Message from Bishop Robert Deeley for National Vocations Awareness Week
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November 7, 2023National Vocation Awareness Week (November 5–11) reminds us that we all have a role in encouraging vocations in the Church. While it is God who plants the seed of a vocation, he seeks our cooperation in nurturing and nourishing those seeds. It is in families, in communities, and in our parishes where those seeds take root and grow. We need to make our homes and churches places alive with the joy of Christ and be witnesses to the Gospel message so that, amid the busyness of life, young people can hear his call.
Our Catholic schools and faith formation programs can help that to happen. So, too, can daily prayer in homes – before meals and at other points of the day. If you see a young person who displays a love for the Eucharist and a desire to serve others, don’t hesitate to share an encouraging word. Be a good Christian witness in the way you live your life and, during this week especially, think and pray about how you can help others, especially young people, discover the happiness that comes from having Jesus in your life.
I do not believe that Christ has stopped calling young people to the priesthood and consecrated life. Rather, with the challenges of today’s society, I believe it is harder for them to pause long enough to reflect upon the path that Christ has set out before them. We must work together to change that. Through prayer, encouragement, invitation, and Christian witness, we can help young people discover that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, so they will have the confidence to put trust in him and follow where he leads.