God's Plans 4 You

"For I know well the plans I have down the road for you,

says the Lord, plans to take care of you, not to abandon you,

and plans to give you a future full of hope."  Jer. 29:11

Do you ever ask yourself:

Where am I going?  Where is God leading me?

What exactly are God's plans for my future?

How will I know what do do for the rest of my life?  

To discover God's plan, we must spend time in discernment.

In other words, we need to take some quiet time, reflect on our gifts and

our passions, see where we are needed in this world, and pray over it.

Discernment can help us find where God is calling us.

 

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Here are a few discernment opportunities

in your area for young adults like you.

  

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Chicago Area Nun Run

for single women ages 18-40

February 3-4, 2012

Visit and experience the houses of different

Religious Communities.

Click here for additional information and registration form.

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Called Series Evenings for Young Adults who want to listen closely to God's Call First evening to take place on Feb. 6, 2012, 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Cenacle Retreat Center 513 W. Fullerton Parkway Chicago, Illinois Please RSVP to Sr. Elyse Ramirez, O.P. at 312.534.5240 or CAVA@archchicago.org. Click here for flyer with more information.

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Discernment Series for Women and Men Considering Their Vocation Gathering once each month from September 2011 through June 2012. Sunday afternoons 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Lorretto Center in Wheaton, Illinois Presenters will be JAVA members For more information, click here for flyer.

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Franciscan Journey - Discernment Series for Young Adults Are you a single young adult who wants to explore where God is leading you to best serve and love? Learn about St. Francis of Assisi and Franciscan values with a companion or mentor at a pace best suited for you.  For more info, download this brochure about the series and/or contact Sr. Lovina Pammit, OSF, at (815) 464-3873 or email her at fsshvocations@aol.com.

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Men's Priesthood Discernment   Small Group Gatherings for young adults considering the priesthood Are you interested in the priesthood?  Do you want to talk with other young adults about the decision and the struggles?  If so, join us every other Sunday afternoon for some conversation and prayer, using the book To Save a Thousand Souls by Fr. Brett Brannan. Discernment Group Dates: Feb. 13, 20, & 27;March 13, 20, & 27; April 3 & 10; May 15 All the above gatherings take place at the Pope John Paul II Discernment House, 430 N. Center Street, Joliet, Illinois, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. For more details, contact Fr. Burke Masters in the Diocese of Joliet Vocations Office by calling (815) 834-4070 or email frburke23@aol.com.

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Looking for some resources and help with deciding if priesthood or

religious life is right for you?  Check out www.foryourvocation.org,

a new website sponsored by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The site includes information on various religious vocations, blogs,

articles on the state of religious life today, links to more resources,

updates on upcoming events, videos, service opportunities, and more.

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With so many options, it's not easy to discern the best path to live out your Christian calling.  Vocation Match was designed to narrow your search.  You'll be asked a series of questions that will help you gain insight into your vocation and match you with compatible religious organizations.  You may go through the Match, receive your results, and remain in complete control of who, if anyone, is sent your profile. It's easy, free, and immediate!  Click here to try it now!

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The Pathways 2 Ministry Toolkit

A Guide to Discovering Your Path into Church Leadership

The national organizations that work with youth, college students,

and young adults have collaborated on a special project, in partnership

with the Washington Theological Union (WTU) in Washington DC, to

create a website designed for young people considering a life of

service to the Catholic Church - as active lay Catholics, a lay ecclesial

minister, a priest, a deacon, or a religious brother or sister. 

Check out the resources at this great website, with portals for

young adults, parents of discerners, and church congregations:

www.pathways2ministry.org

The website provides tools for people to learn more about the

life of service in the Church - its struggles and joys - and ways

to take the next step on whatever pathway God has laid out.

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Spiritual Direction Opportunities

walking with another on our journey

Spiritual Direction (also known as "Spiritual Companioning") is a practice

where one person seeks out another to share his or her lived experience,

and in the process, finds direction for their life. 

Trained spiritual directors and companions support you in talking about

your life, prayer, and relationship with God; listening to your heart's

desires and the voice of God in your life experiences; finding answers

within to the deep questions you may ask; and discerning direction

for your life that is in harmony with God's dream for you. 

(Spiritual Direction is not counseling, rather a process to integrate your

relationship with God into your daily life and your plans for the future)

If you would like more information on finding a Spiritual Director:

If you are looking for a spiritual director who works with young adults

that are in their 20s and 30s, contact Charis Young Adult Ministries in

Chicago at (773) 508-3237 or spiritualdirection@charisministries.org.

If you are looking for a spiritual director in the DuPage County area, contact

Mayslake Ministries at (630) 323-1620 to set up an introductory meeting.

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Discernment Resources

	Gettng a Life: How to Find Your True Vocation (by Renee M. LaReau, Orbis Books, 2003) looks at our calling in work and in love, and what God might be asking us to do with our life. Renee LaReau is a young adult who chronicles her own journey to discovering her calling, and challeges readers to look at their lives and to do the same discernment.

More discernment resources will be added soon.

Thank you for your patience.

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For more questions or concerns about discerning God's plans

for your life, feel free to contact Paul Jarzembowski in the Young Adult

Ministry office of the Diocese of Joliet by calling (815) 834-4047

or by emailing him at pjarzembowski@dioceseofjoliet.org.

Click here to return to the Young Adult Ministry main page.