Collegeville Institute

Bearings Online

  • About
  • Events
  • Podcasts
  • News
  • Make an Impact
  • Comprehensive Campaign

Title of the document Make A Gift Now

Menu
  • About Us
  • Bearings Online
  • Calling Initiatives
  • Fellows Program
  • Make an Impact
  • News
  • Podcasts
  • Comprehensive Campaign
  • Residency Programs
      • Scholars, clergy, church leaders, thinkers, artists, and writers who are seeking to discern and communicate the meaning of Christian identity and unity in a religiously and culturally diverse world are invited to apply for our residency programs.
      • Get Practical Information »
      • Apply for a Fellowship »
      • Resident Scholars Program

        for those looking to stay a semester or a full academic year

      • Program Details
      • Work and Scholarship
      • Housing and Facilities
      • Former Resident Scholars
      • Learn More »
    • Close
  • Writing Programs
      • Each year, the Collegeville Institute opens its doors to writers of faith for intensive writing workshops. In addition, the Collegeville Institute partners with other institutes, seminaries, or churches to coordinate regional off-site workshops.
      • Apply Now »
      • 2026 Workshops

      • Grounded by Place/Growing through Time, a workshop with Camille T. Dungy, August 5-11, 2026
      • Autumn Rhythms, Rituals, & Writing: Nourishment for Creative Souls with Charlotte Donlon (a 3-part virtual workshop series), September 14, October 12, November 9, 2026
      • Waiting for Words: An Advent Writing Workshop with Lauren Winner, December 8-11, 2026
      • 2027 Workshops

      • Creative Convergence: A Gathering of Words with Patrice Gopo, February 11-16, 2027
      • Apart, and Yet a Part, A Workshop with Michael McGregor, March 2-11, 2027
      • About Me, About You: A Writing Workshop by and for Women of Color, with Roohi Choudhry, March 15-21, 2027
      • How to Love this World: Writing About Life, Loss, and Earth, with Mallory McDuff, May 17-21, 2027
      • Poetry is (Not) Like a Prayer, with Pádraig Ó Tuama, May 24-29, 2027
      • Ink and Insurgence: Writing as Social Activism with Tom Fate and Karen Gonzalez, June 7-13, 2027
      • Pastoral Writing: For the Church, the World, and the Pastor
with Amy Peterson and Isaac Villegas, June 21-26, 2027
      • The Sacrament of the Moment: A Spiritual Writing Workshop with Stephanie Paulsell, July 8-14, 2027
      • Crafting a Doctrine of Creation: rethinking the doctrine of creation in ways that take seriously our relationships with an animate and communicative world without divinizing nature or inviting its worship, led by Willie James Jennings, August 2-7, 2027
    • Close
  • Calling Initiatives
      • The Communities of Calling Initiative invites congregations into a 5-year project on vocation.
        The Called to Lives of Meaning and Purpose Initiative, coordinated by the Collegeville Institute, funds 13 innovation hubs from across North America.
      • Calling Initiatives Overview »
      • Research Seminars on Vocation »
    • Resources on Vocation:

      • BridgeIntroducing Calling & Discernment – language of calling, models of discernment, and calling across the lifespan
      • gabriel-brito-80atz53Th9o-unsplash-2Prayer & Worship – prayers, hymns, sermons, spiritual practices, and liturgical year resources
      • Vis-Group-2Small Group Series – adult education and faith formation guides for congregational use
      • FrancoisVideos & Interviews – video storytelling projects on vocation from Christian and interfaith perspectives
    • Close
  • Fellows Program
    • Bringing together an ecumenical group of gifted Minnesota faith leaders, the Collegeville Institute Fellows Program focuses on leadership development with the goal of strengthening religious leaders’ sense of themselves as civic leaders.
    • Fellows Program Overview
    • MinneEncounter
    • Close
  • Participant Publications
  • Search
You are here: Home / Calling Initiatives / Resources for Congregations / Lives Explored Video Project / About Lives Explored

About Lives Explored

diane and francoisVocation is the story of our lives: how God calls and how we respond.

Lives Explored is a video narrative project that captures stories of Christians who listen for the voice of vocation in their everyday lives. Their struggles, joys, and questions show the diverse ways that God calls and the many ways we respond to God’s call.

Our Vision

Storytelling is an important part of vocational discernment. Our vision for Lives Explored is to offer everyday examples of how people think about God and faith in relation to their life and work.

We hope to deepen awareness and engagement around vocation as a foundational Christian teaching. We invite you to use the videos in churches, classrooms, or other settings to spark conversation around questions of calling.

Lives Explored videos are designed to be used as part of the Called to Life and Called to Work small group programs on vocation. If your parish or congregation is interested in learning more about our programs, please contact lkfanucci@collegevilleinstitute.org for more information.

About Us

Lives Explored is a project of the Collegeville Institute Seminars, an ecumenical and interdisciplinary research project in practical theology housed at the Collegeville Institute at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota.

Ryan Corcoran of Modern Image Video is the videographer of Lives Explored. Learn more about Ryan as the videographer of Lives Explored here, and watch his own story of how he found his life’s work in video production.

Diane M. Millis, Ph. D., is the producer of Lives Explored. Diane is an educator, spiritual director, and author. Learn more about Diane’s work in our interview (Part 1 and Part 2) and read an excerpt from her latest book, Deepening Engagement: Essential Wisdom for Listening and Leading with Purpose, Meaning and Joy.

 

More in this Section

  • Research Seminars
  • Books from our Projects
  • Resources for Congregations
    • Called to Life small group program
    • Called to Work small group program
    • Lives Explored Video Project
      • About Lives Explored
      • Mark’s Story
      • Amy’s Story
      • Makram’s Story
      • Mark’s Story
    • Exploring Vocation in Community
  • Bearings Online Articles on Vocation
  • Contact Us

Collegeville Institute Tour

Check out our virtual 360-degree tour experience and see our beautiful campus with its many amenities!

CI 360 Tour

Latest News

A New Season for the Resident Scholars Program

September 4, 2026

Fr. Anselm Adodo, OSB, joins the Collegeville Institute as Senior Research Fellow and Special Advisor

September 4, 2026

Remembering Sister Dolores Schuh, CHM

September 4, 2026

Subscribe

Sign up for our email newsletter today, and keep up to date with what's going on at the Collegeville Institute.

Sign Up Today

Get Involved

Give online

Check out our writing workshops and our residential programs.

Contact Us

2475 Ecumenical Drive
PO Box 8000
Collegeville, MN 56321

Phone: 320-363-3366
Email: staff@collegevilleinstitute.org

Map/Directions

Copyright © 2026 Collegeville Institute. Read our Privacy Policy.