PRAY FOR OUR SEMINARIANS! PRAY FOR VOCATIONS!
September 26, 2020
LET US PRAY FOR VOCATIONS. THE LORD WILL ANSWER OUR PRAYER.
Pictured below are the Seminarians presently enrolled in the 2020/2021 formation year at Holy Spirit Seminary in Edmonton. Please keep them in your prayer that the Will of the Lord may be fully realized in each of them. The seminary program can be quite challenging - not so much, because of the years of studies or the in-house liturgical or community life, but because each candidate will have to discern his calling from God to serve His People as a priestly minister and to dedicate himself to that vocation.
There are surely other candidates out there. Men, young and older, that are contemplating the possibility of giving their lives to serve the Lord's Church as a priest. Some wonder if they can do justice to such a calling or remain faithful to it. Some worry about the studies. Others aren't worried about the academic program and may have already completed it, but they delay the commitment for various reasons. Others are eager, but just waiting to be asked, encouraged or supported (Mt 20:1-7). We all have a role in helping our Church have enough priestly vocations to not just "hold the fort" or "cover the bases", but to lead us in fulfilling the mandate of Christ to ever Evangelize all peoples and grow the Church!
We can help by praying for the potential vocations that we have now! and by praying for an increase in vocations (Matthew 9:38). We can help by being open enough to encourage our sons and grandsons to at least consider Priestly ministry as a life choice. We can also help by mentioning the possibility of priestly ministry to people we see in our parishes or among our relatives or friends. If we see a young man (or a not-so-young man) who we believe might actually be a good priest, why not mention that to him!? What's the worst that can happen? Such a comment could either plant a seed or be received as an intriguing observation. To re-purpose a phrase used around the world by security agencies, "If you see something, say something!"... If we want to secure the future of our Church with plenty of priests to serve us with the Sacraments and the Word of God, let's say something to those in whom we see "something" that they just may have a calling to serve the Lord as His Priest.
Prayer of Venerable Andrew Sheptytsky FOR GOOD PRIESTS*
Lord, O Lord, look down from heaven, survey and visit the vineyard which was planted by Your hand. May Your all-powerful hand be always on this people which You have loved. In every generation, Eternal God, until the end of the world, grant them holy bishops and priests, filled with Your Spirit - pastors and teachers of Your law, who would be able to keep the truth of Your holy incarnation without compromise and, with love, to teach and to guide this great people. Grant to Your clergy the grace to never fear any sacrifice, when it concerns Your glory and the good of this people. Set the hearts of Your priests on fire with a zealous spirit for the salvation of souls. Open before their eyes the wisdom of Your revelation and grant them to hold in high esteem the holiness of the task to which you called them. Bless their work and their intentions. Protect them from every evil - especially mortal sin. And unite them by Your grace, so that in love they would be one - as are you, Father, with Your Son and the Son with You. Amen.
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