Fr. Michael Duffy
While I was in seminary, I was blessed to be able to come to know an organization that does a tremendous amount of good behind the scenes for vocations. The executive offices for NCDVD – the National Conference of Diocesan Vocations Directors were located in the building where I went to seminary. Every year I would watch with awe as so much energy and effort went into the yearly national conference that this group put on. This year, that conference is taking place in my back yard – in my own diocese!
The National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors promotes diocesan priesthood, providing resources for the formation, support, and advocacy of diocesan vocation directors as they work within the Catholic Church to foster a culture of vocations, raising up new priests for the Body of Christ. Their national conference, where nearly every diocesan vocation director in the country attends is a great moment of grace for the Catholic Church in the United States.
In addition to the 269 priests, 17 bishops will be in attendance. Incredibly, there will be representatives from 7 countries. Particularly exciting this year is the presence of a representative of the Vatican, Archbishop Wong from the Congregation of the Clergy with special oversight of seminaries through the world. Cardinal O’Brien from the Holy Sepulchre and Cardinal Dolan from New York will also be in attendance.
I invite you to follow along with the conference by using #NCDVD2014 on twitter. You can also follow the work of the NCDVD yearlong by following them on twitter via @NCDVD. A great deal of good is sure to come of this conference. I also invite you to offer a few extra prayers for the work of this conference and for those in attendance. The work of vocations is vitally important to the life of the Church. I ask for you to offer your rosaries or some other prayer for the success of this conference and for an increase of vocations to the priesthood and religious life!
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