The Communal Nature of Vocations
All week long I have been volunteering at our annual church carnival. It's been an absolute blast, as it is every year. It was at the carnival that I received a call from the Provincial informing me of my acceptance into the Order. What has struck me all week in relation to this is the profoundly communal nature of a vocation. Most of my parish knew that I was awaiting a decision, and I cannot begin to recall the number of people who approached me at my booth (I'm working the frog bog!) asking if I had heard any news, telling me they've been praying for me, and so forth. When I got the phone call, everyone knew that it was the call, as I ran out of my booth area to find a semi-quiet area to talk. As I walked back in tears a small crowd began to gather to hear the news, and they literally cheered when they found out. People came up hugging me, even thanking me for answering this call, telling me their prayers have been answered. As the night and now the days have passed, every day I have new people coming up to me telling me they've heard the news and how happy and excited they are, that the Church needs good priests.
That's just it: the Church needs good priests! But a vocation to the priesthood is not simply the work of one man and his personal relationship with God. It is a communal event. It requires the constant prayers of an entire Church, it requires parents who are willing to talk to their children about being open to a religious vocation, it requires sound catechesis from our Catholic educators, it requires encouragement and support of those men who are discerning.
If you are Catholic and you wish to see an increase in good priests serving the Church and providing you with the Sacraments, don't just passively hope for it - be proactive! If you are married with a family, as a family pray the Rosary and offer it for an increase in vocations, or after you say grace before meals offer a Hail Mary for vocations. If you have sons, encourage them to be open to the idea of a priestly vocation. Don't push it on them, but encourage them to be open. Teach your children the value of prayer, especially that they learn to pray for God's will in their own lives. All Catholics, take any opportunity you get to go to Adoration and pray for vocations. If you know someone whom you think could have a vocation, talk to him about it, encourage him, pray for him and with him.
All of this goes not only for vocations to the priesthood, but the religious life, the diaconate, and marriage. These are the foundations of the Church - men willing to serve as priests and deacons, men and women willing to serve in religious life, and men and women willing to enter into the sacrament of marriage and be open to the gift of life, and all taking their responsibilities to the Church seriously. The Church has great needs right now for all of these vocations, and they can only be achieved when as a Church we work together towards them.