National Office for Vocation

If you are looking to deepen your relationship with Christ, having the support from a discernment group and friendship with other young people who are discerning their vocation can give you the focus and direction you need.

Groups for men and women

COMPASS (Based in Sussex and Manchester and open to young adults from throughout the UK)
Compass is a residential programme for those who are discerning whether they are called to religious life. Participants commit to attending one weekend per month for an academic year (plus Holy Week). Over the course of the year, the variety of religious orders and the meaning of the vows are explored. Prayer and times of silence are an integral part of the programme, and those taking part all receive regular individual spiritual guidance.

There are currently two Compass groups in England, based at Worth Abbey in Sussex and at Katherine House in Manchester. Both groups are for Catholics aged between 20 and 35.

For more information: www.compass-points.org.uk    Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Quo Vadis (Shrewsbury Diocese)
This group is for young Catholic men and women aged 16-25 who are interested in living their faith. Each session will involve friendship, looking at some aspect of the faith, prayer, having a meal and (hopefully) pilgrimage. Meetings every six weeks.

For more information: http://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/vocations/shrewsbury-quo-vadis-group/quo-vadis-group
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Quo Vadis (Southwark Diocese)
Quo Vadis is a vocations group for young people who are still in full-time college or university education. The group meets about once a month for the celebration of Mass followed by a talk and a meal together. There are also several pilgrimages each year, which help to build up friendship between group members and enable them to think more deeply about Christian culture and identity.

For more information: www.southwarkvocations.com/Southwark_Vocations/Quo_Vadis_Group.html
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Vocations Discernment Group (Brentwood Diocese)
Run by Fr Dominic Howarth, Vocations Director for Brentwood Diocese, and Sr Anne Spilberg, an Ursuline Sister with long experience in discernment, this group is open to all those living in Brentwood Diocese (Essex and East London) aged 17 - 30, men and women, and will follow a format which includes a meal together, a time of quiet prayer, and a talk by a Priest or Religious sharing their vocational journey, with space for questions and for individual meetings with Fr Dominic or Sr Anne. Based in Brentwood, and meeting monthly, full details of this group are available from Fr Dominic, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Vocations Discernment Group (Westminster Diocese)
We have all been created by God for “some definite service”. The group is for young adults (18-30’s), men and women, who are actively discerning God’s calling for them in their lives, to discover what is that “definite service”. We come together for prayer with a talk and discussion followed by social time. We meet on the 4th Friday of every month from 7-9pm in the Hinsley Room in Morpeth Terrace, next to Westminster Cathedral.

27 April: “The Virtue of Obedience is essential in every Vocational State” Fr Matthew Blake OCD
25 May: “How to Communicate the Faith without raising your voice” - Mr Austen Ivereigh, Co-ordinator of ‘Catholic Voices’
22 June: “Discernment through Pilgrimage” - various speakers
We also hope to plan a summer pilgrimage - details to be announced!

For further information, please contact Fr Richard: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Sr Gabriela: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or visit www.free2become.org

Life choices (Liverpool)
The Life Choice programme is based on a personal and group discovery of the Word of God (Lectio Divina) and how attention to the Word always brings Life: inner transformation directing life steps and decision. Sometimes we cannot change any of the circumstances of our lives, but a ‘life choice’ opens ways of seeing, loving and being.

Life Choices Taster Evening: 24th September, 2012, 6 - 9 p.m. for 18-30 year olds. 

Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Samuel Groups
Samuel Groups are for single young adults (18-30s), who are wondering what God is calling them to do with their lives. The aim is to help participants discern their direction in life, whether this is to marriage or dedicated single life, to priesthood or consecrated life. It would also suit those who are making decisions about their career, or about spending time as a missionary or volunteer. 

Participants take time to listen to God and to His Word speaking to their life. They commit to attending monthly meetings with the group (within an academic year) and to meeting individually with a spiritual guide on a monthly basis. The principle aim of Samuel groups is that participants end the programme with a clearer view of God's call for their life.  
For more information about Samuel Groups: www.ukvocation.org/samuel

Samuel: London
The ‘Samuel London’ network consists of four Samuel groups in the Londonarea: North (Stamford Hill), Central (Gower Street, Euston), East (Bethnal Green / Chingford) and Central-West (Kensington).
http://www.rcdow.org.uk/youth/events/?event=1405          
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.       Facebook: Samuel Vocations

Samuel: Epsom, Surrey
www.st-josephs-epsom.org.uk/samuelGroup.php           Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Samuel: Cambridge
The Diocese of East Anglia is planning to run a new Samuel Group for single people in their 20s and 30s. It will meet in Cambridge, but is open to anyone from East Anglia.
Contact Fr. John Warrington   Tel. 01473 728115    Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Future Samuel groups
Anyone interested in joining a Samuel Group in these areas in the coming academic year please get in contact with the named contact
Sheffield: Sr. Anne Lee: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Leeds: Fr. Paul Grogan: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Plymouth: Fr. Ian Hellyer:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Groups for women

Alive in Christ: Women discerning God's call (Arundel and Brighton Diocese)
A group for women aged 18-35 to discover and respond to the call of Christ, offered by the Arundel and Brighton Vocations Service.

Alive in Christ offers a space to journey with others seeking to tune-in more deeply to the call of Christ in your life, to discern His will for you, discover deeper meaning and direction, and to grow in the trust and freedom to respond generously to the Gospel.

The group meets on the last Tuesday of each month in Crawley, between 6.15pm (mass) and 9pm. Meetings include supper, talk/discussion, adoration & benediction.

Location: Vocations House, Stagelands, Crawley, RH11 7QD
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For more info: http://calledbyname2.com/216_alive_group.html

Groups for men

St. John Vianney group - Arundel and Brighton Diocese
This lively group meets monthly and is for all men, aged 18 - 35, who are brave enough to consider a specific vocation from the Lord.  It is particularly (though not exclusively) suitable for those daring to consider a vocation to the priesthood.

The group meets in Crawley, starting with Mass at 5pm, followed by food (usually pizza!) and input from a priest or an inspiring short DVD before time for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.  Finishing about 8.45pm.

Contact Fr Terry Martin: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
More information: http://calledbyname2.com/215_stjohn_group.html

Quo Vadis – Birmingham Diocese
A Discernment Group for young men aged 16-35.

Jesus first asks us to follow. To be present. To turn up. He will then guide us. He will teach and instruct us. He will show us the way to follow him, wherever and however that may be. But first, we must follow! For more information please contact the vocations director, Fr. Paul Moss on 07545 330969 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.vocations.org.uk/Quovadis.html

Hexham and Newcastle Diocese
Monthly meetings for men enquiring about priesthood are held at St. Mary's Cathedral, Clayton Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 5HH. Each evening begins at 7pm with prayer and reflection (7-8pm) followed by a meal (8-9pm). For more details, including the dates of the meetings visit www.rcdhn.org.uk/vocations/enquirersnights/enquirersevening_main.php Contact Fr. Michael McCoy: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Fr. Marc Lyden-Smith: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Leeds Diocese
A monthly discernment group helps men, aged 17 or over, who think that the Lord may be calling them to the priesthood, to reflect further on this possibility.

The Thursday evening meetings are characterised by prayer, catechesis and good fellowship. The meetings, which take place in the Chaplaincy at Leeds Trinity University College, Horsforth, begin with a cup of tea at 6.00 pm. At  6.30 pm there is a Holy Hour in the chapel which concludes with Evening Prayer and Benediction. There is an opportunity to go to confession during this period. Afterwards, a guest speaker gives a half-hour talk and those present share a meal.
For more information, including the dates of the meetings, contact Fr Paul Grogan This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.dioceseofleeds.org.uk/priestly_vocations/discernment_events/discernment_evenings.php

Liverpool Diocese
Our Vocations Group for young men (aged 14-21) has now become a regular event in the life of our diocese. The meetings take place once a month on Sunday afternoon; at each meeting there is a talk, a discussion and a time of prayer. These regular meetings provide an opportunity to pray, reflect and also socialize with other likeminded young Catholics. We meet on the first Sunday of each month at St Mary’s Lowe House, in St Helens at 5pm, after the meeting we join other young people form our diocese for the monthly Youth Alive Mass at 6.30pm.
For more information contact: Fr James Preston This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Come, dine with me? - Nottingham Diocese
Christ invites us to... “Come, dine with me?” Come feast with the Lord and like minded men who are considering a possible calling to the priesthood in the Nottingham Diocese

The meetings will take place at St Barnabas Cathedral House, North Circus Street, Nottingham, NG1 5AE. The Meetings begin at 7pm and end at 9.30pm on certain dates from May to July and if you would like to come along, please contact Fr David Cain, the Vocations Director, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 0116 251 9370.

Salford Diocese
A programme of discernment for men aged 18 and over who want to know more about the diocesan priesthood.

The programme has been inspired by the Letter of Pope Benedict to Seminarians. For each of the sessions a speaker will address one of the main subjects mentioned by the Holy Father in his letter. After each talk there will be light refreshments followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament with the opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation or personal meeting with the Speaker. Each of the 7 talks will be held on a Sunday evening at 6pm in the Jubilee Room at St Dunstan’s Church, Moston Lane, Moston,  Manchester M40 9PA. Each session will last about 2 hours.

Within the programme there are also 2 separate Vocations meals which will also be held at St Dunstan’s which will  also start at 7pm. If you would like to attend any of these events please inform Fr David Featherstone Tel 0161 681 1410 E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

St. Francis de Sales group - Shrewsbury Diocese
“Our business is to love what God would have us do. He wills our vocation as it is: let us love that and not trifle away our time hankering after other people’s vocations.” St Francis de Sales

For men considering and discerning their vocation we meet the 19:00 Mass on the 2nd Monday of each month and are open to any man married or single who wishes to discern their vocation.

Meets at: Our Lady & the Apostles, Shaw Heath, Stockport SK38BQ
For more information contact Fr Jonathan Mitchell: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Groups for men (residential)

Vocations discernment community (Hammersmith, London)
This one year of personal and spiritual development and of discerning one’s own calling begins at the end of September each year. It is for men who will be working or studying in London but who would also like to look at the possibility of priesthood or religious life. 

The community is sponsored and run by the Augustinians but it is not geared to moving the members in any particular direction. It gives a flavour of the different options within the Church, with a variety of experiences and inputs.

It is quite a challenging year as the members continue their work or studies during the day, whilst in the evenings and weekends take part in the community activities. The aim is that by the end of the year the members will have a clearer idea of what priesthood and religious life entails, and be enabled to make a more formal start in the direction they feel God is calling them.

For more info: www.vocationscommunity.org.uk
Contact: Fr. Stefan Park OSA. Mobile: 07789 872715 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Community of St. Mary's House (Buckfast Abbey, Devon)
You are male, single, Catholic and aged between 20 & 45. Perhaps you would like to develop your knowledge of the Christian faith and deepen your commitment?
St. Mary's house is a place to pray, study and work with others. It is an opportunity for personal discernment.
For more details: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.