More and more references in the news point out the increasing costs of education and the rise in educational debt. But we don’t always connect this to an extremely practical obstacle which delays or even prevents young discerners from accepting God’s call. Boston College’s 2014 vocation study noted that over 33% of serious discerners to the priesthood have more than $30,000 in educational debt. The Labouré Society reports that its average discerner has more than $60,000 in educational debt.

 

Dioceses and religious orders are not able to assume this debt. In many cases, the debt is so high, it cannot be resolved by asking family and a few friends to chip in. Debt is a serious obstacle for many young discerners, not just to accepting God’s call, but even to considering it.

 

What can we do as promoters of vocations? First, in a radical gesture of support for vocations, some Catholic institutions actually forgive the educational debt for their alumni who pursue a vocation either to ordination or solemn profession. If we work for or have any influence with Catholic institutions, we should initiate conversations about making it possible to adopt this policy. It is also worth considering ways to support Catholic institutions financially and through prayer to enable them to forgive debt and thereby support vocations.

 

Second, we can explore, pray for, and consider giving financial support to key organizations which give direct financial assistance to discerners. These organizations include the Labouré Society, the Mater Ecclesiae Fund for Vocations, and the National Fund for Catholic Religious Vocations. 

 

Third, we can also consider starting something similar, but smaller and more local, in our own dioceses or parishes. We can work with parishioners to pray for discerners and keep a fund or scholarship, perhaps dedicated to a saint particularly important for the diocese or parish.

 

Finally, if we have practical influence with young people, we can try to help them navigate their educational and early work experiences to minimize debt and maximize paying it off as soon as possible. Great debt can limit the young and newly married, just as it limits those hearing a call to priestly or religious life. If we help free them practically from the obligations of debt, we will be promoting all vocations in an immensely practical way.