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Our Seminarians

Diocesan Co-ordinator & Port Elizabeth
Fr. Luvuyo Madikane, Pawulos Oyingcwele,
P. O. Box 23, PORT ELIZABETH 6000
Tel. 041-4694978 Cell: 0824015385
Email

Border / Midlands
(Vacant, please contact your parish priest)

Cradock
(Vacant, please contact your parish priest)

East London
Fr Simon Gavu, St Peter Claver, P. O. Box 10197 , Pefferville 5209
Tel/Fax: 043 743 6673 Cell: 072 342 1430

Procedure for developing a Parish Vocations Committee

Vocation Prayers

Mission of a Parish Vocation Committee
The Second Vatican Council recommended all parish communities to further a vocation awareness in their parishes. We cannot create a “vocation”; only God can do that. But hardworking parishioners can, through well planned programs, make the whole community more “vocation conscious”.

procedure for developing a parish vocations committee

Introduction
As Catholics, in the past we have been spoiled by the number of men and women who have chosen to heed the call to religious vocation. This trend has diminished. Members of the Church today must recognize this reality and create an awareness of the importance of encouraging God’s people to serve as priests, sisters, brothers and deacons – even as laity in full-time Church ministry.

Like Samuel, some of the people in our family and parish may have a call from God, but unable to hear or understand what our Lord is asking us to do. Let us pray and encourage each individual to hear this call.

How to start a Parish Vocations Committee
It is important that there be a full understanding of the need, purpose, and responsibility of the Parish Vocations Committee.

A. Need: To provide an atmosphere in the parish in which all eligible people may carefully consider priesthood or religious life as a possible calling for themselves.
B. Purpose: To assume responsibility of creating this climate of vocation awareness in the parish.
C. Responsibilities of Committee Members:

1. Individual responsibilities of Committee Members

a) to pray daily for increased vocations;
b) to become aware of the various ministries of the Catholic Church, particularly the priesthood and religious life;
c) to offer support and encouragement to priests and religious within the parish
d) to provide examples through personal Christian family life as a means of encouraging vocations
e) to accept and carry out assigned tasks and to report on the progress of work assigned. Tasks could include working with other parish committees such as:
Parish Council Liturgy Committee
Catholic Women’s League Catechists Group
Legion of Mary Renewal Groups
Marriage Encounter St. Vincent de Paul
Bible Study Groups Altar Servers
Lay Eucharistic Ministers Youth Group
Any other ….

2. Committee Activities

a) to encourage parishioners to pray for, learn about, support, recruit vocations to the priesthood and religious life
b) to provide opportunities to develop vocation awareness through various parish structures already in existence
c) to sponsor a vocation discernment night for the parish youth; interested young people to have dinner with the parish priest to discuss vocations
d) to sponsor a programme like Called by Name
e) to encourage parish prayer for Vocations
f) to sponsor a parent night and discuss vocations and invite the diocesan vocation team
g) to hold a week long parish vocation camp in the parish for young people similar to a vacation bible school
h) to invite individual men and women to consider the priesthood and religious life
i) to encourage the pastor to preach on vocations, celebrate World Day of Prayer for Vocation and Vocations Awareness Week
j) to host a Vocation Fair and promote and publicize Vocation Retreats and other vocation office activities
k) when Mass readings are related to vocations (e.g. the Gospel may include Jesus’ command to pray for labourers for the harvest) or when it is the feast of an apostle or a saint who was a priest, deacon, brother, or sister, take advantage of this to promote vocations. Plan a homily communion reflections and hymns about God’s call, specifically the call to ordained ministers, vowed religious life or lay ecclesial vocation
l) when praying general intercessions, remember to add petitions for vocations and for perseverance for priest, deacons, religious and other ecclesial ministers
m) to promote prayer for vocations by sending a traveling vocation crucifix, candle, chalice, statue etc. from family to family along with vocation prayers to pray each day. The religious symbol must be passed on each week after a particular Sunday liturgy
n) to begin a special prayer campaign for vocations. You might have Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament, hold a prayer service, pray the rosary, or pray the diocesan vocation prayer at Sunday Masses.
o) to encourage parents (grandparents) to pray that one or more of their children may become a priest, vowed religious, etc.
p) to “adopt a seminarian” – school groups, parish groups, parishioners and families to ‘adopt’ a seminarian to pray for
Personal Contact or Exposure

a) Celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week (January) the World Day for Consecrated Life (February), and the World day of Prayer for Vocations (May). If the diocese provides materials, use them or develop your own.

b) Support vocation activities sponsored by your diocese or religious communities in your diocese. Publicize the activities to possible participants (letters, bulletin announcements, parish newsletters, announcements at the end of Mass) Pray for their success.

c) Hold a Vocation Fair on Sunday to give parishioners the chance to meet and talk informally with priests, religious, deacons or seminarians. Offer donuts and coffee. Enlist a group to help plan the affair, and invite the Diocesan Vocation Office and Vocation Directors of the various religious orders to set up displays. Involve school children and families by sponsoring a poster or essay contest or other projects.

d) Invite priests, religious, deacons, seminarians or religious in formation to speak about their vocations after parish Masses, parish missions, and other appropriate occasions.

e) Visit a seminary with interested men (and their parents).

f) Visit a religious community with interested men and women (and their parents).

g) Identify persons in your parish who have potential vocations and ask them for approval to send their names (and addresses and phone numbers) to the Vocations office.

e) Sponsor a programme like Called by Name inviting parishioners to recommend names of potential priests, deacons, or religious.

f) Invite a priest, deacon, seminarian, religious or novice to speak about their vocations at various parish group meetings (Youth Groups, Young Adult Groups).

Vocation Visibility

a) Create a vocation corner in your church. Keep it supplied with posters, prayers, information about priesthood, deaconate, religious communities, seminaries, and other material related to vocations.

b) Celebrate ordination anniversaries, feast days, and birthdays of priests, deacons, religious, seminarians and people in religious formation who come from your parish.

c) Post photos and biographies of priests, seminarians, brothers, sisters, deacons and people in religious formation who are from your parish or who work in your parish.

e) Regularly publish feature articles about a priest, deacon, seminarian, religious or person in religious formation in parish bulletins or newsletters

f) Make sure “contact information” for vowed religious lie and ordained and non-ordained ministry is included with other sacramental contact listings in your parish/monthly bulletin and newsletter.

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vocations prayers

General Christian Vocation Prayers:

1. God of all creation, through Baptism, you gave us new life. You call each of us to live that life in a unique way so that we may truly become the witnesses of your love.
Bless all those you call: all single and married people, all priests and deacons, all sisters and brothers.
May we become builders of your kingdom and sacraments of your love as we live out the mission of Jesus Christ through living our vocational call.
We make our prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen.

2. Loving God, you are the Creator of the universe. You have gifted me with life and called me through my Baptism to be a light to the world. Help me to brighten our world by sharing my gifts in the service of others and respecting all creation.
I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Specific Prayer for Priests, Deacons and Religious:

1. God of life, you speak to us and nourish us through the life of our Church community. In the name of Jesus, we ask you to send your Spirit so that men and women among us will respond to your call to service and leadership in our Church as priests, deacons, brothers and sisters. May those who open their hearts and minds to this call be encouraged and strengthened through our enthusiasm and support.
We make our prayer through Jesus your Son. Amen.

2. Gracious and loving God, we come before you today humbly asking for your blessing. Through Jesus, you invited us to ask for Workers in your vineyard. Look with favour on our parish, and bless us with men and women who respond generously to your call to priesthood, deaconate and to religious life. Bless us with generosity to encourage and support these people. Help us to be good and faithful witnesses to your love, and especially bless those called to leadership in our Church.
We make this prayer in the name of Jesus, our priest, prophet and king. Amen.

Family Vocation Prayers:

1. Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd who is always mindful of your Church. Watch over those who are baptized in your name, and grant peace and harmony to all families. Bless all parents, and help them to find peace and happiness. We ask you to help all children and young adults to discover the vocation that will enable them to live life to the full as they become their best selves in the service of God.
We make our prayer in your name. Amen.

2. Loving God, each member of our family is a special gift from you. You have given each of us gifts and talents so that we can enjoy life and share with others. Help us to know how to encourage and support each other so that we can respond generously to our Baptismal call. Help us to foster a culture of vocations in our family and parish, so that each will respond to that call to serve you through the vocations of marriage, single life, ordained ministry. Help us to be aware that you are with us as we strive to become the person you want us to be.
We make our prayer through Jesus who lived his call to the full. Amen.

Prayers for young people discerning their vocation:

1. God, I know you love me and are calling me to choose Life! But sometimes I am overwhelmed by the thought of my future. It’s scary!
Help me to listen to your call – in all the ways you speak to me:
Through prayer and the scriptures, through the Church and the circumstances of my life, through those who love and care for me, and through my own hopes and desires.
Guide me to search openly and learn about life’s choices, so that I may respond generously to your call, and choose the vocation and career that will enable me to love wholeheartedly, and serve others with special gifts you have given me.
God, today I thank you for your love and for all that your gift of life holds for me. Amen.

2. God, I know you love and have great plans for me. But sometimes I am overwhelmed by the thought of my future. I sense that you may be calling me to priesthood / religious life.
Show me how to walk forward one day at a time. May I have the courage to search openly, learn about my choices, listen to others for advice, and pay attention to my own feelings, but most importantly, to listen to you. By doing this, I trustingly respond to your call, believing that you will lead me to fullness of life.
My deepest desire is to serve you, so I trust that you will give me whatever I need to follow wherever you may lead. Amen.

Vocations Prayers for the Sick and Elderly:

Sick Person’s Prayer for Vocations

Lord, you are a good and loving Father. I have great confidence that you are listening to me. Our world needs many priests and consecrated men. I offer my sufferings, my illness, the infirmities of old age and my personal inconveniences for your greater honour. Encourage our generous young people to listen to and show them how to best serve their brothers and sisters. Oh God, may my sickness be my prayer when I have …………….
I ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Senior Citizen’s Prayer for Vocations:

Lord, you call me to be a person of faith who desires to grow in wisdom as well as age. Teach me to be open to you in responding to your love in my life. As I grow older, sometimes I am sick or without energy or feel very lonely.
Let me remember that you too know what it is to suffer and yet have hope. I desire to offer the difficulties of my life for those who also struggle to be the people you desire them to be. I ask that you bless our church community with generous and enthusiastic ministers who desire to work among us, who can bring your Good News to our world.
I ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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