World Day of Prayer for Vocations

“The vocation director or team works in close collaboration with the other Oblates in the Province, coordinating their vocation efforts. In fact, one of the principal tasks of the vocation coordinators is to foster the active involvement of every Oblate in this ministry.”

General Norms for Oblate Formation No. 94

Dear Oblates, Oblate Associates and friends,

This weekend marks World Day of Prayer for Vocations (May 3, 2020). The Vocation Taskforce in the recommendations to the Provincial Council reminded us that vocation ministry is a responsibly of us all: “the chief overarching principle for creating a vocation culture, is naming the responsibility of every Oblate member and the wider Oblate family of Associates, to foster and create a culture of vocation in each one’s respective ministries, families and communities.”

I’d like to share with you some resources that can be used as we pray together for vocations to the religious life and the priesthood. Please watch the Video Message prepared for the Vocation Sunday 2020: https://youtu.be/1DzgVhyAlSA Share it on your social media platforms with a hashtag #OblateVocations , especially during your streamed Masses on Sunday.

For your personal reflection and inspiration, please read Pope Francis’ message: http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/vocations/documents/papa-francesco_20200308_57-messaggio-giornata-mondiale-vocazioni.html

I also would like to invite you to join in prayer for Oblate Vocations during the Novena Prayer. It will be streamed LIVE every day from May 21 till 29 at 11:00am EDT on www.facebook.com/stpatrickshamilton and www.stpatrickshamilton.ca After live stream it will be also available on OMI Lacombe Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/missionaryoblates During the Novena Prayer we will also introduce the Vocation Team of our province.

Let’s encourage and pray for vocations!

Have a wonderful weekend! Stay safe and healthy,

By Jarek Pachocki, OMI – Vocation Director

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A note from Fr. Cornelius Ngoka, OMI – Assistant General for Formation

“The Good Shepherd Sunday, World Day of Prayer for Vocations, brings us together and already prepares us for the feast of our Founder, Saint Eugene de Mazenod. It is always, for our religious family, a time devoted to prayer and vocational animation. This year, the circumstances are different because of the Covid 19 pandemic. Prayer animations and other activities will not be organized as before. However, the fervour, our prayer and our faith in the God, who renews us in our vocation and continues to call others to follow him, will not diminish, quite the contrary.”

 Prayer for vocations in the context of today

Extract from the homily of Pope Francis on Palm Sunday/World Youth Day, April 5, 2020

“Dear friends, look at the real heroes who come to light in these days: they are not famous, rich and successful people; rather, they are those who are giving themselves in order to serve others. Feel called yourselves to put your lives on the line. Do not be afraid to devote your life to God and to others; it pays! For life is a gift we receive only when we give ourselves away, and our deepest joy comes from saying yes to love, without ifs and buts. To truly say yes to love, without ifs and buts. As Jesus did for us.”

 Let’s make the Pope’s invitation a prayer

 Lord Jesus, who gave your life for us,
in infinite love, without “ifs” and “buts,”
touch the hearts of many young people,

in the same way that you touched the heart of Peter, Andrew, James, John,
of Mary Magdalene,

of Eugene de Mazenod, of Joseph Gerard, of Joseph Cebula, of the young Oblate martyrs of Spain, of the young Oblate martyrs of Laos.

Through the sorrow, the loneliness, the sufferings and the deaths of many people in our world today,

show to young people the only thing that is important and lasting:
not fame, nor material goods, nor success,
but giving of themselves to serve others.

May they hear the call to risk their lives without fear for the welfare of others as Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

Allow them to discover that it is in giving that they receive, and that their deepest joy is to respond unconditionally in love as you did for us.

You who rose from the dead for our salvation
and live with the Father and the Holy Spirit
now and forever. Amen.

Mary Immaculate, model and guardian of our consecrated life, pray for us.