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| Seminarians from the Diocese of Madison are pictured with Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison and Fr. Gregory Ihm, vocations director for the diocese, right. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash) |
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Catholic Church in the United States will celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week, November 4-10.
This annual event is a special time for parishes in the U.S. to foster a culture of vocations for the priesthood, diaconate, and Consecrated Life.
Pope Francis, in his message for the 2018 World Day of Vocations, emphasized that it is at the loving initiative of God, and by His personal encounter with each of us, that one is called.
National Vocation Awareness Week, sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations, is designed to help promote vocation awareness and to encourage young people to ask the question: “To what vocation in life is God calling me?”
Parish and school communities across the nation are encouraged to include, during the first week in November, special activities that focus on vocation awareness and provide opportunities for prayerful discernment.
Contemporary society is all too often saturated by constant activity and noise, so it is important this week to encourage young discerners to take time for silent, contemplative prayer.
Results of studies conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) notes that 72 percent of those ordained to the priesthood or solemnly professed within the last year cited participation in Eucharistic Adoration as a prayer experience that proved influential in their discernment.
Observance of Vocation Awareness Week began in 1976 when the U.S. bishops designated the 28th Sunday of the year for the celebration.
It was later moved to the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord in January. The USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations moved the observance of National Vocation Awareness Week to November to engage Catholic schools and colleges more effectively in this effort.
More information and resources, including a prayer card, homily aids, suggested prayers of the faithful, and bulletin-ready quotes are available online at: http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/national-vocation-awareness-week.cfm
For more information in the Diocese of Madison, contact the Office of Vocations at 608-821-3088, email vocations@madisondiocese.org or go to the website at www.madisonvocations.org