Vocation and Discernment: Where Deep Gladness Meets Deep Human Need

It is the Mission of St. Michael’s College to contribute through higher education to the enhancement of the human person and the advancement of human culture in light of the Catholic faith.

In the earlier reflections, we explored the mission of Saint Michael’s College through the lenses of the enhancement of the human person, the advancement of human culture, and the unifying light of the Catholic faith as an intellectual tradition. At the center of these commitments stands a word that can sometimes be misunderstood but remains essential to the College’s mission: vocation.

Frederick Buechner offers a definition that helps clarify its meaning: vocation is the place where a person’s deep gladness meets the world’s deep hunger (Wishful Thinking:  A Theological ABC, 1973). In this sense, vocation is not simply a career choice. It is a lifelong process of discernment in which gifts, passions, and values gradually align with the real needs of others and our common home together in the world.

For students especially, vocation can easily be confused with choosing a major or securing a first job. Those decisions matter, but discernment asks deeper questions. What draws me? What gives me a sense of purpose? Where do I see need in the world that calls forth a response from me? Vocation grows over time as people begin to recognize that what brings them life can also become a way of serving others.

We see this pattern clearly in the lives of Saint Michael’s alumni.

Matthew Lopez ’93 (Saint Michael’s College) relates that he discovered his vocation in Fire and Rescue. What began as involvement during his college years became, in his own words, “a passion, a calling, a vocation.” His deep gladness was an inner drive to serve and to be present in moments of urgency. The world’s hunger was immediate and concrete: people in crisis who needed help, protection, and care. Over time, that gladness and need came together in a life-saving profession that eventually led him to become a fire battalion chief.

Thato G. Ratsebe ’05, M’08 (Saint Michael’s College) speaks directly of service itself as vocation. Shaped by formative experiences and mentors during her time at Saint Michael’s, she found her gladness in working with people and building community. The hunger she encountered was the reality faced by refugees and immigrants resettling in Vermont. Her work helping people navigate displacement, belonging, and new beginnings became a lasting expression of vocation.

Sean Morrissey ‘16 found his path through service in the U.S. Coast Guard (Saint Michael’s College). He speaks of “discerning the call to serve” and of a persistent pull toward that commitment. The need he met was again direct and urgent: responding to distress calls, including fishermen in danger in heavy seas. His story reflects the steady movement from an inner summons to serve toward the protection of life and safety in moments of crisis.

Kara Lee Ruotolo ’95 (Saint Michael’s College) found her path in supporting the emotional and mental well-being of young people. She describes her nonprofit work in schools as a “dream job,” tracing its roots to an early experience at Saint Michael’s that sparked an interest in mindfulness and reflection. The need she serves is one that many students and teachers feel deeply: stress, anxiety, and the struggle to find balance and focus. Her vocation grew from a personal draw toward contemplative practice into a sustained effort to support resilience and learning in school communities.

These stories remind us that discernment is not a single decision made at age 18 or 20. It unfolds through experiences, relationships, and reflection. Often it begins with a small step: volunteering, joining a program, responding to an invitation, or discovering a talent. Over time, what once seemed like an interest becomes a direction, and a direction becomes a life.

At Saint Michael’s, the language of vocation stands at the center of the mission because it connects everything else. The enhancement of the human person involves helping students recognize their gifts and grow into maturity. The advancement of human culture calls them to use those gifts in ways that strengthen communities and address real human needs. And in the light of the Catholic faith, discernment becomes a search for how one’s life can contribute to love, justice, and the common good.

Choosing a major is important. Preparing for a career is important. But vocation asks for something more lasting: Where does your deep gladness meet the world’s real hunger? That question does not end at graduation. It continues to shape a life of purpose.

If you would like to make a comment or ask a question, I can be reached at dtheroux@smcvt.edu. Let’s talk!