St. Mary’s Catholic Church @ @ @ @ @ Greenville, South Carolina 17 April 2016 Dear Friends in Christ, “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” The Fourth Sunday of Easter is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday because of the Scripture readings and Mass prayers appointed for this day in the sacred liturgy. The Latin word for shepherd is pastor, and this reveals why the Church also asks us to pray for more priests on Good Shepherd Sunday. The call to the priesthood comes from God, and the Lord has promised always to provide shepherds for his people. Through the Prophet Jeremiah, the Lord promised Israel: “I will give you shepherds after my own heart.” (Jeremiah 3.15) But he also asks us to seek the gift of pastors in prayer: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9.37-38) In the “developing” world - Africa, South America, and Oceania - the number of young men offering themselves for priestly formation is on the rise, in some cases a dramatic rise, but in the “developed” world – Europe and North America – this is not the case. It is strange but true that peace and prosperity seem to make it more difficult to hear the voice of God than do poverty and strife, and one reason for the difference, I think, is that those who live in peace and prosperity also live under the illusion of self-sufficiency. Young men are surely being called to the priesthood in sufficient numbers even in the First World, but too many of those called are afraid to hear and heed the voice of God. Why? A basic failure of Christian discipleship. The priesthood is not an extraordinary life for extraordinary men; it is an ordinary Christian way of life for ordinary Christian men. But the key to hearing and heeding the voice of God is that the man called must first understand what it means to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus. The radical thing is not giving up marriage to give one’s life to the Church; the radical thing is being baptized and giving one’s life to Jesus Christ. When young men grow up in a vibrant Christian community in which the truth of the Gospel and the beauty of the Catholic Faith are the foundation of their lives, then those who are called to marriage will be equipped to be good husbands and those who are called to the priesthood will have the courage to answer the summons of the Good Shepherd to lay down their lives for his sheep. Father Newman Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the 53rd World Day of Prayer for Vocations 17 April 2016 - Fourth Sunday of Easter Theme: The Church, Mother of Vocations Dear Brothers and Sisters, It is my great hope that, during the new life which takes shape in the call and place our lives at the service of course of this Extraordinary Jubilee of to discipleship and mission. Each God’s plan, embracing the historical Mercy, all the baptized may experience vocation in the Church has its origin circumstances of his holy people. the joy of belonging to the Church and in the compassionate gaze of Jesus. rediscover that the Christian vocation, Conversion and vocation are two sides On this day dedicated to prayer for just like every particular vocation, is of the same coin, and continually vocations, I urge all the faithful to born from within the People of God, remain interconnected throughout the assume their responsibility for the care and is a gift of divine mercy. The whole of the missionary disciple’s life. and discernment of vocations. When Church is the house of mercy, and it the Apostles sought someone to take is the “soil” where vocations take root, Blessed Paul VI, in his exhortation the place of Judas Iscariot, Saint Peter mature and bear fruit. Evangelii Nuntiandi, described various brought together one hundred and steps in the process of evangelisation. twenty of the brethren (cf. Acts 1.15); For this reason, on the occasion of One of these steps is belonging to the and in order to chose seven deacons, a the 53rd World Day of Prayer for Christian community (cf. no. 23), group of disciples was gathered (cf. 6.2). Vocations, I invite all of you to reflect that community from which we first Saint Paul gave Titus specific criteria upon the apostolic community, received the witness of faith and the for the selection of presbyters (cf. and to give thanks for the role of clear proclamation of the Lord’s mercy. Titus 1.5-9). Still today, the Christian the community in each person’s This incorporation into the Christian community is always present in the vocational journey. In the Bull of community brings with it all the discernment of vocations, in their Indiction for the Extraordinary richness of ecclesial life, particularly formation and in their perseverance Jubilee of Mercy, I recalled the the sacraments. Indeed, the Church is (cf. Apost. Ex. Evangelii Gaudium, 107). words of the venerable Saint Bede, not only a place in which we believe, describing the call of Saint Matthew: but it is also an object of our faith; it “Miserando atque eligendo” (Misericordiae is for this reason that we profess in the Vultus, 8). The Lord’s merciful action Credo: “I believe in the Church”. forgives our sins and opens us to the The call of God comes to us by means of a mediation which is communal. God calls us to become a part of the Church “ Conversion Jesus and, after we have reached a certain maturity within it, he bestows on us and a specific vocation. The vocational the journey is undertaken together vocation with the brothers and sisters whom the Lord has given to us: it is a con- are two sides Good vocation. The ecclesial dynamism of the call is an antidote to indifference of the same coin... ” Shepherd and to individualism. It establishes the communion in which indifference is vanquished by love, because it demands that we go beyond ourselves Vocations are born within the the ecclesial community always of educating and accompanying all Church. From the moment a vocation remains the fundamental formational those who perceive God’s call. This begins to become evident, it is necessary environment, towards which one motherhood is also expressed through to have an adequate “sense” of the should feel a sense of gratitude. a careful selection of candidates for Church. No one is called exclusively the ordained ministry and for the for a particular region, or for a group Vocations are sustained by the consecrated life. Finally, the Church or for an ecclesial movement, but Church. After definitive commitment, is the mother of vocations in her rather for the Church and for the our vocational journey within the continual support of those who have world. “A sure sign of the authenticity of a Church does not come to an end, dedicated their lives to the service of charism is its ecclesial character, its ability but it continues in our willingness others. to be integrated harmoniously into the life to serve, our perseverance and our of God’s holy and faithful people for the ongoing formation. The one who We ask the Lord to grant to all those good of all” (ibid., 130). In responding has consecrated his life to the Lord is who are on a vocational journey a deep to God’s call, young people see willing to serve the Church wherever sense of belonging to the Church; and their own ecclesial horizon expand; it has need. The mission of Paul and that the Holy Spirit may strengthen they are able to consider various Barnabas is a good example of this among Pastors, and all of the faithful, charisms and to undertake a more readiness to serve the Church. Sent a deeper sense of communion, objective discernment. In this way, the on mission by the Holy Spirit and by discernment and spiritual fatherhood community becomes the home and the community of Antioch (cf. Acts and motherhood. the family where vocations are born. 13.1-4), they returned to that same Candidates gratefully contemplate community and described what the ather of mercy, who gave your this mediation of the community as Lord had worked through them (cf. F Son for our salvation and who an essential element for their future. 14.27). Missionaries are accompanied strengthens us always with the gifts They learn to know and to love their and sustained by the Christian of your Spirit, grant us Christian brothers and sisters who pursue paths community, which always remains a communities which are alive, fervent different from their own; and these vital point of reference, just as a visible and joyous, which are fonts of bonds strengthen in everyone the homeland offers security to all who are fraternal life, and which nurture in communion which they share. on pilgrimage towards eternal life. the young the desire to consecrate themselves to you and to the work Vocations grow within the Church. Among those involved in pastoral of evangelisation. Sustain these In the course of formation, candidates activity, priests are especially communities in their commitment to important. In their ministry, they fulfil for various vocations need to grow offer appropriate vocational catechesis in their knowledge of the ecclesial the words of Jesus, who said: “I am the and ways of proceeding towards each community, overcoming the limited gate of the sheepfold […] I am the good one’s particular consecration.