Vocations Awareness

VOCATIONS AWARENESS

WHAT IS IT ? Vocations awareness fosters and affirms vocations for priests, sisters and brothers. Think about it. Without priests, there would be no mass, no confession, no Eucharist. Without sisters and brothers, there would be no one to teach our children, pray for us intensely and set good examples for the world.

WHY ?

Simply stated, there is a vocation shortage of priests, sisters and brothers.
The Holy Father has stated that the laity must accept responsibility to encourage vocations.
There is a great need for many laity to help increase awareness of vocations.
Our Bishop has established vocations as a priority within the Diocese.
Future vocations are in the parishes. Our Pastor has adopted vocations as a priority.
Families need to be effectively educated and inspired to encourage vocations for their children.
Priests and religious need positive affirmation to help sustain their vocations.

WHO CAN AND SHOULD PARTICIPATE ? As the Holy Father said, we must all accept responsibility to encourage vocations. Especially, everyone who is concerned about the shortage of priests, sisters and other religious life vocations should participate in this ministry.

WHAT DOES IT DO ? Promotes a parish Vocations Culture by fidelity to a long-term process involving:

Prayer: To petition God’s help in providing Priests and Religious
Awareness: To bring about religious vocation awareness among candidates, families, peers and other support groups, and to identify and invite candidates to the priesthood and religious life.
Affirmation: To show love, respect, gratitude, and encouragement to those who have accepted the religious vocation call. To help them avoid undue mental and physical stress, and to counteract any negative reference to religious life.
Support: To assist seminarians, priests, and religious with personal involvement or monetary means.

HOW DOES IT WORK ? Activities revolve around primarily the following:

National Vocations Awareness Week : Celebrated in January, Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
World Day for Consecrated Life: Celebrated in February, Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
World Day of Prayer for Vocations: Celebrated in April, Feast of the Good Shepherd
Pilgrim Cross Prayer Program: Crosses, prayers and literature on Vocations Table, Social Hall
Adoration Chapel: Prayer for Vocations is encouraged
Called by Name Program: Bulletin notice and requests for names
Bulletin Clips: Periodic publication of timely information
Intercessory prayers: During Mass following the Gospel
Encouraging love, respect and gratitude to Priests, Sisters, Seminarians, Convents: Ongoing

WHEN DOES IT MEET ? There are very few meetings of this ministry. Most communications are handled by telephone or e-mail.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Ted Clista at 732-9161