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Bishop Burbidge encourages Hispanic vocations

Zoey Maraist | Catholic Herald Staff Writer

A man holds out his hand during the sign of peace at the Mass to Pray for Vocations. ZOEY MARAIST | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop Michael F. Burbidge celebrates the Mass to Pray for Vocations in the Hispanic community at Christ the Redeemer Church in Sterling April 22. ZOEY MARAIST | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop Burbidge blesses a man after the Mass to Pray for Vocations at Christ the Redeemer Church in Sterling. ZOEY MARAIST | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Sr. Ursula Flores, a member of the Poor Sisters of St. Joseph in Alexandria, hands out information about vocations after Mass. ZOEY MARAIST | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Around 1,000 people filled Christ the
Redeemer Church in Sterling for the annual Mass to Pray for Vocations April 22.
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge was joined at the noon Spanish Mass by other priests,
including Atonement Father Francis Eldridge, pastor, and Father Juan A. Puigbó,
parochial vicar of All Saints Church in Manassas with special care of St. Gabriel
Mission in Manassas Park. 

“You bless our church with the beautiful
gift of married love and family life,” Bishop Burbidge told the Hispanic parishioners.
“We need you to work in a very particular way to bless the church with more
vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life from your families.”

In his homily, Father Puigbó spoke about
the universal call to holiness. “But how can we make that vocation complete? We
need to discern God’s will,” he said. “What is important is for parents to
accompany their children in discovering their particular vocation by praying
together, by listening to them, and referring them later on to a priest or a
person who is able to help them discern.”

The Diocese of Arlington is about 45 percent
Hispanic, but less than 10 percent of the seminarians are Hispanic, said Father
J.D. Jaffe, vocations director. “It’s important to have a Mass that brings the Hispanic
community together across the diocese to pray for an increase in vocations to the
priesthood and the consecrated life,” he said.  “We’re trying to help these communities pray
for this, to be open to this, to plant seeds in hearts and help families to see
that this is a good thing.”

Toward the end of Mass, a family took
home a statue of Our Lady and promised to pray for vocations this week as part
of an ongoing program at Christ the Redeemer. Children also came up and greeted
Bishop Burbidge, a few handing him handwritten notes. Afterward, Bishop Burbidge
expressed his hope that many of these children would grow up to be the diocese’s
priests and religious. 

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