Our diocese, the Diocese of Arlington, is commemorating National Vocations Awareness Week in a big way. Last week our parish bulletin had a full color insert from the bishop where he told his own vocation story, and the vocation story of St. Faustina. The insert gave the names and photos of the forty men who are studying for the priesthood for the diocese. The names of 29 men, and 40 women who are in formation for various religious order and communities with prayers for vocations. Various vocation events for men and women and high school aged boys and girls were listed. Last Sunday a seminarian from a local parish spoke to the congregation after Mass about his vocation, and asking for prayers. He was also available after Mass to speak to anyone who wanted to talk to him. (Our parish does not have a seminarian at this time as our last seminarian was ordained in June.) After Mass the ushers handed out flyers for the “St. Therese Vocation Society.” Members of the society pray for every day for vocations and for a seminarian or person in formation for a religious order. A calendar is provided with a name for each day. My sister who lived in a diocese in upstate New York was shocked at the number of seminarians that our diocese has. She said that her diocese only has two, although I find that hard to believe. I hope she is mistaken. Our small diocese was only started in the 1970’s. We have had only three bishops, but all of them have made vocations a priority, and it shows.
:hypno: