The Vocations Advisory Committee (VAC) assists the Vocations & Seminarians Office in selecting candidates for the seminary, forming and evaluating seminarians, and advising the Archbishop in admitting candidates to Holy Orders.

A. Purpose and Process

1. The Vocations Advisory Committee provides feedback, perspective, and advice to the Vocations & Seminarians Office on all areas for which the Office is responsible, including outreach, promotion, discernment, applications to the seminary, and formation of seminarians.
2. In order to provide continuity between the application process and seminary formation, members of the Vocations Advisory Committee will normally also serve as members of the Interview Committee, together with the Director and Assistant Director of the Vocations & Seminarians Office (Director, Assistant Director).
3. The Director will bring the VAC’s recommendations to the Archbishop for review, and the Archbishop will then render final decisions.
4. In accordance with the provisions of ecclesial and civil law, Committee members are required to sign an “Oath of Secrecy,” thereby promising to observe strict confidentiality, in perpetuity, in connection with any work of the Vocations Advisory Committee that requires confidentiality by its nature.
   

B. Membership and Terms

1. The Vocations Advisory Committee will consist of up to seven (7) members.
2. The Director and Assistant Director of the Vocations & Seminarians Office are ex officio members of the VAC, as is the Rector of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary.
3. Committee members serve at the invitation of the Archbishop, as recommended to him by the Director of Vocations & Seminarians.
4. The normal term of office for Committee members is three years. The term, with the Archbishop’s approval, may be renewed.
5. The Director will serve as chair of the VAC. The Assistant Director will chair meetings in the Director’s absence.
6. The Committee members will meet as necessary, at the call of the chair or the direction of the Archbishop.
7. Priests appointed to serve on the Archdiocese’s Vocations Team will be invited to attend VAC meetings when necessary.
8. The Vocations & Seminarians Office’s administrative assistant will attend VAC meetings to record the minutes.

Approved:
The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
December 8, 2025

✠ Richard W. Smith
Archbishop of Vancouver