Is it a vocation? How do we really define a vocation? Apart from becoming religious or married, is it something we do for others? profession perhaps? regardless of whether you're single or married? Just need clarification. Thank you

This is just my opinion, but for me, a vocation is something you choose, not something you do by default.
Also, a vocation is something that you enter into, so unless I can say with the same conviction, "I want to serve the Lord as a single" with the same conviction that I always thought, "I want to serve as a married person", then it's not a vocation.
Last, the Lord is a gentleman and would never force a person into a particular vocation. I would need to freely enter into it.

ADD: it would not be a vocation if I would be willing to drop it in a Manhattan Minute for the right person.

Interesting! I'm in the process of trying to find where I'm called, it's very confusing and when I think it's to be single, and give my 'yes' to it, soon it starts to feel wrong. I have this sense of alone-ness that seems to be asking for resolution with a marriage, yet I don't feel loneliness anymore, since I returned to the Church and have God so close to me.

God calls some to the married state, some to monastic life, and some to the single, but living in the world state. Each one of these is a vocation.

I hope and pray God will soon reveal to me which path I should go.

Can you provide sources for this?
I often hear sermons on the 'single committed' life, but that's always seemed off to me.
Traditionally, it has only been marriage and religious life.
I'm thinking it may be possible to have unfulfilled vocations but still vocations.
I'd be interested in what some of the more learned people on this board think.

One other reason that I don't view the single life as a vocation is because with the exception of a consecrated virgin, the single life does not have a vow taken in public.

Hi !Im new here and this confersation stuck out to me. True, singleness does not require a public vow. Its still a vocation, if it wasn't what would the people who remain single all thier life, would they die never finding the vocation God has called them to? If you are folowing Gods comands, keep him close to you, and are at peace with your life you are living your vocation.

The single life is not a vocation and has never been understood to be a vocation within the entire history of the Church.

One doesn't have to make an effort to be single, being single is simply the default state which happens automatically if you choose to do nothing. A vocation is something you choose to enter into, there is no such thing as choosing to enter the single life.

I agree with Doom

We all have the universal call to holiness. Now that should keep me busy for the rest of my life.