Promoting Vocations

 Holy Father's Message: 2008 World Day of Prayer for Vocations

• Petitions for Vocations
• Vocation Information
• Vocation Prayers
• Vocation Contacts

It is important that the faithful of the Archdiocese of Detroit do their part in fostering and nurturing vocations.  Creating a "culture of vocation" is the work of the entire Church.  The following ideas may be helpful for your parish:

• Parishes
  • Start a Parish Vocation Committee (call the Vocation Office, we can help)
  • Include Vocation Awareness in your pastoral planning
  • Publicly recognize and give thanks for the vocations you have in your faith community (lay, consecrated, ordained, married, single)
  • Include the Detroit seminarians in your weekly prayers of the faithful
  • If your vicariate has a seminarian, participate in the "Support Your Local Seminarian" project, if not, adopt a seminarian.  Pray for him and keep in touch.
  • Think of the people around you.  Is there someone who possesses qualities that would serve well in Church ministry?  An invitation to consider it might be just the spark they need.
  • Insert a vocation announcement in your parish bulletin – regularly, or at least often – it could be as simple as a prayer and invitation to visit this website or it could be a reflection from the pastor or someone else on his/her vocation. 
  • The USCCB Fishers of Men DVD given to all parishes is a powerful visual witness to the priesthood.  Use it to invite discussion about vocations, especially to the priesthood. Contact the Vocation Office if your parish needs a copy.
  • Include petitions for vocations in your weekly prayers of the faithful
  • Support diocesan efforts to encourage our young people to discern God's plan for them by encouraging their participation in retreats, young adult education, youth ministry, campus ministry, service opportunities, etc. (check the Michigan Catholic or contact the Vocation Office for events)
  • Invite young people to become more involved in parish ministry.
  • Celebrate "National Vocations Awareness Week", (January 8-13, 2008), and World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life, (February 3, 2008), and "World Day of Prayer for Vocations" (April 13, 2008).
  • Find out who your Vocation Awareness Committee representative is and find ways as a team to promote vocations.
  • Institute a "Traveling Chalice", "The Blessing Cup" or "Traveling Statue" or Family Prayer" program for families to pray for vocations – the Vocation Office can help.
  • Host a Holy Hour or Rosary for Vocations.
  • Make sure the vocation posters you received are posted in a visible place with a high traffic area in your parish church or school building.
• Parents
  • See "A Guide for Parents to Nurture Vocations" on the Archdiocese of Detroit Vocation website.
• Teachers
  • Invite a priest or religious into the classroom to chat with your students.  Being able to talk with them and see them as "real" people makes it easier to possibly envision themselves in those vocations.  Contact the Vocation Office for speakers.
  • Make sure there is age appropriate vocation components in materials used for religious education.  Contact the Vocation Office for assistance.

Petitions for Vocations That Can Be Used Any Time

• For our young people, that the Holy Spirit will provide them with wisdom, courage, and the desire to accept God's plan for their lives, as it is revealed to each of them.

• For mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers. May they have the wisdom and grace to help their children find God's path for them.

• That a gift of a vocation to the Priesthood be given to a young man, here at this Church, along with the strength and encouragement to follow that call.

• For a young woman in our Church, may she experience God's unique call to serve God's people by a vocation to the Consecrated Life in the Church.

• For our seminarians, may they persevere in their study and one day, by God's grace come to the altar of the Lord as priests.

• For husbands and wives, that they daily commit to the sacrament of marriage and by their example and encouragement be a model of God's love and service to their children.

• For our children, may they grow up committed to sharing the love of Christ and thereby desire to give their lives in service to Him.

• In thanksgiving for the men and women of religious orders who are dedicated to praying day and night for our world. May God bless and strengthen them.

• For the religious sisters, brothers, and priests in the Archdiocese of Detroit, who dedicate their lives to educating and serving God's people.

• For all the single, married, consecrated, and ordained people of our archdiocese who have chosen their vocations with a desire to build God's Kingdom.