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What is Vocations Awareness Week?
From the USCCB: "National Vocation Awareness Week (NVAW) is an annual week-long celebration of the Catholic Church in the United States dedicated to promote vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life through prayer and education, and to renew our prayers and support for those who are considering one of these particular vocations."
I am choosing to celebrate it this year by sharing the stories of a few of my friends who have answered this call to enter religious life.
Let's meet them!
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David hails from the Great State of Texas! David entered the Jesuit novitiate in 2005 after a year at Texas A&M. After teaching theology and theatre for three years at Jesuit High School in Tampa, FL, he was sent to the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, CA in 2014 for Theology studies as part of the final preparation before being ordained to the priesthood. In October 2016, he was ordained to the diaconate.
Memorable experiences in religious life include: waking up to the ocean reclaiming his camp site on the beach at the World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, and watching Bono from the roof of one of Fordham's Jesuit residences.
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Br. Victor
Br. Victor is from southern California. He was raised Catholic, became an atheist by the time he was 18, experienced a re-conversion after college and was accepted into the Capuchins of the Western America Province in 2011.
I first met Br. Victor when he was performing at Catholic Underground Bay Area with his band Capuchin Brothers Music. He raps!
Br. Victor is from southern California. He was raised Catholic, became an atheist by the time he was 18, experienced a re-conversion after college and was accepted into the Capuchins of the Western America Province in 2011.
I first met Br. Victor when he was performing at Catholic Underground Bay Area with his band Capuchin Brothers Music. He raps!
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Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, R.J. graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a Bachelor of Social Work and was a social worker before joining the Society of Jesus in 2006. Since taking vows in 2008, he studied philosophy for three years at Loyola University Chicago and spent three years teaching, counseling, and coaching football at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy. R.J. will be exercising his diaconal ministry at Newman Hall- Holy Spirit Parish near the University of California campus through the end of this academic year. R.J. also regularly helps teach Swing Dancing and will be a co-instructor at a Swing Dance event at St. Mary Magdalen on November 19th at 7 PM.
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| Here he is teaching David how to move with grace. |
Jacob, S.J.
Jacob already did a week long series, For the Love of the Church, that I highly encourage you to read! He originally published it as a series of Facebook posts, but I loved the idea of telling a vocation story as a love story and I wanted to keep it in it's entirety. Check it out:
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Vocations Prayer
The USCCB has 42 prayers for vocations on their website you can use for praying inspiration.
I personally like this Parent's Prayer for Vocations:
Gracious and loving God
you have blessed us with the privilege of becoming Parents.
We ask that you provide us with all that we need
in accepting this awesome responsibility.
We pray that we will be open to your spirit
who is our source of strength
as we witness to our children
your love for each of them and your desire for them
to be happy and to live a full life.
We ask your help
so we may guide and encourage our children
to believe that they each have a special calling
and to use their gifts and talents for others.
We pray, Heavenly Father,
that our children will discover
and respond enthusiastically to your desire for them
whether it be to the vocation of single, married,
ordained or consecrated life.
We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus
through the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
The USCCB has 42 prayers for vocations on their website you can use for praying inspiration.
I personally like this Parent's Prayer for Vocations:
Gracious and loving God
you have blessed us with the privilege of becoming Parents.
We ask that you provide us with all that we need
in accepting this awesome responsibility.
We pray that we will be open to your spirit
who is our source of strength
as we witness to our children
your love for each of them and your desire for them
to be happy and to live a full life.
We ask your help
so we may guide and encourage our children
to believe that they each have a special calling
and to use their gifts and talents for others.
We pray, Heavenly Father,
that our children will discover
and respond enthusiastically to your desire for them
whether it be to the vocation of single, married,
ordained or consecrated life.
We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus
through the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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