<\/span><\/p>\nArchbishop Jorge Carlos Patron Wong, Secretary for Seminaries of the Congregation for the Clergy in Rome, presented Pope Francis\u2019 vision for seminary formation. \u00a0The Pope has charged Archbishop Patron Wong to create a \u201cculture of encounter\u201d among seminarians preparing for the priesthood. \u00a0Consistent with the Pope\u2019s own actions throughout his Papacy, this means that future priests must be prepared with a missionary spirit that moves towards having an encounter with others. \u00a0The archbishop stated that \u201cseminarians must first become good men and faithful Christians, only then will they be apt to become good shepherds.\u201d<\/p>\n
The conference created many opportunities to build fraternity among the attendees. \u00a0 I had the opportunity to reconnect with friends from seminary, exchange ideas, meet other vocation directors and learn about programs offered by the many vendors present. \u00a0Having a good sense of humor is a desired quality in priests and in men considering the priesthood, so at these gatherings laughter is never absent.<\/p>\n
The primacy of prayer in vocation work was stressed and practiced throughout the conference. \u00a0Every day the schedule included a holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament, communal prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours and Mass. \u00a0Prayer is the fabric that underlies all vocation work. \u00a0From prayers offered by the people of God so God may send holy priests, to the individual prayer offered by a young man who is considering the priesthood, we are all invited to pray. \u00a0We are blessed in our diocese with the frequent praying of our diocesan vocations prayer at many parishes and the ability to pray for our seminarians by name every day.<\/p>\n
Prayer is where our relationship with Jesus unfolds and is strengthened. \u00a0From this relationship flows our identity as God\u2019s beloved sons and daughters, and this identity moves us into action. \u00a0If there is no prayer, our identity will be weak and we will not know in what direction to point our lives. \u00a0When it comes to discerning God\u2019s will, there is one person who desperately wants to tell us God\u2019s will in our lives: God Himself. \u00a0We must seek Him in prayer and strengthen our relationship with Him there. \u00a0All pressure or anxiety regarding the finding of one\u2019s vocation disappears when one leads a life of prayer since it is there, in prayer, that God pours out His love and manifests His will.<\/p>\n
Cardinal Edwin O\u2019Brien asserted that \u201cmen will give up their lives to a mystery, not to a question mark.\u201d \u00a0Prayer keeps the mystery of Jesus Christ always fresh and never allows it to turn into a murky, questioning reality. \u00a0Prayer lifts up our minds and hearts to God who joyfully fills our lives with His loving presence, allowing each one of us to respond to His call.<\/p>\n
Pictures are mine, all rights reserved.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Over two hundred forty vocation directors from the United States, Canada, Australia, England, and Scotland gathered last week for a conference sponsored by the National Convention of Diocesan Vocation Directors in Long Island. \u00a0The newbies like me attended a three day session before the formal conference began to learn from experienced vocation directors. \u00a0It was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2533,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/a><\/div>\n