Today’s guest, Fr. Andrew Laguna, SJ, is a vocation promoter in the US West Jesuit Province. The term “vocation promoter” is probably one few of us have heard before — unless, of course, we’ve been discerning religious life. But the term and title go back to the earliest days of the Jesuits.

Early Jesuits were understandably concerned with growing the nascent Society of Jesus. One of those men was Fr. Jerome Nadal, one of Ignatius’ early companions and a key architect in the development of the Jesuit identity. From Fr. John O’Malley’s classic text, “The First Jesuits:”

“The Jesuits did not passively wait for young men to knock on their doors. By 1562, Nadal rather expected each community to have a promotor who would be especially charged with keeping his eyes open for likely candidates and guiding those who came seeking. He stressed that every Jesuit needed to do his part to see that ‘as many as possible of the very best’ entered the Society… Although Jesuits were to respect the freedom of the inquirer, Nadal provided a program of prayer, reading, conversation and reflection to be used to nurture a call if it was there. … In Nadal’s questionnaire and the autobiographical accounts that survive, Jesuits mentioned being attracted specifically to the Society over other orders by the Jesuits’ cheerfulness, refinement and graciousness.” (55)

There are a few points in O’Malley’s text that are particularly relevant to us today. First, Fr. Arturo Sosa, the superior general of the Society of Jesus, has challenged us all to build up a culture of vocation. What does that mean? Sure, more Jesuits invite more young men to join the Society. But it also means we all become more aware and appreciative of our own unique vocations.

Second, Pope Francis has often called on us to be joyful in the living out of our Christian vocation. Are we? Is “joy” a word people use to describe us in our daily lives?

As you listen to Fr. Laguna talk about the work of vocation promotion, reflect on his own vocation and share stories of Jesuit life, you’ll glimpse some of these points: a culture in which vocation is celebrated and joy is paramount.

You’ll quickly learn that the work of a vocation promoter is not the same as the work of a salesperson or recruiter. No – rather, a vocation promoter in 2022 is exactly that: Someone who helps people of all sorts discover who God has invited them to be.

If you would like to get in touch with a vocation promoter, head over to beajesuit.org.