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Saint Joseph - Hessen Cassel

Fort Wayne, Indiana

 
 

Pray for Vocations


PRAY FOR VOCATIONS!

Here at Saint Joseph we are proud of the fact that several of our parish sons and daughters have become priests and religious brothers and sisters.  Therefore we have made it a priority to continue to foster vocations to the priesthood and religious life.  Encouraging vocations is a responsibility that falls on the shoulders of each and every member of the Church.  Not only should we encourage our young people to consider a Church vocations, we also need to pray for vocations daily.  We must never forget the command of the Lord as found in Matthew 9:38:

“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

Here are some of the ways we are trying to be obedient to the Lord’s command:

Thursday Mass For Vocations

It was on Holy Thursday that our Lord gave to His Church two very important gifts:  the Holy Eucharist and the Holy Priesthood.  With this in mind we offer Mass every Thursday morning especially for an increase in vocations.  Please come and join us if you can.

Parish Prayer for Vocations

Every weekend as we gather to celebrate the Lord’s Day we also turn to the Master of the Harvest and, as a family, pray our Parish Prayer for Vocations composed by Pope John Paul II.

Vocation Chalice Program

The Vocation Chalice Program is designed to focus prayer for vocations within the family.  Each Sunday a small Chalice is entrusted by the pastor to a volunteer family to take home with them and pray every day during the following week for vocations.  Each of the grades in Saint Joseph School also take a turn hosting the Chalice in their classroom.  If  you wish to participate by taking the Vocation Chalice home with you for a week and praying for vocations, please enter your name on the sign-up sheet in the Gathering Space of the church.

PRAYER TO SAINT JOSEPH TO KNOW ONE’S VOCATION

O Great Saint Joseph, you were completely obedient to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Obtain for me the grace to know the state of life that God in his providence has chosen for me. Since my happiness on earth, and perhaps even my final happiness in heaven, depends on this choice, let me not be deceived in making it.

Obtain for me the light to know God’s Will, to carry it out faithfully, and to choose the vocation which will lead me to a happy eternity.  Amen.

A PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
by Pope John Paul II

O Jesus, our Good Shepherd,
bless all our parishes with numerous priests,
deacons, men and women in religious life,
consecrated laity and missionaries,
according to the needs of the entire world,
which You love and wish to save.
We especially entrust our parish community to You;
grant us the spirit of the first Christians,
so that we may be a cenacle of prayer,
in loving acceptance of the Holy Spirit and His gifts.
Assist our pastors and all who live a consecrated life.
Guide the steps of those who have
responded generously to Your call
and are preparing to receive holy orders
or to profess the evangelical counsels.
Look with love on so many well disposed young people
and call them to follow You.
Help them to understand that in You alone
can they attain to complete fulfillment.
To this end we call on the powerful intercession
of Mary, Mother and Model of all vocations.
We beseech you to sustain our faith
with the certainty that the Father will grant
what You have commanded us to ask. Amen