Vatican releases guidelines on promoting vocations

Elizium23 · #1 Jun 25, '12, 9:36 am

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news...ing-vocations/

Quote:

In an effort to respond to a “clear and pressing” need for priests, the Vatican has released a set of guidelines to help bishops and Church communities promote, recruit and educate a new generation of men for the priesthood.

“The witness of Christian communities giving account of the faith that is in them becomes even more necessary,” because it’s a community of believers committed to passing on God’s love that “prepares the Lord’s call that invites people to consecration and mission,” it said.

Based on responses to a questionnaire sent to bishops’ conferences and directors of national vocations offices around the world in 2008, the Congregation for Catholic Education sought to address a widespread demand for pastoral guidelines for fostering vocations “based on clear and well-founded theology of vocation and of the identity of the ministerial priesthood”.

someoneorother · #2 Jun 25, '12, 11:11 am

That "invisible monastery" idea alluded to at the end of the article sounds like a good idea. People who take part in that might feel more involved in helping vocations grow that way, doing even more to aid in the growth of people answering the calling to vocations, in addition to the prayers.

Anyway, thanks for sharing.

**Joe 5859** · #3 Jun 26, '12, 7:57 am

The actual document itself doesn't appear to be on the Vatican website yet, but I found it on this "Paths of Love" vocation website (they have a link to a Word document of the Guidelines):

Guidelines for Fostering Priestly Vocations

The text is also on the Southwark Vocations blog (the whole text is right on the website with nothing to download):

Vatican Guidelines