Got an email this morning about the event last night at St. Max's. It was a roaring success, with 40 girls then 40 boys all standing to say that they would be open to a vocation.
Anyway, the email reported that those present on the panel all told their vocation stories, which was very nice, but also suggested something that was new to me:
That leads to my second point- the message MOST missing from last night. And I say this as the father of two kids who have told my wife and I independent of us asking- that they feel called to religious life. They need to hear WHY vocations are important. They don't need to hear, "Vocations are down." They need a panel of married people saying, "Sr. Irene had a huge impact on me in gradeschool" and, "Fr. Matthew helped save our marriage." There was no mention of this last night. It was cute and nice to hear one nun say, "it is such a great joy to serve the Lord." And it is, but I can do that as a married man. We need vocations, because people are being taught to serve the false gods of pornography, abortion, divorce, etc.. And those people need to hear that Christ offers a peace that the world cannot give. (and he might be calling YOU to deliver that peace!"
Thoughts?
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8 comments:
I think the e-mail makes an excellent point! I never really thought about that before, but a lay person's input could be a very witness. With the shortage of priests and religious, many people have very little contact with them, and cannot begin to understand the power of their vocations in the lives of the faithful.
Theresa
I meant "a very powerful witness". :)
Theresa
Wow. That IS a really good point, and one I never really considered.
Sure, I "know" that cloistered religious are the backbone of the Church, but I don't know that I could articulate why, although I "get it" at an intuitive level and at the level of faith.
I can articulate the importance of the Priesthood...no priest, no sacrifice.
I can articulate the importance of religous vocations from the point of social justice and education, all practical points, but there's more. I'm not considering religious life because of the stuff they do; all that they do, I can do on my own, as a single woman. I can find other people to pray with.
Dang...now this asks me to think a little more, and clearly you, too.
"God said so" just doesn't cut it with that particular question. Talk about a topic for faith and reason together!
Fr. S - why me? I'm unsure why God asked me - but what I do know is...
Although I could love one man, have a family, and be very happy; my love extends beyond that. I feel I can do so much more good through prayer, helping others, and being in an Order than I could with one family.
I'm not sure if that makes sense...
I love the point that "Fishers of Men" makes with the priest being present right after the car accident and a 5 year old boy is watching the priest giving the injured boy his last rites--then you see the 5 year old boy becoming a priest.
I need to remember this point while being a mother--everything I do and say is so closely watched and listened to by my kids, which will either bring them closer to God or furthur away.
I think lay "witnesses" are very important. When someone is considering a job or vocation it's nice to know that what you are doing is meaningful to others.
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