If marriage and the family are the foundation of all vocations, then it is vital that the lay faithful encourage more vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
As much as it is important for priests and religious to model for others their own vocation, it is critical that Catholics, single or married, help to rebuild in our Church and families a culture that goes out to the apostolic mission. A world that realizes the dire need for God and requires visible signs of His work.
St. John Paul II reminds us in his Apostolic Letter Novo Millenio Ineunte, 40, “Even in countries evangelized many centuries ago, the reality of a ‘Christian society’ which, amid all the frailties which have always marked human life, measured itself explicitly on Gospel values, is now gone.”
If we witness to the next generation the requirement of sacraments and sacramentals, then this only argues the requirement for more priests and religious who are the “labourers in the vineyard.”
How can the lay faithful help rebuild this culture for vocations to the priesthood and religious life for the next generation? Here is an excerpt from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on promoting a culture for vocations to the priesthood and religious life:
Pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.
Teach young people how to pray. Pope Benedict XVI said that unless we teach our youth how to pray, they will never hear God calling them into a deeper relationship with Him and into the discipleship of the Church.
Invite active young adults and teens to consider a vocation to the priesthood or consecrated life. A simple, sincere comment should not be underestimated. An easy way to do this can be remembered by four letters: ICNU. “John, I see in you (ICNU) the qualities that would make a good priest, and I want to encourage you to pray about it.” It is a non-invasive way to encourage openness to a religious vocation.
Vocations must be discussed regularly if a “vocation culture” is to take root in parishes and homes. This means, first and foremost, that people need to hear about vocations from priests through homilies, prayers of the faithful, and classroom discussions. Vocations kept out of sight are out of mind.
I hope that you will find this edition of our newsletter on the support of vocations to the priesthood and religious life an opportunity to inspire you to join our team in rebuilding a culture for vocations!
If you are interested in discussing a vocation to the priesthood, call (604) 443-3254 ext. 429, email vocations@rcav.org, or visit our website rcav.org/vocations-office. For women, visit rcav.org/womens-vocations.
The stories of parents of priests that we’ve shared remind us of the profound influence of parents on our lives, particularly in matters of faith. With Mother’s Day and Father’s Day approaching, we invite you to reflect on and share how your parents’ religious faith has influenced your own faith life through the traditions, values, teaching, and spiritual guidance they provided. By sharing these stories, we can show others the powerful ways faith is passed from one generation to the next. Send your letters and stories to editor@rcav.org with the subject line Faith of our Parents and we’ll publish a selection of them.
