National Vocation Awareness Week
We celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week in the first week of August each year.
In calling us, God says to us: "You are important to me, I love you, I count on you". Jesus says this to each one of us. Joy is born from here, the joy of the moment in which Jesus looked at me.
Pope Francis
God has a plan for us. He calls some to marriage, some to the priesthood, and others to consecrated life or to live as generous single people.
During Vocation Awareness Week, you are encouraged to pray seeking guidance about how God is calling you to live your own vocation. We also pray for more and generous vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. We all have a vocation. The word vocation comes from the Latin vocare, which in English means to call. God calls each one of us to holiness, called to love God and others.
Our specific vocation is a particular path or unique specific way that we are called to follow Christ, to be more like him, but with our own personality, characteristics, gifts, talents, weaknesses and circumstances. Following God’s call is not about becoming someone that we are not, but about becoming more fully the one God created us to be. How are we called to love others, making God’s love present in the world?
In the following two video segments, Fr Daniele Russo outlines his individual story discovering his purpose in life - the priesthood.
One vocation story: Fr Daniel Russo Part 1
One vocation story: Fr Daniel Russo Part 2
A short prayer for vocations (PDF 497.4KB)