A story in the US News and World Report: 20 Industries Where Jobs Are Coming Back notes that jobs in religious and charitable institutions (with vocations being the largest share of jobs in that sectors) is among the top 20 areas with job growth. In fact, that sector has shown growth since before the recession began.

If you’ve been paying close attention to the economy and you’re inclined to look on the bright side, well, finally there is one.

As President Obama has been eager to point out, the private sector has been adding jobs for several months in a row. It’s still way too early to declare the return of prosperity, since nearly 15 million Americans remain unemployed and some key industries are still mired in recession. But the good news is finally starting to outweigh the bad, and economists hope that a virtuous cycle will soon replace a culture of gloom: Gradual hiring eventually makes consumers more optimistic, and as they spend more, business confidence grows as well. If that happens, companies are likely to keep on hiring.

Everybody wants to know where the jobs are, of course, so I analyzed data from the Department of Labor on employment levels in dozens of industries over the last three years. In most industries, the trend is similar: Job losses have stopped, but hiring hasn’t really picked up. So I looked for industries that have shown a notable increase in jobs over the last year.

In most of these fields, total employment is still far below the levels at the end of 2007, when the recession began. That illustrates how far we need to go until the economy is truly healthy again. But a recovery has to start somewhere, and these industries are the first to feel a hint of optimism. Here are 20 fields where jobs are starting to return:

…

Religious and nonprofit groups. Donations dipped during the recession, but religious, nonprofit, social, and business organizations have fared okay lately as endowments linked to the stock market have recovered and other sources of funding have stabilized. Clergy—a somewhat recessionproof calling—represent the single largest profession within this group.

Jobs gained in 2010: 56,000

Change since 2007: 9,000 jobs gained

For those seeking, both out of school, on second or third careers, or in retirement, the Savonarola Theological Seminary offers scholarships and other assistance so you can attend.

To find out more about vocations to the diaconate and the priesthood, please contact the Savonarola Theological Seminary of the Polish National Catholic Church, 1031 Cedar Ave, Scranton, PA 18505. School, (570) 961-9288, Office, (570) 343-0100. You may also E-mail me and I will get your E-mail to the right people.