of discernment is about cooperating with what draws us closer to God and to each other, and working against what is pulling us the other way.”
– Margaret Silf, author of Inner Compass (watch Margaret Silf’s CLA workshop presentation on discernment here)
In this series of short videos, Fr. Michael Rossman, SJ, walks us through how we might use St. Ignatius’s spiritual tools in our own lives to make the decisions we’re facing today.
Read “Be Who You Is,” an article by Fr. James Martin, SJ, published in Santa Clara Magazine.
Let Your Life Speak, by Parker Palmer
Check out these additional resources from IgnatianSpirituality.com.
“How do you want to love the world?”
– Br. Matt Wooters, SJ
This video was a collaboration between the Office of Ignatian Spirituality and Jesuit Vocations/Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. Special thanks to Br. Matt Wooters, SJ, and the Midwest Jesuits.