Join the prayer during National Vocations Week

Friday, Nov. 07, 2014

This week, Nov. 2-8, we celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week, which was established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1976 to promote vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life through prayer and education.

Last November, in his apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis wrote of the local Church’s part in building a culture of vocations: “The fraternal life and fervor of the community can awaken in the young a desire to consecrate themselves completely to God and to preaching of the Gospel. This is particularly true if such a living community prays insistently for vocations and courageously proposes to its young people the path of special consecration.”

Of course, we all have a vocation because we are all called by Christ for a specific purpose in life. Each of us is called to serve the Lord as his faithful followers, whether it be through the married, single, consecrated or ordained life. With National Vocation Awareness Week, we place an emphasis on ordained and religious life because we have experienced such a shortage of priests, sisters and brothers in the last 50 years. 

I hope that everyone in our diocese will join me in making a special effort to promote these vocations, not only this week but throughout the year. I hear from many how much they appreciate their priests/sisters, but am not always convinced that these same people are doing all they can to foster vocations. 

I remember a homily years ago in which a bishop asked the people if they deserved a priest. I was shocked. How could he possibly ask that question? The people of God certainly deserve a priest! But he went on to explain that so many people do nothing to promote vocations and, if this is the case, then how can they say they deserve a priest?

You may ask in return, what can we do to promote vocations? We can:

o Pray. Prayer is very important. Starting at Advent and continuing through next November, we will begin a 40-hour Devotion for Vocations at parishes throughout the diocese. Each parish has been assigned a week in which they are asked to devote 40 hours of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament in solemn exposition, with an emphasis on praying for vocations in the Diocese of Salt Lake City. Your pastor will have more information about this important prayer opportunity.

o Encourage your children to think about a religious or priestly vocation and to pray for openness to the invitation. If parents are not promoting these callings as admirable and important, then children most likely will not consider them. 

o Invite a young woman or man to consider a religious or priestly vocation. Many priests and sisters today have mentioned that they were very much influenced to become a priest or sister because someone invited them to consider such a calling.

o Ask your pastor what you can do to support your parish vocation promoter (each parish has one). Volunteer to assist or participate in the programs your parish engages in, such as the vocation cross program, where a family takes a cross home and prays for vocations during the week.

o Call Deacon Ricardo Arias, our diocesan Director for Vocations, and ask him what you can do to foster vocations here in Utah. There are many diocesan programs that foster vocations and that need your help.

Speaking from my own experience, I can think of no more enjoyable, fulfilling and grace-filled life than that of a priest. Each day of my own priesthood has been filled with countless blessings and joys. Yes, it has its moments of difficulty and challenge – every life does – but Christ uses those moments to bring about growth and even greater satisfaction.  

In our diocese we are blessed with wonderful priests and sisters; happy, fulfilled priests and religious women who reflect the joy of the Lord in their lives. Indeed, our sisters and priests are the best vocation promoters we have because they show by example the joy of a life dedicated to God’s call. Please pray for them, that their witness and example will engender more home-grown vocations in our local Church. 

Please pray, also, that the Lord of the Harvest will send us ever more laborers to serve God’s people, that there will be many young men and women who will hear the call of the Lord and respond positively.