This article originally appeared in The Vincentian, the newsletter of the Midwest Province.—Father Grodecki

 

Last fall I left my duties at Saint Joseph Parish in the Saint Louis suburb of Manchester, Missouri, to begin my new job as Vocation Director for the western half of the United States.  I began by visiting Saint Vincent de Paul Parish in Phoenix, Arizona.  As will be my custom on parish visits, I offered many of the Masses on Sunday and began to promote vocations through a special novena.  I also challenged parents and grandparents to encourage the younger generation to ponder the Lord’s calling.

 

While in Phoenix, I met with four men and three women who have been contemplating a vocation to the religious life.  After my travels in the balmy 110 degrees of Phoenix, I journeyed to Holy Trinity Parish in Dallas, Texas, where I spoke at all and offered some of the Sunday Masses.  I was excited to meet with two prospective candidates there also.

 

I have also been in contact with two other individuals, one from Chicago and the other from Denver, who are seriously contemplating the Vincentian community.

 

God continues to call men and women to the religious life.  These individuals need our support, prayers, and guidance.  As Vocation Director, I promise to do my part by contacting interested young men and women and guiding them on this journey of faith.

 

I would just ask you to help by praying for these individuals who are discerning God’s call, and promoting vocations to the Vincentian community.  We hear at Mass how the kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea and all the fish are gathered up into that net.  Nets are being cast.  I pray that you can help by spreading God’s net out even farther so that we might foster more vocations to serve God’s poor.

 

For more information on vocations, contact Father Nations at 1-800-DEPAUL-1 (1-800-337-2851) or 314-703-6987, or by email at vocations@vincentian.org.