This week, during their annual spring retreat at the International Eucharistic and Marian Shrine in Knock, Co Mayo in the Archdiocese of Tuam, the Bishops of Ireland formally launched a new monstrance (pictured above) at a special prayer gathering. This new Vocations Monstrance will be used to gather the faithful for prayerful Eucharistic adoration for vocations to the priesthood and to religious life.
Following the launch, Bishop Phonsie Cullinan of Waterford of Lismore, who chairs the Bishops’ Council for Vocations, highlighted the central role of prayer in nurturing vocations, said, “The Holy Father Pope Leo XIV blessed our new monstrance in the Vatican last November, which has been designated as a Vocations Monstrance. The bishops’ launch today marks an important moment in the Church’s ongoing commitment to promote and foster vocations to the priesthood and to religious life. Our monstrance will be travel around the island of Ireland to focus minds and hearts, and to ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into the fields of people’s lives today. As Catholics, we all share the important responsibility to build the Kingdom of God as we practice our faith.
