Vocations
Prayer for Vocations
Heavenly Father, bless Your Church with an abundance of holy and zealous priests, deacons, brothers and sisters. Give those You called to the married state and those You have chosen to live as single persons in the world the special graces that their lives require. Form all in the likeness of Your Son so that in Him, with Him and through Him we may love You more deeply and serve You more faithfully, always and everywhere. With Mary we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
Introduction
The mission of the St. John the Baptist Vocations Committee is to pray for those discerning a vocation, whether it is to the life of a priest, deacon, religious, married, or single person.
We pray for a fruitful response to this discernment so that:
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more men may become priests and deacons
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more men and women may become religious brothers and sisters
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married couples may be committed to God and to each other as they foster stable marriages and families and
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single persons may live their commitment to serve God and their neighbor.
Prayer
Not only do we encourage daily prayer, we offer specific prayer time through the Vocations Cross. A packet of material is given to parishioners who sign up for a week of concentrated prayer for vocations. Materials include the Vocations Cross, prayer aids, a DVD called “Fishers of Men,” information on diocesan seminarians and religious orders, and an explanation of vocations.
The Vocations Cross materials are available to the St. John the Baptist School and Religious Education program. Through prayer, students and their teachers are given the opportunity to pray for their own vocations as well as for an increase of vocations to the priesthood, deaconate, and religious life.
The committee provides prayer cards for the celebrations of World Day of Prayer for Vocations, World Day for Consecrated Life, and National Vocation Awareness Week. The committee meets 4 times per year.
Awareness
Our mission is to increase an awareness of the various vocations. Through St. John the Baptist School, Religious Education program, and Youth Ministry program, the committee provides speakers who discuss the discernment process and who give insight into the life of a priest, sister, brother, married couple, or single person.
We coordinate field trips to St. Paul Seminary for older school students and read vocation stories to younger students in order to help them understand the meaning of vocations. We also participate in parish activities that highlight vocations.
Throughout the year members:
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Coordinate sign-ups for the vocation cross
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Replenish materials for the packets
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Make packets available to the school and Religious Education Program, and
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Work with the parish staff to coordinate vocation awareness activities.
For more information or to join the Vocation Committee, contact the rectory at 412-793-4511 or attend one of our meetings.