Vocations
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Vocations -
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St. Mary's Vocation MinistryThe St. Mary’s Vocation Ministry exists to support vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and other consecrated vocations within our parish. Our mission is to foster a culture in the parish and school that promotes vocations and encourages men and women to generously say “Yes” to God’s call in their lives.“Let us be quite frank: the ability to cultivate vocations to the priesthood and the religious life is a sure sign of the health of a local Church. There is no room for complacency in this regard. God continues to call young people: it is up to all of us to encourage a generous and free response to that call.” -Pope Benedict XVI in his address to the United States Bishops in 2008
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A Vocation CultureThe Third Continental Congress on Vocations in North America (2002), invited to a paradigm shift on vocations ministry from a recruitment approach to a long term process of building a vocation culture in which every Christian is empowered to identify and respond to the mission to which he or she is called as a member of the Body Christ, in and for the world.In the words of the Congress document, this means “to foster an atmosphere in which young Catholics are open to a personal invitation to discern accurately and embrace freely the form of permanent commitment in the Church to which they are being called.” (Third Continental Congress on Vocations in North America 2002, p. 62)To create this atmosphere or vocation culture, the Congress suggested five actions which comprise its Plan:To Pray: to be holy, to be converted, to worshipTo Evangelize: to teach, to form, to catechizeTo Experience: worship, community, service, witnessTo Mentor: to accompany, to guide, to modelTo Invite: to discern, to choose, to commit
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Pray for Vocations
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Vocations CrucifixEach week, a specific individual or family at St. Mary’s will take home a vocations crucifix after the 9:00 AM Mass and will commit to praying for vocations throughout the week. The following weekend, please return the vocations crucifix to the church so that the next family can take it home. Sign up for a week using the sign up button and join us in praying for vocations!
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“The discernment of a vocation is above all the fruit of an intimate dialogue between the Lord and his disciples. Young people, if they know how to pray, can be trusted to know what to do with God’s call.”
— Pope Benedict XVI
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Seeking some direction? Visit Godiscalling.me for more support in discerning God's will for your life.
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Pray for Vocations
The first thing that the Lord tells us to do when seeking more shepherds is to ask the master of the harvest (Mt. 9:38). Only God can move the hearts of men and women to consider the priesthood and religious life- no homily, invitation, or other initiatives will bear fruit without His grace. Join hundreds of others in praying that young men and women hear and respond generously to the Lord’s call to the priesthood and religious life.
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Learn to Discern
Vocational discernment is the diligent pursuit of knowing whether God is calling you to the priesthood, to consecrated life, or to marriage. The process of vocational discernment can be summarized in three steps: learn the basics, take a step, and follow God’s direction.
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D180
Discernment 180 is a six-month guide to help you discern priesthood or the consecrated life. Somewhat like Exodus 90, Magnify 90, and similar programs, it outlines a rule of life and provides meditations for daily prayer to facilitate vocational discernment through the pursuit of holiness.
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