vocatio, from vocare, “to call”
Vocation
God's call to a particular way of life — priesthood, religious life, marriage or single life — within the universal call of every baptized person to holiness; “praying for vocations” usually means for priests and religious.
a calling
Every Christian has a vocation: the Catechism speaks of the vocation of humanity to show forth the image of God, and of the universal call to holiness. Within that, God calls each person to a state of life — to marriage, to the priesthood, to consecrated life as a monk, nun, brother or sister, or to a dedicated single life — and to particular work and service. In everyday Catholic speech, “vocations” (plural) almost always means vocations to the priesthood and religious life, which is why parishes pray for them. Discernment is the name for the prayerful process of discovering one's own.
Councils
Where the Church settled or debated this. Follow a council to read our article on it, or the decrees themselves.
- 1962–1965Second Vatican Councilthe decrees
Sources checked 29 September 2026