"The Dream Of Vocation" Nov 5, 2021

National Vocation Awareness Week (NVAW), Nov. 7-13, 2021, is an annual celebration in the U.S. Catholic Church dedicated to promoting vocations to the priesthood, permanent diaconate, and consecrated life through prayer and education, and to renewing our prayers and support for those who are considering one of these vocations.

In his message for the 2021 World Day of Prayer for Vocations, entitled “Saint Joseph: The Dream of Vocation,” Pope Francis focuses on three key words – dream, service, and fidelity. He identifies St. Joseph as a protector of vocations, writing that “He did not yield to the temptation to act rashly, simply following his instincts or living for the moment. Instead, he pondered things patiently. He knew that success in life is built on constant fidelity to important decisions.”

“For St. Joseph, service — as a concrete expression of the gift of self — did not remain simply a high ideal, but became a rule for daily life,” the Pope said in his message. “I like to think, then, of Saint Joseph, the protector of Jesus and of the church, as the protector of vocations. In fact, from his willingness to serve comes his concern to protect.”

Pope Francis added: “What a beautiful example of Christian life we give when we refuse to pursue our ambitions or indulge in our illusions, but instead care for what the Lord has entrusted to us through the church! God then pours out his Spirit and creativity upon us; he works wonders in us, as he did in Joseph.”

Studies of those recently ordained and religiously professed consistently show that the encouragement of the parish priest is the most influential factor in vocational discernment. But the accompaniment of the whole faith community is key for genuine vocational discernment — from one’s parents and family members, to the Catholic educators, as well as the vital role that youth ministers and fellow parishioners play as the early encounters for young people to the faith. This was confirmed by the latest research figures published by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) in February 2021. According to the survey, three quarters of religious men and women who professed their perpetual vows in the United States in 2020 came from families in which both parents are Catholic. Nine in ten reported that someone encouraged them to consider a vocation to religious life. 45% were encouraged by their parish priest, 41% by a friend, and 40% by a religious sister or brother, while 30% said they were encouraged by their mother.

During this National Vocation Awareness Week, I hope that, with the Lord's grace, you cultivate a spirit of gratitude toward God for His plans for your life, no matter your vocation. Through our commitment to prayer, holiness, and virtue, may we each find the path of holiness to which God calls us and live that life in abundant grace and in a manner worthy of the call you have received. “Only by abandoning ourselves confidently to grace, setting aside our own programs and comforts, can we truly say “yes” to God,” Pope Francis said, calling on the Church to look to St. Joseph as an “outstanding example of acceptance of God’s plans.”

Fr. Robert T. Cooper, Pastor
Divine Mercy Parish and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School