“Every vocation is born, is nourished, and develops in the Church and is linked to the Church in its origin, purpose, and mission. For this reason diocesan and parish communities are called to strengthen their commitment to the priesthood and religious life…

In the first place, one condition is that the community know how to listen to the Word of God...

It is necessary, furthermore, that communities know how to pray intensely for the fulfillment of the will of God...

The community should also be sensitive to the missionary dimension, taking upon itself the burden of the salvation of those who do not yet know Christ...

Finally the community must be open to the service of the poor.”

XXXIII World Day for Vocations (1996)
Message of John Paul II

A Prayer for Priestly Vocations

O Lord, my God, You renew the Church in every age by raising up priests outstanding in holiness, living witnesses of Your unchanging Love. In Your Plan for our salvation You provide shepherds for Your people. Fill the hearts of young men with the spirit of courage and love that they may answer Your call generously. Give parents the grace to encourage vocations in their family by prayer and good example. Raise up worthy priests for Your Altars and ardent, but gentle servants of the Gospel. Give the Church more priests and keep them faithful in their love and service. May many young men choose to serve You by devoting themselves to the service of Your people.
(Rev. Lawrence G. Lovasik, S.V.D.)

Totus Tuus

Totus Tuus is a weeklong summer Catholic youth program dedicated to sharing the Gospel and promoting the Catholic faith through catechesis, evangelization, Christian witness, and the celebration of the Eucharist. The goal of Totus Tuus is to help young people grow in their understanding of, and strengthen their faith in, Jesus Christ. Totus Tuus seeks to foster openness to vocations in the young people we serve as well as among the program teachers. This is accomplished by placing special emphasis on the importance and necessity of prayer, Eucharistic devotion, and Marian devotion, in addition to catechetical instruction and formation in the Catholic faith. To host a Totus Tuus team at your parish or for more information, contact John Whitlock in the Vocations Office at 312-867-2587 or jwhitlock@archchicago.org or go to www.totustuuschicago.com.

Called by Name

Called by Name is a new program that will be instituted throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago during the winter of 2008. It envisions the parish community recommending men and women whom they believe demonstrate qualities that show potential for a vocation to the priesthood or religious life. Nominees will be invited to attend programs sponsored by the Assistant Vocation Director of the vicariate designed to help them explore the possibility of a vocation to the priesthood. Names of women and men nominated for the religious life will be referred to the Office for Religious. For more information, contact John Whitlock in the Vocations Office at 312-867-2587 or jwhitlock@archchicago.org.

Program Invitation
Participating Parish Packet
Nomination Forms-English
Announcements-Polish
Nomination Forms-Polish
Announcements-Spanish
Nomination Forms-Spanish
Poster-English
Poster-Polish
Poster-Spanish

“What is My Vocation?” (A Vocations-Awareness School Curriculum)

The Archdiocese of Chicago Vocations Office has created a Vocations-Awareness School Curriculum for 6th or 7th graders entitled “What is My Vocation.” The text covers all Christian vocations, and has received a Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur. For more information, contact Dennis Stoll in the Vocations office at 312-751-1037 or dstoll@archchicago.org.

www.whatismyvocation.com

Vocation Parish Program

Program Framework
The Archdiocese of Chicago Vocations Office has created a Vocation Parish Program to encourage parishes to deliberately, actively and joyfully promote and encourage all Christian Vocation as an underlying element of all parish activities.

Vocation Parish Framework

Multi-Level Program
Parishes can participate in the Vocation Parish Program at three different levels. To begin the Pastor identifies one or two parishioners to act as the Vocation Parish Contacts. Next the Pastor and the Vocation Parish Contacts determine the parish participation level.

Level I – Keeping parish aware of vocations through vocation parish contact
Level II – Participating in Vocation Office programs by hosting or attending
Level III – Offering parish based vocation events- initiating parish programs

Each level involves greater participation for all areas of the Parish. The following Vocation Parish Matrix indicates the parish roles for each level of participation.

Vocation Parish Role Matrix

Priest As Inviter
The Vocation Office prepared the Priest As Inviter booklet as a vocation resource for all priests and their parish community. It provides practical hints on inviting people to consider vocations to the priesthood or consecrated religious life. It includes:

Section I: Vocation General Contact Information
Section II: Vocation Inviters, Mentors & Seminary Requirements – practical hints
Section III: Vocation Discernment & Promotion - programs
Section IV: Vocation Websites & Books - resources
Section V: Vocation Prayers - inspiration

For copies of the Priest As Inviter booklet, contact Susanne Smith in the Vocation Office at 312-751-5234 or susmith@archchicago.org. The following is a summary of the section contents:

Priest As Inviter Summary

What Can I Do?
The Vocation Office has a “What Can I Do” brochure to let you know what you can do to promote vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life. Make copies of the brochure for your parish. Here are some of the things you can do:
Pray – attend daily Mass, say rosary, make holy hour before Blessed Sacrament.
Encourage family and friends to think about priesthood or religious life
Exhibit your love for your faith.
Serve as a Vocation Parish Contact.
Get to know your seminarians.

What Can I Do brochure

Get Started
For more information on how you can help your parish to become a “Vocation Parish” contact Susanne Smith in the Vocation Office at 312-751-5234 or susmith@archchicago.org .

Eucharistic Adoration

Become a laborer of the harvest for Our Lord, by organizing a “Holy Hour” of prayer at your parish or adoration chapel. The Pope John Paul II Eucharistic Adoration Association is comprised of all volunteers who dedicate themselves to promoting Eucharistic Adoration throughout the Chicago Archdiocese. To help you get started, call (708)728-0840 or go to http://www.pjp2ea.org/pjp2ea/HolyHourPriests.asp

Click here to learn more about the Congregation for the Clergy's "Pray for Priests" campaign.

Other Ideas

• Invite religious communities to be part of a Parish Vocations Festival
• Offer a votive Mass for vocations
• Sponsor a vocations-themed parish mission
• Encourage young people to take on service roles in the parish—Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, Lector, Usher, Sacristan, parish committees, etc.
• Host a vocations retreat for college students and young adults


Seminarian Prayer Calendar:

The Vocations Office is asking parishes, schools, seminaries, and other organizations within the Archdiocese of Chicago to take an active role in praying for our seminarians as part of your stewardship. To help facilitate this “prayer campaign,” Seminarian Prayer Calendars have been created which highlight a different seminarian each weekday from one of our seminaries/ seminary programs. You may wish to use these calendars to:

• Include the seminarian of the day in the Prayers of the Faithful at each weekday
  mass
• List the seminarians to be prayed for during the upcoming week in the parish
  bulletin, or include the entire prayer calendar as an insert in the parish bulletin
  each month
• Encourage prayer for seminarians at the parish school
• Encourage parishioners to “adopt a seminarian”: commit to praying for him,
  send him letters/cards, invite him to a meal with the family
• Post the calendar around your parish: bulletin boards, adoration chapel, etc.

Click here to download calendar

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