November 22, 2013 — A new Loyola Productions video series gives insight into how six Jesuits came to find their vocation in the Society of Jesus. Titled "What is a Jesuit Vocation?", the series follows Jesuit Fathers Sean Carroll, James Martin, David Meconi and Scott Santarosa and Brothers Ralph Cordero and Michael Breault through the various ways they have answered God’s call.

Each Jesuit speaks about his particular vocation in a short feature, with a longer 25-minute film covering everything from what it’s like to live in a community to how they’ve found happiness since becoming a Jesuit.

“Tap into your heart’s desires. Tap into what you really enjoy doing,” said Br. Cordero, describing how Jesuits discern how they should best answer God’s call.

Fr. Meconi remembers wanting to be a priest since the third grade, but he couldn’t see himself as a parish priest.“Years later I found myself at Marquette University as a college student, and when the first Jesuit walked in the door, I thought ‘Ah, that’s something I could do.’”

For Fr. Santarosa, the Jesuits were a good match. “I feel grateful. I have these desires in my heart that have been given to me by God, and somehow there’s a match with the Jesuits. There’s a way of living out these desires in a way that makes me really happy,” he said. “I feel lucky and blessed.”

Fr. Carroll recalled being terrified when he decided to apply to the Society. “I didn’t know how this would turn out,” he said. Yet, looking back over his almost 24 years as a Jesuit, he said that “God was able to do all of this just because I said yes, just because I followed my deepest desires.”

Attending a Jesuit high school brought Br. Breault into contact with young Jesuits who were "so committed, dynamic, excited and passionate." After he joined the Society, Br. Breault said he realized all of those things came from the Spiritual Exercises — habits that Jesuits acquire through their years of formation.

Fr. Martin, who found his calling after leaving the corporate world, said, “One of the great things about being a priest is being welcomed into people’s lives in a way you could never imagine.”

Watch each of the segments at the Loyola Productions YouTube channel, or the longer vocations video below.