European Vocations Service – Servizio europeo per le vocazioni – Service européen des vocations – Europa-Dienst für Berufungen

The European Vocations Service is a federation of the national vocations services of European countries under the auspices of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences. It was established formally in Lubljana (Slovenia) in 1999, but had its origins in gatherings of the national vocations services of France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Germany which began in the early 1990’s.

A significant moment in the development of EVS was the European continental congress on vocation held in Rome in 1997. The document In Verbo Tuo: New Vocations for a New Europe, was the fruit of that conference. The document emphasises the responsibility of the whole church in creating a culture of vocation, in which every person is helped to recognise the call from God which goes hand in hand with the gift of life itself. This culture of vocation is the foundation upon which it is possible realistically and effectively to invite people to consider specific vocations such as priesthood, religious life, Christian marriage, and other forms of special consecration.

The President of EVS (delegated by CCEE) is S.E. Mons. Oscar Cantoni (Italy) (see Welcome)

The co-ordinator is KS Emil Parafiniuk (Poland), and he is assisted by two vice co-ordinators:

• Fr. Christopher Jamison (England & Wales)
• Sr. Nathalie Becquart (France)