A time to pause...

I haven't been posting very much lately.

My father went to his Eternal Reward recently. After the initial shock and deep sadness at losing a parent there has been plenty of work at home over the last few weeks.

I ask you to keep me in the prayers and pray for the happy repose of my dad, Raymond.

Talk soon.

InVocation 2011

This weekend hundreds of young adults will gather at Oscott College in Birmingham for the second annual InVocation discernment festival.

Our Communications Director, Andrew O'Connell, will be speaking there.

Let's keep all the young people who attend in our prayers. Let's pray that the experiences and prayers of the weekend will make their path clearer and their decision easier.

You can read all about it on the official website.

Who are you becoming...?

This clip portrays pretty well what many discerners experience as they struggle to figure out what it is that God is calling them to do with their lives.
I'll return to it again over the next few days but for now just take a look...

May - the month of Mary...

The month of May has traditionally been a time of special devotion to the Mother of God. We, Presentation Brothers, are named after the Presentation of Mary in the Temple.

Here is a beautiful hymn to Mary that I came across and thought I'd share with you on this the last day of Mary's month.

Let's seek her intercession for all those who are discerning their vocation. Let today's young men and women echo her words, "Be it done unto me according to thy Word".

World Day of Prayer for Vocations - Supporting Discerners

Come, Follow Me...

The theme for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations which took place yesterday was fostering vocations in the local Church.

There is a challenge there for all of us to make sure that we are supporting and encouraging those who feel called to religious life.

I'll let the words of the Pope speak for themselves on the matter:

"Particularly in these times, when the voice of the Lord seems to be drowned out by “other voices” and his invitation to follow him by the gift of one’s own life may seem too difficult, every Christian community, every member of the Church, needs consciously to feel responsibility for promoting vocations. It is important to encourage and support those who show clear signs of a call to priestly life and religious consecration, and to enable them to feel the warmth of the whole community as they respond “yes” to God and the Church."

-Pope Benedict XVI, Message for World Day of Prayer for Vocations, 2011.

World Day of Prayer for Vocations - Practical Advice

Come, Follow Me...

Following Christ has always been challenging.

Pope Benedict, in his message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, offers the following advice:

"It is no less challenging to follow Christ today. It means learning to keep our gaze fixed on Jesus, growing close to him, listening to his word and encountering him in the sacraments; it means learning to conform our will to his."

What does this mean in practical terms for the one who is discerning a vocation to religious life? Well, it means making an effort to attend Mass as often as possible, ideally daily.
It means setting aside time to read, meditate and pray with Scripture .
It means time in silent prayer trying to discern the will of the Father.
All of this is not easy.

That’s why it’s important to have someone to accompany you on the journey. That’s why I’m happy to meet any man who is interested in religious life. The first meeting is over coffee and is very informal.

Just contact me at vocation@presentationbrothers.org

World Day of Prayer for Vocations - Prayer

" Come, follow me..."

This Sunday, May 15th, is the annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

Pope Benedict's message to mark the Day of Prayer contains some good advice for those discerning a vocation and for the wider Christian community.

Over the next few days I'll post some thoughts here arising from the Pope's letter.

1. The importance of prayer.

The Pope notes that Christ spent a night in prayer before he called the first disciples by the Sea of Galilee. He says that Our Lord spent this time in "interior detachment from mundane concerns".

It's difficult to make any decision in life if you are surrounded by noise and distraction. Indeed, it can be easy to put off making a decision in these circumstances.

For this reason, every few months, I organise "Time Out" vocations weekends for men who would like to leave aside their "mundane concerns" for a few days and reflect deeply on what God might be calling them to do with their lives. If you'd like information on the next one, shoot me an email at vocation@presentationbrothers.org