About our Co-Founders: Luke Burgis & Joshua Miller
In our early twenties, we were drawn fully to the Catholic faith. Joshua converted in 1994 after being a pro-life missionary and Luke, who grew up Catholic, had a “reversion” while in the midst of a highly successful entrepreneurial career. Catholic teaching on personal vocation has been especially close to our hearts because of its emphasis on the dignity and full flourishing of every human being. It has been an important part of Joshua’s work as a consultant and a coach. Luke included a strong emphasis on it when he founded ActivPrayer, a company devoted to fitness according to the unique design of each person.
Early after our respective conversions, we contemplated St. John Paul II’s instruction that “every initiative serves true renewal in the Church . . . insofar as the initiative is based on adequate awareness of the individual Christian’s vocation” (Redemptor Hominis, 21). In another place he declares that “personal vocation and mission defines the dignity and responsibility of each member of the lay faithful and makes up the focal point of the whole work of formation.” These are strong words and should be taken very seriously!
But as our experience in the daily rhythm of Catholic life continued, we began to recognize a troubling reality about the practical application of Church teaching on personal vocation. From Luke’s standpoint as a seminarian (during which time he discerned his vocation to entrepreneurship) and from Joshua’s perspective as a married man and father immersed in parish life, we came to see that:
- Most discussion in the Church today about vocation refers to the priesthood and religious life or, to a lesser extent, about the importance of strong vocations to marriage.
- The very idea of personal vocation remains either an unknown or a peripheral concept for many Catholics.
- Millions of Catholic young people graduate high school and college without having had serious discussion about or formation according to their own distinctive vocations.
This is a sad state of affairs because the renewal of the Church and the transformation of the world cannot be achieved without robust emphasis on personal vocation.
In light of this situation, Luke and Joshua formed Inscape, an organization devoted to the vision of each person knowing, embracing, and living to the full their unique personal vocation.
As our story unfolds, we look forward to making it a part of your story . . . and the story of the Church.