As an international congregation, there are School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) all over the world! In just the Central Pacific Province, there are sisters in 22 U.S. states, plus Japan, Guam, Italy, Ghana and South Sudan. Everyone loves a chance to gather with SSND, whether at an event, celebration, meeting, meal or one-on-one. Those opportunities are special and treasured.

To promote vocational discernment, this kind of personal connection is imperative. Generally, it is most effective face-to-face.

In 2020, the SSND North American Vocation Team (NAVT) wondered how they could continue their vocation ministry during the pandemic. There were only rare opportunities to meet with youth and young adults in person, with many larger events such as retreats, conferences and vocation fairs cancelled or postponed. Born of the need to gather somehow, the NAVT made an intentional pivot from in-person to virtual gatherings. Since communal prayer is important in their own lives, they decided to pray together one evening a month via Zoom and that would also allow them to invite young adults into their prayer space. This began a monthly online evening prayer for young adults which is still going strong today.

“Since 2020, our online evening prayer has allowed us to connect regularly with sisters and young adults all across the U.S. and Canada,” said Sister Bridget Waldorf of the NAVT. “We enjoy sharing our daily communal prayer with those who are seeking to better recognize and understand God’s presence in their lives.”

The geographic spread of SSND sometimes creates a challenge when promoting vocations, so this virtual offering meets a desire to share who SSND is with others, no matter where they are.

A 2024 survey of more than 200 past participants (from 2020-2024) highlighted the impact of the online evening prayer. The opportunity to meet and pray together with sisters and other young adults was noted as the most liked benefit by a majority of the survey respondents. Monthly participation increased in the first half of 2025.

“We have some participants who have been praying with us for several years – our regulars,” said Sister Carol Jean Dust of the NAVT. “But then every month we also welcome ‘first timers’. Some return often; others return occasionally, still others maybe not at all. However, we are grateful for all who pray with us as they deepen our communal prayer, and that is always a gift.”

The invitation still stands. The NAVT invites young adults ages 18 and older to a monthly online evening prayer on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST (7 p.m. CST) via Zoom. Remaining dates for evening prayer in 2025 are November 25 and December 16. More information and registration for the Zoom links is available at ssnd.org/events/.

The online prayer typically lasts about an hour. Participants experience evening prayer in the rhythm of the Liturgy of the Hours, with additional time for faith sharing in small groups.

“A year ago, I started participating in the Online Young Adult Evening Prayer with the SSND. I cannot say enough wonderful and remarkable things about it. My great aunt [Sister Mary Jeannine Vermeersch] was a School Sister of Notre Dame. This was the perfect way to connect with my Catholic faith and family background while connecting with other young adults worldwide!”  shared Nicole Paczkowski from St. Louis.

“The evening prayer with the sisters has been a blessing for me. The joy and love the sisters pray and sing with inspire me to bring this love and joy to my everyday life. Being able to share this space with other young adults who are connected to SSND reminds me how important and wonderful it is for the opportunity to learn from and connect with those who have surrendered their life and their everything to God. God bless the sisters and young people searching to grow closer to God. I invite you to join us and invite your friends!” said Rosaura Estrada from Dallas.

Emily Wureh from New Jersey writes, “I wanted to experience the spirituality of the SSND. I felt inspired to pray with them. I wanted to reconnect after some of the sisters taught me while on mission in my parish and school, Christ the King and St. Philomena Elementary School respectively, in Zwedru, Liberia. What I like most about the online evening prayer is the communal sharing that brings out my personal resonance with the songs, psalms, or readings during the breakout sessions. What brings me back is a strong desire to pray with the sisters and others.”

The 2020 Study on Recent Vocations to Religious Life, conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) and the National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC) identified and surveyed more than 3,500 women and men who entered religious life between 2003-2018, and revealed several findings helpful for those engaged in vocation ministry. These “newer” entrants shared many of the following characteristics:

• For women, prayer and the way the vows and gospel values are lived among members influenced their decision to enter.
• 93% were attracted to their chosen community by their prayer life.
• 70% of newer entrants responded that the Liturgy of the Hours was very important and 70% agreed that faith sharing was somewhat or very important. 40% considered prayer via an online resource to be somewhat or very important, with those of diverse ethnicities more likely to respond as very important.
• Newer members are most likely to say they were attracted to religious life by a desire for prayer, spiritual growth, and a deeper relationship with God. In turn, they are attracted to a specific institute by its prayer life and mission.
• Newer entrants desire more vocations, which, they believe, goes hand in hand with young adult outreach and evangelization, including a better use of technology and online presence.

In the United States, National Vocation Awareness Week (NVAW) is celebrated each November, this year from November 2-8, 2025. NVAW is a time to highlight and promote vocations to ordained ministry and consecrated life and renew our prayers and support for those who are considering one of these particular vocations.

The NAVT serves the congregation in the U.S. and Canada by promoting a culture of vocation, with an understanding that we are all called by God to continue the mission of Jesus in some particular way. The NAVT accompanies young adults as they discern God’s call while informing them about religious life and especially the mission and charism of SSND.

We invite you to learn more about our vocation team.

SSND Vocation Resources
Vocation Reflections
Vocation Prayers
Vocation Brochure
Vocation Brochure in Spanish