Just ask Eli...

Here's a nice little cartoon illustrating today's very-vocation-relevant gospel.

Notice that Samuel was being called but did not know who it was that was calling him. That's a very common experience for men and women wondering if they are being called to religious life.

When people ask to meet me for a chat I often notice that they are often feeling confused. Here are two sound pieces of advice if you recognise yourself in this description: (i) pray about what you are experiencing and (ii) talk to Eli!

I'm Eli for the Presentation Brothers - an older character with a bit of experience in this line! Feel free to shoot me an email at vocation@PresentationBrothers.org if you have any questions or want to meet for a coffee. That's what I'm here for!

"Here I am Lord, I come to do your will"

Blessings for 2012!

Wishing you and your loved ones every blessing for 2012!

For those discerning a vocation may the year to come be a time of decision and peace.

Feel free to contact me for an informal chat at vocation@PresentationBrothers.org

A bit of a change....

Hello everyone and, firstly, my apologies for not posting an update for some time.

In September I was asked to take on a new assignment - chaplain at Presentation College Bray. Needless to say, that is taking up most of my time now.

In the Presentation Brothers, we have always prioritised vocations ministry. We passionately believe that the Lord is calling men to be religious brothers today. We also feel that our congregation and its charism provides a valid and exciting way of living that call today. In order to do vocations ministry justice, I'm handing over the reigns to Br Anthony O'Sullivan. Br Anthony is based in Cork and will be free to travel around Ireland and England meeting men interested in furthering their discernment.

You can still follow my work by keeping an eye on our congregation website, www.PresentationBrothers.org, finding us on Facebook, following us on Twitter and checking out our YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/PresentationBrothers

Working as a vocations director in Ireland over the past three years has been interesting, to put it mildly. But I can honestly say that it's been among the most rewarding and blessed periods of my life.

Thanks to you all for reading the blog, for your comments and your prayers.

If you want to give me a farewell gift then please encourage a friend to consider the vocation of a Presentation Brother.

God reward you all!

A Garden View

How does your garden grow?

Br Majella was busy with his camera lately and he took some nice shots of the garden of the Brothers House here in Dublin. Br Eunan gets the credit for keeping it neat and tidy.

You can see all the pics on our Facebook page

12 Months Later

It's hard to think that a year has passed since those magical days when our Holy Father came to visit the faithful in Britain. I was there! Here are some highlights from Day One...

Come, follow me...

"Come, follow me..."

To conclude this little meditation on the Sunday readings of August 28th I want to focus on the Gospel that we heard that day. It was from St Matthew.

Christ outlines in very clear and startling terms what is demanded of his followers. And, as before, I'll let the words speak for themselves...

"If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.What then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life?"

Advice from St Paul

St Paul

I mentioned earlier in the week that last Sunday's Mass Readings were very rich with advice for a discerner.

Take a look at the Second Reading, from St Paul to the Romans. Again, it speaks for itself:

"Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you, but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind. This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do."

When discerners ask me how they can know the will of God, I often point them to this passage. St Paul's advice is to put on a "new mind". That new mind is in imitation of Christ. This is a big aid to those who are discerning. The more one lives the Christian life, the more the will of God should be easier to discern. And, of course, one cannot begin to think of religious life until one is already living the Christian life...