National Vocations Awareness Week

By Bishop Paul S. Loverde
Special to the Herald
(From the issue of 1/13/05)

This week, the Church across the country turns her attention to vocations, to the persistent and powerful call of the Lord to the priesthood and the consecrated life.

When we step back to see God’s blessings in our lives, we cannot help but be grateful. The same is true for our diocese. We are experiencing unprecedented growth as one of the fastest growing dioceses in the country. Since 1999, the number of registered Catholics has climbed 16 percent to nearly 400,000. To meet this growth, our diocese is opening schools, expanding parishes and planning for the future.

This goes for vocations as well — to pastor future generations of Catholics, our diocese needs vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. Last year, the diocese’s first Vietnamese priest was ordained. This coming June, I look forward to ordaining as many as five new priests for our diocese. In 2006, that number could be as high as seven. Currently, the diocese has 24 seminarians enrolled. Twenty-seven women from the diocese are in religious formation.

The Church leaders of tomorrow — of the third millennium — are among our family, friends and acquaintances. They might be sitting next to us at school or work, or even around our family dinner table. The Church needs healthy, balanced individuals who know how to relate to all people, who are open to the truth of the Gospel, and know how to proclaim the Word in a way that is welcoming and convincing.

Over the past few weeks, through the program "Called by Name," the people of our diocese have prayerfully considered who among them might have the qualities of a strong priest or consecrated religious. Many have, in turn, submitted names of persons who possess these qualities to our Office of Vocations. Our office, in turn, has invited those persons to informational meetings regarding vocation discernment.

Vocations are the fruit of prayer and the result of the Lord’s providential choice. This year, I am encouraging all parishes to include an intercession for vocations in the Prayer of the Faithful at every weekend Mass. By this, we live out our baptismal call, which includes the need to encourage, nurture and sustain vocations.

As I reflect on my own spiritual journey, it is clear to me that the Lord made use of others to help me hear my calling. The example of the sisters, brothers and parish priests had a profound and positive impact on my life. My parents had great respect for them. The service of the priests and religious was cherished in our home. Fortunately, there were significant persons who encouraged me to consider God’s call, no matter where it might lead. I am eternally grateful for their encouragement, prayers and support. As our Holy Father writes, "When adult Christians show themselves capable of revealing the face of Christ through their own words and example, young people are more ready to welcome His demanding message, stamped as it is with the mystery of the cross" (Papal Message for 2005 Day of Prayer for Vocations).

Today, approximately 1,200 members of our St. Therese Vocation Society and Junior Society are praying daily for our seminarians as well as for men and women who have entered religious orders; over 80 high school boys and girls and men and women are involved in four discernment groups, which I have the privilege of meeting at various occasions throughout the year. Annual discernment retreats, ‘Nun Runs,’ seminary visits, pilgrimage day trips, cookouts, hikes and service projects are among the many activities sponsored throughout the year by our Diocesan Office of Vocations.

I encourage you to become more involved in nurturing vocations in our diocese. More information is available at www.arlingtondiocese.org/offices/vocations, or call the Office of Vocations at 703/841-2514.

Finally, priests and consecrated men and women are truly key to encouraging vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life because, to echo Pope Paul VI, people are affected more by witness than by teaching.

I will close with the beautiful prayer of our Holy Father for the 2005 Vocations Day of Prayer, which I hope each of us can make our own: "Jesus, Son of God, in whom the fullness of the Divinity dwells, You call all the baptized to ‘put out into the deep,’ taking the path that leads to holiness. Waken in the hearts of young people the desire to be witnesses in the world of today to the power of your love. Fill them with your Spirit of fortitude and prudence, so that they may be able to discover the full truth about themselves and their own vocation. Our Savior, sent by the Father to reveal His merciful love, give to your Church the gift of young people who are ready to put out into the deep, to be the sign among their brothers of Your presence which renews and saves. Holy Virgin, Mother of the Redeemer, sure guide on the way towards God and towards neighbor, You who pondered his word in the depth of your heart, sustain with your motherly intercession our families and our ecclesial communities, so that they may help adolescents and young people to answer generously the call of the Lord. Amen."

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