Religious communities have deep and diverse roots

Religious communities find unique and varied ways to celebrate their cultural and ethnic heritages.

Scientific wonder is God’s handiwork

Loving God, loving neighbor, and loving science all fit together for these members of religious communities.

Respite and renewal brought to you by religious communities

If you’ve ever taken a retreat, thank a sister, brother, or priest. Catholic retreat centers around the world have largely been built and run by religious communities, who continue to offer these spaces for prayer, contemplation, and learning.

Religious orders aid and advocate for migrants

In the United States, attitudes toward migrants and refugees have varied widely, but one group has predictably been on the spot to offer aid, shelter, and spiritual solace: religious communities of men and women.

Rural religious take to the highways and byways

With nonurban areas in the United States making up 97 percent of the land but only 19 percent of its population, religious serving in rural ministries cover a lot of ground. Here’s a look at some of the ways sisters, brothers, and priests are making inroads in America’s backcountry. 

Divine design: The holiness of place

Where do you pray? Hopefully anywhere and everywhere! But it helps to have special places set aside from the distractions of everyday life to get into a prayerful state. 

More prayer spaces of religious communities

VISION received many wonderful photo submissions of prayer spaces from religious communities. Here are more that were not featured in the print and digital editions of the 2018 VISION Vocation Guide.

Word as witness to the Word

Song and verse are among the oldest ways of praising God, and the impulse to be generative is one of the main components of a call to religious life, so it’s not surprising that poets are part of the vast array of creative religious.

Lives that lead to God: Biographies and memoirs

Find out what's new and interesting in the vocation-related books.

More poems by religious

VISION received many wonderful submissions of poetry by published religious poets for the 2018 VISION Spotlight. Here are more in our online extra.

Vocation takes cultivation

Like plants, people, too, need to germinate in the right environment before they bloom. One monastic sister learned this lesson from tending her garden. Other religious learn similar lessons by their nurture of nature. 

More gardens of religious communities

VISION received many wonderful photo submissions of gardens from religious communities. Here are more that were not featured in the print and digital editions of the 2017 VISION Vocation Guide.

Contemplate the cross

The central image of Christianity receives unique expression within religious communities.

More crosses of religious communities

VISION received many photo submissions of crosses from religious communities. Here are more that were not featured in the print and digital editions of the 2016 VISION Vocation Guide.

Nourishing body and soul

How the ways of monastic life show up in the kitchen.

The writing life of sisters, brothers, and priests

For writers in religious life, putting pen to paper is their way to give witness to the Word.

Women of Spirit

Since the arrival of a small group of sisters in New Orleans almost 300 years ago, Catholic women religious have educated, cared for, and served millions of Americans. A recent traveling exhibit tells their story.

Created in community

Inspired images

Members of religious communities connect beauty and the sacred—and their religious vocation with their art.

More inspired images

VISION received many items about the art of members of religious communities. Here is the art and artists who were not featured in print and digital editions of the 2011 Catholic Religious Vocation Discernment Guide, as well as more about the artists whose work appears on page 136 of the magazine.

More about the artists . . . .

More about the artists whose work appears in "Inspired images" and on page 136 of the 2011 edition of the VISION Catholic Religious Vocaton Discerment Guide.

Help is at hand: Guidebooks on the way to religious life

VISION ASKED VOCATION MINISTERS in the U.S. and Canada to recommend some of the best books on life as a priest, religious sister, or religious brother. What follows is a list of some of the good reading they recommend.

Workers in the virtual vineyard

Communications and technology are advancing at an incredible rate. Members of Catholic religious orders—as the following stories show—are keeping pace.