PARISH VOCATION CONTACT IDEAS

26 GENERAL INTERCESSIONS FOR VOCATION AWARENESS

1.                 That men and women may find joy in sacrificing personal gain for the service of others in a Church vocation, we pray to the LORD.

2.                 That the LORD of the Harvest may open the hearts of our young people to the possibility of a life in priesthood or religious life, we pray to the LORD.

3.                 That parents, by their lives and example, may encourage Church vocations among their children, we pray to the LORD.

4.                 For all men and women who wish to follow Christ, that they may respond generously to God’s graces, trusting His leading them into His service as priests or religious, we pray to the LORD.

5.                 For Christian families, the source of religious vocations, that they may be prompted to encourage young people to rejoice in doing God’s will, we pray to the LORD.

6.                 That today’s youth may show generosity to Jesus’ call and make wise decisions in choosing their vocation in life, we pray to the LORD.

7.                 For all young men of our parish who are making lifetime choices at this time, that they will include service to the People of God as a diocesan priest among their other options, we pray to the LORD.

8.                 For all parents of our parish, that they may instill a positive regard for the priesthood as a wholesome lifetime career path their sons might consider, we pray to the LORD.

9.                 For our young people, that they may find a joyful faith in their families, and encouragement to respond to a life of ministry and service, we pray to the LORD.

10.             For a full appreciation of the gift of ministry within the Church, and for an increase of vocations to the priesthood and religious life, we pray to the LORD.

11.             For all candidates for priesthood in our diocese, that they may have the courage of their convictions and the generosity to act upon them if they believe in their hearts that God is calling them to priesthood, we pray to the LORD.

12.             For all pastors and parish priests of our diocese, that they will recognize and invite to priesthood men of their parishes who have the aptitude for priestly service, we pray to the LORD.

13.             For all priests, deacons, religious men and women, and all lay ministers who serve our Church and for those who are struggling to answer the call they are experiencing at this time, we pray to the LORD.

14.             For the Diocese of Joliet, bishops, priests, religious and laity, we pray to the LORD.

15.             For all involved in the examination of candidates to priesthood at this time, that their choices will benefit the whole Church of the 21st Century, we pray to the LORD.

16.             For the Knights of Columbus within our diocese, that they may be blessed for the assistance they give our bishops, seminarians, and vocation promotion efforts of our diocese, we pray to the LORD.

17.             For all parishioners who have made a commitment to pray intensely for vocations, that their intercessory prayer for an increase of candidates for priesthood in our diocese will be fruitful for the Church and they will be blessed for their efforts, we pray to the LORD.

18.             For Bishop J. Peter Sartain, for good health and fruitful ministry on behalf of the Church of Joliet, we pray to the LORD.

19.             For the Parish Vocations Committees of our diocese, that they will grown in appreciation of the task entrusted to them, and that the seeds of awareness they plant will grow to maturity through prayer and care, we pray to the LORD.

20.             For the people of the Diocese of Joliet, that in this millennium , we will truly be a People of God, we pray to the LORD.

21.             That Lent will be a time of grace and renewal for all Christians throughout the world, and that there will be a renewal of interest in the vocations of Church service, we pray to the LORD.

22.             For all the priests and religious who are guiding the Catholic people of our parishes in this 21st Century, we pray to the LORD.

23.             That our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, will be blessed as he leads Catholics to lift up the world to God in prayer, we pray to the LORD.

24.             That the new Millennium will be a time of renewal for the Church and that many people will follow their individual call from God to assist in the work of evangelization, we pray to the LORD.

25.             In thanksgiving to God for the blessings of the 20th Century, asking a powerful outpouring of His Spirit on the new Millennium, we pray to the LORD.

26.             For all the priests, religious and lay people who will serve the Church, the People of God, in the 21st Century, we pray to the LORD

20 PROVEN VOCATION PROJECTS TO TRY IN YOUR PARISH

1.                 Celebrate feasts of the saints, such as attending Mass on the Feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, of Lisieux, the Little Flower, patroness of missionaries and patroness of many vocations.

2.                 Celebrate feasts of the apostles, who were called by the first vocation director, Jesus.

3.                 PVC members can promise their own daily prayer for an increase of vocations to our

4.                 On All Souls Day, focus attention on prayer for deceased priests and religious, especially those who have served the People of God in our diocese. Publicize the month-by-month necrology for deceased priests (and possibly also religious) for specific prayer intentions. Ask these priests/religious to continue their work on earth.

5.                 Print and distribute a prayer calendar of seminarians in the parish bulletin monthly. By October the men are settled into seminary for the year.

6.                 Pray, especially in the Fail for new recruits and in the Spring for candidates and applicants who are being processed for entrance to seminary for the next year.

7.                 Publish a listing of all the seminarians, with names and seminary addresses. Encourage parishioners to send them cards and letters showing support and prayer, without expecting a response from the seminarians, which keeps this activity supportive but not intrusive to their study time.

8.                 Some parishes feature one seminarian’s name and address in the bulletin each week, to keep this activity continuous.

9.                 Invite your parish priest, religious priest, brother or sister to your home, or at least, let them know, in the presence of your children, that they are welcome in your home. Encourage them to visit with you and your children.

10.             Be aware of current ideas regarding the formation, life and role of priests and religious in the Church. Become familiar with their goals and the manner in which their role evolves into new ministries.., especially education and social justice.

11.             As a family, pray for persons who are in the process of discernment.

12.             As parents, pray the difficult prayer: that one of your children will be called by God to the priesthood or religious life

13.             Encourage people 16 to 40 years of age (who exhibit the qualities and virtues you have admired in priests and religious who have been an influence in your life) to consider a religious or priestly calling from God. Personal invitation can be the encouragement  someone needs to contact a vocation director for further information and discernment.

14.             Promote subscriptions to The New Catholic Explorer, which regularly features vocational stories/articles.

15.             Read VISION magazine for ideas for your own vocation awareness education. Write for free copies and give one to someone you think may have a religious vocation. VISION is the annual publication of the National Religious Vocation Conference (which serves vocation directors of religious communities which pay for membership and advertising). The magazine is published by the Claretian Publications, 203 West Monroe Street, Chicago IL 60606. Telephone: (312) 236-7782; Fax: (312) 236-8207. (http://www.visionguide.org) For copies, call Norma Perez at (800) 328-6515.

16.             Write/call for a copy of A Guide to RELIGIOUS MINISTRIES, published by the Catholic News Publishing Company, 210 North Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10801, Telephone: (924) 632-1220 or 1(800) 433-7771 or Fax: (914) 632-3412. ($10/copy)

17.             Visit a religious book store and familiarize yourself with what is available in books and tapes and videos on religious topics, lives of the saints, liturgy, and so forth. For a start, look at the Christopher Walker Stories and Songs of Jesus, which is available in cassette, storybook and coloring-book formats. These make great gifts which encourage youth and young adults to share their faith at home and to reflect on the possibility of making that sharing a life career.

18.             Adopt a missionary. Most religious communities have some foreign-mission outreach. Ask for a missionary to correspond with, and learn what his/her life is about... and then share that with others who could begin to consider life as a missionary.

19.             Adopt a retired priest or brother or sister. They will appreciate the mail you send them, and you can profit from their advice. Invite him/her to conversation with one or two of your prospects, the people you are personally inviting to consider religious life or priesthood.

20.             Recruit a candidate and then, for the rest of your life, celebrate the blessing as you accompany him/her with your prayerful support along his/her way to ordination/profession of vows as a religious.

These ideas are adapted from ones of the Diocese of Syracuse, New York
Father Jim Quinn, Director of Vocation Promotion