Prayers for Vocations
“Here I am Lord. I have come to do your will”
– Psalm 40
Lord, we ask you to send your Spirit to us so that
men and women among us, young and old,
will respond to your call to
service and leadership in the Church.
We pray, especially, in our day,
for those who hear your invitation
to be a priest, sister, brother, or deacon.
May those who are opening their hearts
and minds to your call be encouraged
and strengthened through our enthusiasm
in your service.
Amen.
O Jesus, send labourers into your fields, which are awaiting holy apostles, saintly priests, heroic missionaries and dedicated sisters and brothers. Enkindle in the hearts of men and women the spark of a vocation. Grant that Christian families may desire to give to your church, helpers in the work of tomorrow.
Amen.
(Pope John XIII)
A Personal Invitation
When Jesus called the Apostles to follow him, He did not pin a notice on a tree and ask for volunteers. Instead, he met each person, looked them in the eye and asked them personally to join him in his work.
We believe that God is calling men to join us as priests in our Diocese.
If you are interested, then our advice is “Be not afraid”.
Discernment – Going Deeper
If we agree that vocation is God’s call in our lives, then we need to discern – or establish – the nature of His call. The prime way to go about this is to listen to what God is saying to us.
Throughout the history of humanity God has spoken to people – often in the most unexpected ways to a very diverse range of people. God continues to talk to people; but not always in the ways we might expect. We need to listen for God’s call above the competing noise of today’s world. Our lives are often very noisy – competing interests, distractions and the allure or intrigue of other people and events. To hear God we need silence.
During his visit to England in September 2010 Pope Benedict XVI said: “even amongst the busyness and stress of our daily lives we need to make space for silence, because it is in silence that we find God, and in silence that we discover our true self. And in discovering our true self, we discover the particular vocation which God has given us.”
Religious Life
Religious life in the Catholic Church is a permanent, public commitment to God through the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience, lived within a community and dedicated to prayer and service. Members of religious orders or institutes publicly profess these vows, deepening their relationship with God and serving the common good through their specific charism, which could be in fields like education, healthcare, or contemplation
Religious life goes beyond personal choice and arises from a willingness to devote oneself entirely to discipleship. It entails sacrifice of material gain, foregoing career advancement and subjugation of personal ambition. A range of options enable people to devote their lives to the service of God. These include religious orders for men and women. There is also the diocesan priesthood or diaconate working alongside the bishop in a diocese.
Ireland is home to many religious orders for men and women, including well-known congregations like the Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites, Jesuits, Presentation Brothers and Sisters of Mercy.
These orders encompass a variety of vocations, such as:
• Contemplative Orders:
Nuns and brothers who live a life of prayer and silence, often in enclosures and engaging in spiritual crafts like making Eucharist bread.
• Missionary Orders:
Groups dedicated to spreading the Christian faith and serving those in need.
• Congregations of Religious Educators:
Orders such as the Christian Brothers, Presentation Brothers, Sisters of Mercy and Sisters of Loreto, who founded and ran many of the country’s schools.
• Charitable Orders:
Organizations like the Sisters of Charity and Missionaries of the Sacred Heart that provide care for the sick, poor, and vulnerable.
Priesthood
The process for becoming a diocesan priest is taken slowly and carefully. The first step is usually a chat with the Vocations Director, or any other priest. This is an opportunity to ask questions and to learn more about the priesthood. If you remain interested, then the following process begins:
Accompaniment: This is a series of regular meetings with a priest over several months. During each meeting, the priest will guide you through a process of discernment. This enables you to figure out what your vocation might be.
Introductory Year: This is spent with a group of others, sharing in prayer and community life and studying the basics of the Catholic faith. It also includes regular spiritual direction, which a more in-depth form of your personal discernment process.
Seminary Studies: This will be done at St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth (or possibly part of it at the Irish College in Rome). It begins with two years study of Philosophy of a 3-year degree course, followed by four years of Theology, one of those being spent in a Parish, working with the priests there. In the third year, one becomes a deacon, committing oneself to a life of celibate service in the Diocese, and at the end of the fourth year, one is ordained a priest. The individual over these years has time to further discern if their calling is to the diocesan priesthood. The seminary and diocese also have the role of evaluating the individual’s progress through each year of the formation programme and their calling to the priesthood.
You are invited to phone or write to the Vocations Director. He will send you information and answer any questions you many have and can meet you for a chat.
A priest devotes his life to the service of God. After the period of formation and having been ordained as a priest he works in association with other diocesan priests, deacons and the bishop to continue the work of Christ on earth. The priest participates in the priesthood of Christ, uniting God and humanity. He does this through leading worship, celebrating the Sacraments, and teaching, leading a life centred upon and modelled by the life of Christ.
The life of a priest enables the building of a deep relationship with God through prayer, meditation and the privilege of sharing in the life journey of parishioners and people in the joys and times of trial in day to day life. Commitment, Integrity, and humility are essential values for one aspiring to life as a priest.
Deacon
A deacon is an ordained minister of the clergy, distinct from a priest, who is called to a life of service modeled on Christ the Servant. Deacons assist in the ministry of the word, the liturgy, and charity. Their responsibilities include proclaiming the Gospel, assisting at Mass, baptizing, witnessing marriages, and presiding at funerals. Unlike priests, deacons can be married.
Local Contacts
Edgeworthstown Parish
Fr.Tom Healy p.p.
The Presbetry
St. Mary’s Church
Edgeworthstown
Co. Longford
043 6671046
edgeworthstownparish@mail.com
Rathowen and Streete Parishes
Fr. Pierre Pepper p.p.
087 6960542
mcdoath@gmail.com
Ardagh & Clonmacnois Diocese Vocations Director
Fr. Seamus O’Rourke
Parochial House, Dublin Road
Carrick-on-Shannon
Telephone: (087) 9195315
Email: vocations@ardaghdiocese.org
Web: www.ardaghdiocese.org
Websites & Additional Resources
Diocesan: www.vocations.ie
Religious Orders: www.vocationsireland.com
Congregation for the Clergy: http://www.clerus.va
Religious orders in Ireland:
https://sistersofmercy.ie/
Carmelites
https://carmelites.ie/
Presentation Brothers
https://presentationbrothers.org/
Presentation Sisters
https://presentationsistersne.ie/
Franciscans
https://www.franciscans.ie/
Christian Brothers
http://christianbrothervocation.org/
Presentation Brothers
https://presentationbrothers.org/
Sisters of Loreto
https://loreto.ie/
Augustinians
https://augustinians.ie/
Cistercians
https://ocso.org/
De La Salle Brothers
https://www.lasalleigbm.org/
Benedictines
https://trust.kylemoreabbey.com/about-us/who-we-are/
Jesuits
https://jesuit.ie/
Dominicans
https://dominicans.ie/
Patrician Brothers
https://patricianbrothers.ie/
Vincentians
https://www.vincentianfamily.ie/congregation-of-the-mission/
Society of the Sacred Heart
http://www.societyofsacredheart.org/
https://brigidine.org.au/
Marist Fathers
http://www.maristfathers.ie/
Columbian Missionaries
https://columbans.ie/
Bon Secours Sisters
https://bonsecours.org/
Society of African Missions
https://sma.ie/
Order of St. Camilus
https://www.orderofstcamillus.ie/
Sisters of Charity
https://rsccaritas.com/
Missionaries of the Sacred Heart
https://www.mscmissions.ie