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First Friday Prayer for Vocations Resumes in a New Way
As the summer ends, First Friday prayer for vocations to the Priesthood and Religious life will be resuming throughout the Diocese, in a way the Office of Vocations hopes will increase participation and raise awareness in every Catholic parish and school. In a letter addressed to all Pastors, Pastoral Administrators and Catholic School principals, the Reverend Ned Shlesinger, Director of Vocations, has invited them to create opportunities in their parishes and schools for adoration and prayer for vocations on the First Friday of each month.
Last year, the Vocations Holy Hours were monthly events scheduled by the Office of Vocations that rotated through each of the eight deaneries of the Diocese. This year, according to Brad Watkins, Assistant to the Director of Vocations, Bishop Burbidge hopes to move the emphasis from that of a singular monthly event, organized by the Office of Vocations, to adoration and prayer for vocations organized by the parishes and schools. Each month Bishop Burbidge will attend one of these local events as his schedule permits.
“The parishes might offer a Mass for Vocations,” Watkins said, “or a Mass in which vocations are included prominently in the Prayers of the Faithful. It might be groups of the faithful gathering to pray the Rosary for the intention of vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. Ideally, we would like for parishes and schools to offer adoration and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, which already occurs in many parishes on First Fridays, with the specific intention of praying for an increase in vocations.”
Watkins says that the overall purpose of this new initiative is to build a culture of discernment, and to “remind everyone, regardless of their age or their situation, to prayerfully and frequently ask the question, ‘What is God asking me to do with my life?’ Of course the Office of Vocations also hopes that everyone in the Diocese will begin to pray specifically for the “Master of the Harvest to send out laborers” (Mt 9:38).
“Pope Benedict has said that if we invite people to an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, and if we teach them to pray, especially our young people, we can trust that they will know what to do with God’s call. So we’re hoping to promote a culture of always being in a prayerful dialogue with the Lord about the decisions we make.”
Towards this end the Office of Vocations is also asking pastors to submit the names of individuals who are personally interested in helping to promote and encourage vocations to the priesthood and religious life in their parishes and missions. The goal is to have a “Vocations Liaison” in each church, to serve as a contact with the Office of Vocations, who can assist with planning for Adoration and Prayer for Vocations, and to help distribute materials from the Office such as its new posters and prayer cards.
More information about both of these programs will be available in late September on the new Office of Vocations website which will be accessible from the main site of the Diocese of Raleigh.