U.S. bishops release ‘Callings’ documentary about work as a vocation

Washington D.C., Jun 10, 2009 / 23:08 pm

An hour-long documentary about work as a vocation will be released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and made available for NBC stations and affiliates. It features a major league baseball player, a Catholic Charities social worker, a marine biologist and others who describe how their work is more a religious calling than a job.

The documentary “Callings,” was produced by the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, a USCCB press release says. Seattle Mariners first baseman Mike Sweeny, dancer Francie Huber and Catholic Charities social worker Rita Flynn are among the ten people profiled.
In the film, Sweeney says “I don’t play for the fans, or to please my coaches. I play to please my Lord.”

Sweeny, who is also active in community outreach, always cites a Bible verse when signing his autograph.

Also in the documentary, dancer Francie Huber describes how she has been inspired both by the Christmas song “The Little Drummer Boy” and Pope John Paul II’s 1999 letter to artists. She says she has been encouraged to make her artistry a gift to the Lord and to imitate God’s life-giving creativity.

Msgr. Ernest Fiedler, the former rector of Kansas City’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, describes in the documentary how to recognize a special call, whether the call is to marriage, the religious life, the priesthood, or to medicine or law.

“I think with a believing, happy, well-balanced Christian, it comes from listening,” he said, adding that any call must be listened to before it can be answered.

The documentary will be released to NBC stations and affiliates on Sunday. Local broadcast is at the discretion of the station, according to the USCCB.

A clip from the documentary may be viewed at http://www.usccb.org/video/