Trinity Sunday – 4th June 2023
Jesus tells Nicodemus, a leading Jew that “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost, but may have eternal life.” We pray for all who are discerning a call from God in their hearts to follow Jesus as a priest, deacon or religious, to bring belief and light to those in darkness, that they act on the call they hear in their hearts.
Corpus Christi 11th June 2023
Jesus tells us that “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. As I, who am sent by the living Father, myself draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will draw life from me.” We pray that receiving the Eucharist will nourish and strengthen those who are being called to follow the Lord as a priest, deacon or religious to respond with courage to the Lord’s call.
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time – 18th June 2023
When Jesus saw the crowds “he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd”. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’ Christ has no body now but ours. We pray for those who are discerning a vocation to serve as a priest, deacon or religious in the harvest of the Lord, to be his hands, his feet, to speak his words of compassion to those who are harassed and dejected.
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time – 25th June 2003
In our Gospel Jesus instructs the Twelve not to be afraid and assures them of his love: ‘So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven.’ We pray that for those who the Lord is calling to declare themselves by a life as a priest, deacon or religious, that they may follow the path that the Lord is directing them to take.
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2nd July 2023
Jesus tells the twelve, “anyone who loses their life for my sake will find it”. We pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood, the diaconate and religious life. We pray that those whom the Lord is calling will find affirmation in their discernment to follow the Lord for the sake of the Gospel
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – 9th July 2023
In our Gospel today, Jesus invites us all to come to him and find rest for our souls. We pray for those who are discerning a vocation to the priesthood, the diaconate or the religious life, that they place their trust in Jesus, who is gentle and humble in heart. May they shoulder his yoke and learn from him.
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 16th July 2023
In the “Parable of the Sower”, Jesus tells us that ‘the one who received the seed in rich soil is the man who hears the word and understands it; he is the one who yields a harvest and produces now a hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty.’ We pray for those who are discerning a vocation, that they may hear and ponder the Word in their hearts that they may yield a harvest of plenty.
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – 23rd July 2023
St Paul in our second reading tells us that “The Spirit comes to help us in our weakness . . . . and expresses our plea in a way that can never be put into words” May those who are discerning a vocation implore the Holy Spirit to guide them and to express their pleas to our Heavenly Father.
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – 30th July 2023
In our first reading from the First book of Kings, Solomon, who feels he is young and unskilled in leadership asks God “for a heart to understand how to discern”. We pray for all whom the Lord is calling to the priesthood, diaconate or religious life, who feel anxious about responding, that they may be blessed in their discernment and have the courage to place their trust in God.
