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Writer's pictureProfiles in Catholicism
Mar 2922 min read

Religious Vocations

Updated: Mar 31



A Message from the Editor

Priestly vocations are significantly low. Some insights into this challenges is Report: Vocations to religious life in US decline, but key factors can positively impact numbers  by Gina Christian in Our Sunday Visitor and from some of the people that we interviewed This challenge has been compounded by loss of Cardinals,  Bishops,  and thousand of priests for sexual abuse of children.


The Catholic is Church has paid out tens of millions of dollars to survivors of clerical abuse. We need to end this abuse. Some options include use of pedophile tests which may not be accurate, but still could be helpful. The Catholic Church should invest money to develop a more accurate pedophilia test.


Many are deeply concerned over the possibility of tens of thousand of Palestinians starving to death  A United Nations UN expert reports on genocidal acts in Gaza which could be substantially greater with Israel’s continued invasion of  Gaza. This seems incompressible to many because of the attempted genocide of Jews by Nazis. I used to believe that the worst possibe crime was the beheading of children that occurred earlier in this war. I now believe that it is the starvation of a child when their parents watch them die.


I ask all of our readers to pray to keep the children of Gaza from starvation.


A Quote to Remember

“The vocation is truly a treasure that God places in the hearts of some men, chosen by Him and called to follow Him in this special state of life. This treasure, that must be discovered and brought to light, is not made to 'enrich' someone alone.”

by Pope Francis

 

Prayers

 

A prayer for religious vocation

 

“Christ, Joseph and Mary”

 

In your Holy Family, Lord, there were many vocations, to

Marriage, adoption, being a foster-father, mother, the care

Of children, celibacy, virginity, prayer, pilgrimage, and the

Mystery of a priestly ministry of forgiveness and healing,

Which, together with the disciples, founded the Church.

 

Between widespread starvation, poverty, conflict and

The unreachable pinnacles of overwhelming wealth,

 

Lord, there is pointing to beautiful blossoms

 

Between the shops of impossibly expensive handbags,

And the ragged, bag man, woman, or child in a box,

 

Lord, there is the smile that lets another go first,

 

Between holidays, boats and security costs that could

Pay the poor an important pittance the world over,

 

Lord, there is planting flowers and vegetables

 

Between gangs, military powers, weaponized media,

And scraping a living and escaping gang membership,

 

Lord, there is announcing the truth-in-love

 

Between those immersed in their games, videos, phones,

And the efforts of those nearby, calling them outside,

 

Lord, there are the many sufferings of parents

 

Between the long, dominating hours of work, and study,

The long, lonely hours of child-care and slipping, socially,

 

Lord, there are the gifts of shopping and cooking

Between the “stay-ins” and those who die alone, isolated,

And the waste upon waste of wealth upon appearances,

 

Lord, there is remembering to visit in-person

 

And the need to integrate, to socialize, and to see the other

Is not just another, but the infant, the young, and the man

 

who is Christ and the infant, the young, and the woman

who is His Mother, Mary, who asks and obtains His help.

 

So what is the good to be done that undoes wrongdoing?

 

What is the giving of gifts that goes beyond leftovers?

 

What is the help that each and everyone can give freely?

 

What light can we switch off, what rubbish reuse or recycle?

 

What mission, transmitting what we have received, can we

Resend through the mystery of self-giving love, given wholly?

 

Lord, you have given everything, down to nothing and more,

Giving us your mother to be ours and your disciples to help!

 

Let us pray that all the ways we are called to act and to serve,

Will include the giving of life in the service of now and here,

And hereafter, not skimming and skipping like stones across

Water but helping, more and more deeply, like divers diving

Into the open wounds of Christ and mingling grace with pain

And hurt with tears, sharing what breaks separation and builds

Up the body through the bread of love and the wine of glory.

 

by Francis Etheredge Catholic married layman, father of 11, 3 of whom are in heaven, and an author.


The Holy Father’s Prayer For Vocations

 

Holy and Provident Father, You are the Lord of the vineyard and the harvest and You give each a just reward for their work. In Your design of love You call men and women to work with You for the salvation of the world.

 

We thank You for Jesus Christ, Your living Word, who has redeemed us from our sins and is among us to assist us in our poverty. Guide the flock to which You have promised possession of the Kingdom.

Send new workers into Your harvest and set in the hearts of Pastors faithfulness to Your plan of salvation, perseverance in their vocation and holiness of life.

 

Christ Jesus, who on the shores of the Sea of Galilee called the Apostles and made them the foundation of the Church and bearers of Your Gospel, in our day sustain Your people on their journey. Give courage to those whom You call to follow You in the priesthood and the consecrated life, so that they may enrich God’s field with the wisdom of Your Word. Make them docile instruments of Your love in everyday service of their brothers and sisters.

 

Spirit of holiness, who pours out Your gifts on all believers and especially on those called to be Christ’s ministers, help young people to discover the beauty of the divine call. Teach them the true way of prayer, which is nourished by the Word of God. Help them to read the signs of the times so as to be faithful interpreters of Your gospel and bearers of salvation.


Mary, Virgin who listened and Virgin of the Word made flesh in your womb, help us to be open to the Word of the Lord so that having been welcomed and meditated on, it may grow in our hearts. Help us to live like you the beatitudes of believers and to dedicate ourselves with unceasing charity to evangelizing all those who seek your Son.

Grant that we may serve every person, becoming servants of the Word we have heard, so that remaining faithful to it we may find our happiness living it.


Vocation Prayer


O Father, you desire all of us to be happy.

Stir up the grace of a religious vocation in the hearts

of many men and women.

Grant to them the willingness and generosity

to give of themselves, their lives, their time and their

talents to the service of Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord and

Savior, and to His Holy Church.

May more men and women go forth as priests, deacons,

brothers and sisters to bring the truths of our Catholic faith

to all others so that soon they, too, may know You better

and love You more...

and serving You, be truly happy. Amen.

by USCCB

 

A Prayer for the children killed in the Israeli/Hamas war

 

Good and Gracious God, We come before you this evening begging for you to help in this seemingly endless war. The Palestinian Christian-led global walk for peace is taking place in four New Zealand cities during Lent – Christchurch, Auckland, Whanganui and Wellington. The Gaza Ceasefire pilgrimage is important to all of us throughout the world, dear Lord, who does not abandon us but assists us in what we do.

 

These New Zealand cities are among 59 others in eight countries hosting the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage. The walkers are calling for an enduring and sustained ceasefire, access to humanitarian assistance, release of all hostages on both sides and an end of occupation so a just peace can begin. This is not too much to ask. Lord. We open our eyes to the needs of others and how we can fill their lives with hope and love.

 

The walk aims to show solidarity with the people suffering in Gaza and raise funds for humanitarian relief and support for refugees.

 

Besides calling for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, the walkers are asking the New Zealand government to allow family members of Gazans living in New Zealand to have humanitarian visas. Lord, we put our petitions at your feet and beg you to assist us in getting others what they need. We ask you this through Christ Our Lord Amen.

by Eileen Quinn Knight, Ph.D. Profiles in Catholicism

 

A Prayer to End the Violence in Nigeria

 

Dear God, We are called to assist those involved in the war in Nigeria. Please look upon our immediate needs and answer them. The 13-month period from January 2023 to January 2024 is described as the deadliest in recent years, highlighting the failure of the Nigerian government and security forces to adequately address and curb the escalating violence. The report asserts that since 2009, Nigeria has become the second deadliest country for religiously motivated civilian deaths globally, with more than 150,000 lives lost.

 

Of this number, approximately 100,000 were Christians, 46,000 were moderate Muslims, and 4,000 belonged to other religious groups  Holy Spirit, the loss of one life is much for us to handle and so many of our Nigerian friends have fallen. Please help us get this country back to loving each other and the enemy. The report also outlines the destruction of tens of thousands of homes, over 18,500 Christian places of worship, 1,000 religious shrines, and 2,500 Christian/Traditional education centers. Additionally, it notes the displacement and expulsion of inhabitants from over 59,000 square kilometers of land.  Please, Lord, come to our aide in this terrible time of tragedy.

by Eileen Quinn Knight, Ph.D. Profiles in Catholicism

 

Vocation Interviews

 

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General Interviews

 


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General Vocation Articles and Commentaries



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General Articles/Commentaries


Featured Reports



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Medical Journal Articles

 

  • Neurological Illness and National Security Lessons to Be Learned by David A. Relman, MD JAMA March 18, 2024 Link to Neurological Disorders

  • Clinical, Biomarker, and Research Tests Among US Government Personnel and Their Family Members Involved in Anomalous Health Incidents by Leighton Chan, MD, MPH. Mark Hallett, MD, Chris K. Zalewski, PhD. et al.JAMA March 18, 2024 Link to United States Issues and Challenges


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Resources

 

 

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Books, Book Reviews, Commentaries, and Excerpts



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Film Reviews and Commentaries


Television Reviews and Commentaries

 

  • The Program           Commentary by Brian Dwyer Spectrum News

  • Shirley

  • Commentary by Ellen Wexler Smithsonian Magazine

 

Music Reviews and Commentaries

 

  • Phasor

  • Reviewed by Nathaniel Hunter U.S. Catholic

 

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Videos


Discerning your Vocation


What's My Vocation?


Catholic Vocations - The Gift of God's Love

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