National Vocation Awareness Week5TH -12TH OF AUGUST 2012

THEME: COME DISCOVER THE LORD OF THE LIVING WATERS

Vocations!

- What is it? What are you talking about?

- Who is it for?- Why me?- When does it happen in life?

- How long does it take?

Every baptised Christian – called to be a child of God and share his / her life in the community of the Church.

When each person comes to a certain age, he / she asks the question:

What can I do for this community?

This is in the imitation of Christ who came to give His life.

Various options: - Marriage

- Religious Life- Priesthood- Single life

Each person chooses his /her life’s vocation through prayer, guidance and

knowledge and acceptance of self

Exercise: Invite the students to write a week’s journal and to

review it in one week.

Question: Have they come to learn and know themselves better?

What is marriage and what does it entail?

Love between a man and a woman is achieved when they give themselves totally, founding on the marriage covenant that communion of persons where God has willed that human life be conceived, grow and develop.

By the fact that marriage is a vocation, it must involve a carefully considered choice, a mutual commitment before God and the constant seeking of His help in prayer.

Taken from The Pontifical Council for the Family, “ The Truth and meaning of Human Sexuality” Guidelines for Education within the Family, 14 & 27

What is and what are its demands?

As men and women who set out to follow Christ with greater

liberty, and to imitate Him more closely, by practising the Evangelical Counsels.

They lead lives dedicated to God, each in their own way. This has enabled the Church to not merely be equipped for every good work and to be prepared for the work of the ministry unto the

building up of the Body of Christ, but also to appear adorned with the manifold gifts of her children, and to manifest in herself the

multiform wisdom of God. Taken from Vatican Council II’s Decree on the Up-to-Date Renewal of Religious Life, “ Perfectae Caritatis”, 1

Am I called to be a priest? Who are you looking for?

Through their sacred ordination, priests are at the service of Christ the Teacher, Priest and King; they are given a share in His ministry, through which the Church here on earth is being ceaselessly built

up into the People of God, Christ’s Body and the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Taken from Vatican Council II’s Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests, “ Presbyterorum Ordinis”, 1

All priests should show their apostolic zeal by fostering vocations as much as possible, and should draw the hearts of young men to the

priesthood by the example of their humble, hardworking and happy lives, as well as by their mutual charity and fraternal cooperation.

Taken from Vatican Council II’s Decree on the Training of Priests, “ Optatam Totius”, 2

Single life? Does it mean that no one wants me?

Men and women who choose to be single in life discover the will of God in such a situation and so find a sense of vocation and peace in their lives.

Taken from The Pontifical Council for the Family, “ The Truth and meaning of Human Sexuality” Guidelines for Education within the Family, 36

Closing prayer

O God, the Spring of Eternal Life, from my mother's wombyour water of life have filled me with an everlasting love.

I ask for the courage to live a holy life,that the waves of your hand guide my decisions and that your consoling presence lead me to the vocation that is best for me.

I ask for the wisdom to know your will for me, and like our Blessed Mother,

I ask for the strength to say yes.

May I find you in every person I meet, and may my life so shine forthyour goodness and love that each person may be led to you

through Jesus, your Son,who is Lord, forever and ever.

Amen.