United Catholic Youth Ministries
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Vocations

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UCYM Promotes Vocations

This menu will offer you an opportunity to explore your calling. 

Each of us is called to greatness by God. God calls us in many ways, small and large. At some point in our lives, we start to feel called to live a certain life. Perhaps in your life you felt called to priesthood or, if you are with a partner, you might  feel called to marriage. There are many ways God might be calling you. In the past, vocations were understood and promoted in more simpler terms: will you get married, be ordained a priest (for now, men only), or join consecrated life as a religious sister or brother? Today, those three important vocations still are strong vocations, but so is single (celibate) life, becoming an Oblate or religious order associate, life committed to pastoral ministry, etc. 

Through something called discernment, which in simple terms is "prayerful thought process," we can connect with God, and possibly being accompanied by someone, we can affirm the calling(s) we feel. 

UCYM is blessed to have on our team people who have resources and the ability to support vocations. UCYM connects with the Archdiocese and other religious orders to seek support and resources to help young people discern their calling. For safe environment purposes, we cannot share adult personal emails with minors or vise versa, but please send us an email to the address below and we will connect you through a parent/guardian.

If there is a resource you know that is not listed that you think would be helpful, please let us know by contacting vocations@ucym.org.

Discernment Guide

Vocation Advisors

Discerning a call to marriage or single life?
Cynthia Judge
Pat Tomich

Discerning a call to Religious life (religious sister or brother or oblate)?
Sr. Christina Fuller, OSF
Sr. Belinda Monahan, OSB 
vocation@osbchicago.org
Fr. James Halstead, OSA 
James Holzhauer-Chuckas, ObSB
james@ucym.org

Discerning a call to priesthood?
Fr. Hernan Cuevas
parishoffice@saintasparish.org 
Fr. Kenneth Anderson
franderson@saintjoanofarc.net 
Fr. Kevin McCray
kmccray@stmaryevanston.org
Fr. Tony Joseph
frtony@stmaryevanston.org
Fr. Tom Baldonieri
tbaldonieri@archchicago.org
Fr. Robert Oldershaw
roldershaw@nickchurch.org

Discerning a call to the diaconate?
Deacon Dennis Robak
drobak@stmaryevanston.org
Deacon Ramon Navarro
rnavarro@stmaryevanston.org
Deacon Jaime Rojas
jrojas@nickchurch.org
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Location and Hours

San José Sánchez del Río Center | Office
1108 Washington Street
Evanston, IL 60202
​847-719-9071 | Email
Directions

Hours of Operation
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 9 am-8 pm
Wednesday: 1-8 pm
Friday: 12-9 pm
Saturday: by appointment only
Sunday: 9 am-1 pm

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  • About UCYM
    • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)
    • Protection of Children & Youth
    • Who We Are
    • Leadership >
      • Administration
      • Staff
      • Boards and Councils
      • Join Our Team!
    • Partnerships >
      • Ignited Youth Ministry
      • Blessed Sacrament Youth Center
      • Catholic Athletes for Christ
      • Coalition to End Homelessness in Evanston
      • Evanston Cradle to Career
      • Interfaith Action of Evanston
      • New Ways Ministry
      • Tyler Clementi Foundation
    • Resources >
      • V Encuentro
      • Archdiocesan Agencies >
        • Start Here
        • Amate House
        • Care for Creation Ministry
        • Catholic Relief Services
        • Domestic Violence
        • Kolbe House Jail Ministry
        • Pastoral Migratoria
        • Respect Life
        • St. Kateri Center of Chicago
        • USCCB
      • Covid-19
      • Equality for Women in the Church
      • LGBTQ+ Community >
        • AGLO
        • God Is On Your Side: A State from Catholic Bishops Protecting LGBTQ Youth
        • New Ways Ministry
        • Outreach - An LGBTQ Catholic Resource
      • Mental Health Awareness
      • National Eucharistic Revival
      • Need to Talk?
      • Synod on Synodality
      • Vocations >
        • Start Here
        • Cava
        • Archdiocese of Chicago
        • USCCB
    • Donate
    • Calendar
    • Renew My Church
    • Store
  • Evangelization and Faith Formation
    • Leadership Academy >
      • Start Here
      • Summer Internships
      • Leader-in-Training
      • Saints-in-Training
      • Discipleship Learning
      • Peer Ministry
      • Youth Minister Formation
    • Campus Ministry
    • Quinceañera Ministry
    • SEED
    • Alpha
    • For Children >
      • Children's Liturgy of the Word
      • Confirmation
      • Religious Education
      • Vacation Bible School
    • For Youth >
      • Start Here
      • Pastoral Juvenil
      • Anti-Racism Pilot
      • Archdiocesan Programs >
        • Holy Fire
        • NCYC
        • Totus Tuus
        • Spirit Day
      • Retreats >
        • Emmaus Retreat
        • Kairos
        • Metanoia
        • Offline
        • 24-Hour No Phone Retreat
      • Youth Council
      • Youth Group
    • For Young Adults >
      • Start Here
      • 20s & 30s Group
      • College Outreach
      • Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA)
      • Theology On Tap
      • World Youth Day 2023
      • Young Adult Council
  • Service
  • Worship
  • Media
    • LinkTree
    • Podcast
    • Vimeo
    • Email sign-up
    • News & Updates
    • U.S. Catholic Article
  • Staff Login