{enclose 05_03_09.mp3} Catholics around the world are urged to mark this Sunday, May 3, as the 46th World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Pope Benedict XVI himself has set out the theme for this year’s observance: Faith in the divine initiative — the human response. This theme so clearly reminds us that every vocation in the church is not a task to be performed but a life-giving relationship. God issues the invitation to a man or woman to become the person that he or she has been created to be, and the person responds to God in faith. The invitation itself is a grace, a gift. Included in the gift is the help to respond with the gift of self.
Every diocese depends for its vitality and its fidelity to the risen Christ on a generous response to God’s call on the part of many, many people, of different ages and different states in life. Our diocese is no different. I have witnessed in all of our parishes a strong dedication to marriage and family life. Our solid programs for marriage preparation and enrichment, as well as our celebrations of long, faithful marriages, remind us of the centrality of this response to God’s creative plan in Catholic life.
This weekend — and always — our prayer should be that every Catholic family become a seedbed of faith in which a vocation to the priesthood or religious life could begin to develop if God calls a young family member to such a way of life. I am convinced that the many strong families that make up our parishes have been able to flourish in faith because of the care and witness of so many priests and religious who have served in this diocese. Historically, we have had a large number of these vocations for a diocese our size. Often (and currently) we have had the blessing of priests and religious who have come from other places to serve us here in the name of Christ.
What does the future hold for us? We know the future of our local church will be shaped by God’s initiative first. We also know that God’s will is for us to be saved in Jesus Christ. I cannot believe that God will not continue to call men and women to serve our church generously in ordained ministry and religious life. The ability of those being called to hear God’s invitation depends on parishes and families creating an atmosphere of expectation and hope in God’s plan. Their ability to respond must be supported by our open encouragement and by our prayers.
Recently during the Chrism Mass, I announced that I am calling our diocese to a year of prayer for vocations to the priesthood. A focal point of our Cathedral restoration will be the dedication of a new altar of sacrifice that is being given as a gift by the diocesan and religious priests who serve in our diocese. We will begin our yearlong prayer for vocations to the priesthood when the new altar is dedicated early in Advent. Resources will be provided for families, schools and parishes to help us pray together for a generous response to God’s initiative.
Please do not put off praying for this important intention. Our Catholic life in this diocese will be severely diminished in the future without the blessing of good priests in sufficient numbers. As we make preparations for our special year of prayer, I ask you to pray the Hail Mary each day that our efforts will bear good fruit. Surely Mary, the patroness of our diocese, will pray with us that all who are being called to special service in the church will respond as she did with faith and generosity.
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