A timely primer for religious vocations

WHAT DO YOU WANT OF ME LORD? – You are young, this is for you, by Sr Joyce Gabriel OP. Mariannhill Mission Press, 2012. 93pp.

Reviewed by Thandi Bosman

In her timely book What Do You Want Of Me, Lord?, Dominican Sister Joyce Gabriel covers issues of vocations, vows, religious life as well as examples of priests and religious sisters. This book can help prepare young people who are hearing a call to the religious life.

Sr Gabriel, of the Religious Vocation Promotion Team in the diocese of Bethlehem, frames her text in a South African context, writing about the role the Church played in apartheid. She then moves towards vocations and, indirectly, to how religious can help today’s society.

She also interviews several South African religious about how they discerned their vocation and why they dedicated their life to the Church. Some of their stories are written in a narrative while others follow a dialogue format. In this way, the book can help young people be open to hearing God’s call and understand the meaning of vocation. The subtitle, “You are young – This is for you”, confirms that Sr Gabriel is addressing young people, challenging them to listen and to respond.

This easy-to-read book includes a helpful question-answer format. The questions came from young people whom Sr Gabriel has encountered through her work. She addresses these questions with explanations, bible verses and illustrations of saints’ lives, as an example of people following a vocation and striving for holiness.

Sr Gabriel discusses missionaries in South Africa, and offers a chapter on prayer.

The questions for reflections at the end of some chapters can aid daily meditation or group discussion.

The book could have done with stricter editing, but this is  an informative, simple and helpful contribution to understanding religious life.