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About
The Labouré Society
Why are we needed?
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This is my
Vocation Story
There are an estimated 10,000 individuals discerning a priestly or religious vocation in the US annually
42% are blocked from pursuing this call due to educational loans*
The average vocational ‘aspirant’ in Labouré owes $45,000 in educational loans
Most religious communities cannot assume this debt
Most dioceses will allow some debt but have a limited threshold for acceptance
* (NRVC, Vision Study, 2010)
JIM RITCH
What have we accomplished?
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Operating since 2003
Over 255 assisted into formation to the priesthood or religious life
Over $3.2 million awarded, over 90% of aspirant funds received
A network of thousands of praying singles, families, religious, priests, & bishops
Efficient service: A modest staff of 3 employees in a donated office
How do we do it?
Our Aspirants:
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Discern a vocation & are accepted into a diocese or religious community
Are blocked from entering or continuing vocational formation due to student loans
Apply to Labouré & meet intake requirements
Are trained in ethical fundraising - empowered with practical tools, personal mentoring, & accountability
Share their vocation stories & participate in building a culture of vocations & evangelization
Raise funds for Labouré to benefit many vocations
Are awarded monthly payments towards their educational loans
Receive final award payout after 3 years & enter freely into a lifetime of priestly or religious service
The Labouré Society
• Works with each aspirant to ensure all personal means are utilized to mitigate the loan amount (loan consolidation, asset review, financial counseling, employment, etc.) prior to acceptance into
the program
• Trains each aspirant in biblically based philanthropy
• Forms a semi-annual ‘class’ of aspirants
• Mentors each aspirant building a unified team; each individual works toward the collective goal
• Provides ongoing accountability to ensure proper preparation & completion of personal fundraising plans
• Equips each aspirant with an online fundraising platform for real time donation processing, reporting, assessment of goals & class interaction, marketing & communications tools
• Facilitates ongoing communication & updates between aspirants & donors after formation entrance
• Manages aspirant award payments while they are in formation
• Completes award payout after 3 years active formation
BRIDGE
TO
MIRACLES
How it Began My name is Jim Ritch, and I am from New York. I am the younger of two children and
grew-up in a Catholic family. At an early age, I knew that God was calling me into a deep relationship
with Him. However, it was not until my adolescence that I made significant progress toward this
friendship and gained a better understanding of God’s plan for me.
My Faith Leading up to high school, my religious observances involved attending Sunday Mass,
praying before bedtime and meals, and occasionally visiting a religious shrine with my mother. In high
school, I became involved with my parish youth group and eventually helped lead multiple retreats.
Religious retreats were a unique encounter with Christ that encouraged me to bring Jesus into my life on
a daily basis. Eucharistic Adoration became the highlight of the retreats because it was there that I felt
closest to God. Through witness talks, I learned about how my peers lived as Christian disciples and that
living the Christian life required a solid commitment. This encounter left such a profound impression on
me that I felt that God might be calling me to the priesthood.
I was afraid to become a priest and my faith began to dwindle. But during college I met joyful Dominican
priests who encouraged me to bring everything to prayer and to believe that God has a plan for me
even when I feel surrounded by uncertainty. I began to make regular visits to the chapel and felt my
friendship with God strengthen.
After graduation, I became involved with the Knights of Columbus, which provided a formative
environment for me to live my faith. I met young men that were deeply in love with the Church and I
began to yearn for entrance into a formal religious community. Through the Knights, I visited a man in
need of company at a nursing home on a weekly
basis. He taught me that people need a companion
“Religious retreats were a unique encounter
throughout life and that small sacrifices make a huge
with Christ that encouraged me to bring
difference in the lives of others.
Jesus into my life on a daily basis.”
–Jim Ritch
I enrolled in graduate school for biomedical research
and, during this time, Eucharistic Adoration
sustained my faith and my longing for the Lord.
Moreover, praying the Rosary and the Divine Office centered my life towards the will of Jesus Christ
to fulfill the Lord’s precept to pray without ceasing. In doing so, I realized that good works and
involvement in my faith community were vital to my spiritual development. As I continued to practice
my faith, my desire to see and know God increased, which in turn motivated me to decide to move closer
to God in a radical way.
1365 Corporate Center Curve • SuitE 104 • Eagan, MN 55121 • LaboureSociety.org • 651-452-1160
The Labouré Society is a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible. Gifts solicited by our aspirants belong to Labouré and are dispersed upon board
approved guidelines to ensure full compliance with IRS rulings. Aspirants who leave Labouré are not required to repay any funds disbursed but are strongly encouraged to support
Labouré however possible. Funds granted but not dispersed to a former aspirant are reallocated toward current or future aspirants according to the aforementioned guidelines.
LaboureSociety.org
BRIDGE
TO
MIRACLES
651-452-1160
Called to serve
The Winter Class of 2015
Discerning a Call My vocational discernment began in high school when I presented
a talk on the Christian Life at a religious retreat. During the closing Mass, I distinctly
remember the moment when I looked up at the Crucifix and realized that Jesus wanted
me to pursue a religious vocation. My immediate reaction was fear and bewilderment.
At that point in my life, I desired to start a family, not dedicate myself to His holy
priesthood.
Nevertheless, I began to explore the priesthood by first establishing my prayer life and
becoming involved in campus ministry. I accomplished this by praying the Rosary
with other students, attending the March for Life, becoming a lector on my college campus and asking priests
about how they live out their religious vocation as Dominican friars.
Slowly I began to realize my brokenness and desire to live for Christ, which led me to choose to pursue the
religious vocation. I wanted to choose a vocation based not solely upon my virtues and gifts from God, but also
upon a deep awareness of my fallen nature. To rise above my fallen nature and grow in holiness, I want to join a
religious community whose function is to save souls.
“During the closing Mass, I distinctly
remember the moment when I looked up at the
Crucifix and realized that Jesus wanted me to
pursue a religious vocation.”
Called to Serve I want to dedicate my life to Jesus Christ
by becoming His instrument. I find meaning in life by living
my faith and encouraging others to do the same. God has
placed me in positions where I have counseled many students,
coworkers and nursing home residents. I believe that God
wants me to use these gifts to bring souls to Him.
After years of discernment with the Dominicans and attending a vocation retreat, I have decided that I want
to live the life of a Dominican friar. There are multiple aspects of Dominican life and ministries that attract
me. The Dominican mission is “To Praise, To Bless, To Preach.” Dominicans grow in holiness through prayer
and contemplation, study and preaching of the Good News, fraternity and living the common life. Preaching
the Gospel for the salvation of souls is the main reason why I desire to become a Friar Preacher. As active
contemplatives, a significant part of their ministry is devoted to prayer. By preaching, Dominicans disseminate the
fruits of this contemplation.
Why I’m writing
I am not only an aspirant to religious life; I am also a fundraiser for these vocations. A recent study confirmed
that nearly 1 out of 2 aspirants have student loans and thus most communities and dioceses cannot accept them. It
is the only thing that prevents many -including me- from entering formation to become a priest, brother, or sister.
I am seeking to raise the average student loan amount of $45,000 before June 30 for a non-profit that helps
aspirants like me — The Labouré Society. I will need donations from $10 – $10,000 to meet my goal for vocations.
I am blessed to have this opportunity to share my love for God, my vocation story, and to ask hundreds of
individuals to support vocations like mine by sharing our stories, remembering us in prayer, and financially
investing in our future.
At the end of my class, Labouré will issue awards based on individual effort and the funds available to Labouré.
They will administer the award while I am in formation over a three year period (you can learn more about the
program on the back of this letter). If I leave formation for any reason, I will resume my own payments. Plus,
every aspirant in Labouré has been accepted by their diocese or community and is required to work and liquidate
their assets to make their own maximum payments.
At the beginning of our class, I met and participated in intensive 3-day training with my classmates on the ethics
and spirituality of fundraising. We are learning practical skills that will help us now and in our future
vocations. We have also developed as a team to learn from and support each other. You can see our picture below.
Will you join our vocation journeys? Please partner with us and be part of my vocation team so we can answer
God’s call!
Winter 2015 Class
to the
and
B R of
I DAspirants
GE TO
M Priesthood
IRACLE
S Religious Life
As a Dominican priest, I may serve either at a hospital, as a college chaplain, and/or as a missionary. All of the
experiences and challenges I’ve encountered in my life, along with God’s grace and further formation will prepare
me to enter into the Dominican Order.
Invitation & Prayer I am eager to join the Dominican Order, but my student loans have created an obstacle
for me to enter. Please consider participating in this journey by helping my fellow aspirants and myself through
prayers and a financial investment. I ask you to invoke the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary to pray for
vocations, that many may courageously take up their cross and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. May we be
generous in our response to God’s call to follow Him.
To learn more about my journey to become a Friar Preacher, please contact me at jim@laboureaspirant.org.
—Jim Ritch
BRIDGE
TO
MIRACLES
Our vocations story videos are online at: www.LaboureSociety.org