Discernment Resources

Free Vocation Resources

The Diocese of La Crosse Vocation Office is happy to provide posters, prayer cards, DVDs, books, and more at no charge.

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Discernment Websites

Suggested websites to help in your discernment process.

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Church Documents on the Priesthood, Consecrated Life, Vocations and Related Subjects
Arranged chronologically (most recent document first) within each category.

Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II

OTHER POPES

Congregations

CONGREGATIONS

CB = Congregation for Bishops
CC = Congregation for Clergy
CCE = Congregation for Catholic Education
CDF = Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
CDWDS = Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
CEP = Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
CICLSAL = Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic  Life (formerly SCR and SCRIS, see below)
COC = Congregation for the Oriental Churches
SCR = Sacred Congregation for Religious
SCRIS = Sacred Congregation for Religious and for Secular Institutes

 

Pontifical Councils

PONTIFICAL COUNCILS

PCF = Pontifical Council for the Family
PCILT = Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts
PCL = Pontifical Council for the Laity

OTHER

Recommended Books

Is Jesus Christ Calling You To Be A Catholic Priest?
By NCDVD (Contact Fr. Hirsch for a Copy)

To Save a Thousand Souls : A Guide for Discerning a Vocation to Diocesan Priesthood
By Fr. Brett A Brannen(Contact Fr. Hirsch for a Copy)

Priests for the Third Millennium
By Archbishop Timothy Dolan

Reclaiming Our Priestly Character
By Fr. David Toups

Holy Boldness: The Spirituality of a Diocesan Priestt
By Fr. Jack Spaulding

Radical Surrender Letters to Seminarians
By Fr. Michael Najim

The Cure of Ars
By Fr. Bartholomew O’Brien

The Priest Is Not His Own
By Fulton Sheen

Those Mysterious Priests
By Fulton Sheen

Men of Brave Heart: The Virtue of Courage in the Priestly Life
By Archbishop Jose H. Gomez

Priesthood in Action

The Grunt Padre:Vietnam 1966-1967 Fr. Vincent Robert Capodanno
By Daniel Mode

The Miracle of Hope: Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan; Political Prisoner, Prophet Of Peace

Five Loaves and Two Fish
by Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan

Testimony of Hope: Spiritual Exercises of John Paul II
by Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, Julia Mary Darrenkamp and Anne Eileen Heffernan

With God in Russia by Walter J. Ciszek and Daniel L. Flaherty

He Leadeth Me
by Walter J. Ciszek and Daniel L. Flaherty

Discernment

What Does God Want?: A Practical Guide to Making Decisions
By Michael Scanlan with James Manney
The Examen Prayer: Ignatian Wisdom for Our Lives Today
By Timothy M. Gallagher OMV
Spiritual Consolation: An Ignatian Guide for Greater Discernment
By Timothy M. Gallagher OMV
Meditation and Contemplation: An Ignatian Guide to Prayer with Scripture
By Timothy M. Gallagher OMV
Discerning the Will of God: An Ignatian Guide to Christian Decision Making
By Timothy M. Gallagher OMV

Achieving Chastity in A Pornographic World
By Rev. T. G. Morrow

Boys To Men: The Transforming Power of Virtue
By Tim Gray and Curtis Martin

Spiritual Classics

Introduction to the Devout Life
By St. Francis de Sales

Soul of the Apostolate
By Dom Chautard, OCSO

Dark Night of the Soul
By St. John of the Cross

Spiritual Combat
By Lorenzo Scupoli

Spiritual Combat Revisited
By Fr. Jonathan Robinson

Interior Castle
By St. Teresa of Avila

Way of Perfection
By St. Teresa of Avila

Imitation of Christ
By Thomas a Kempis

City of God
By St. Augustine

The Confessions
By St. Augustine

The Dialogues of St. Catherine of Sienna

Mere Christianity
By C.S. Lewis

Screwtape Letters
By C.S. Lewis

The Cost of Discipleship
By Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Abandonment to Divine Providence
By Jean-Pierre de Caussade

Holiness in Action

Mother Teresa: Come By My Light
By Kolodiejchuk, MC

Mother Teresa’s Secret Fire
By Joseph Langford, MC

John Paul II Book of Saints

Further Recommendations

Gift and Mystery: On the Fiftieth Anniversary of My Priestly Ordination
By Blessed John Paul II

A Priest Forever
By Benedict J. Groeschel

The Shadow of His Wings: The True Story of Fr. Gereon Goldmann, OFM
by Fr. Gereon Goldmann, OFM

The Scarlet and the Black: The True Story of Monsignor Hugh O Flaherty, Hero of the Vatican Underground
by J.P. Gallagher