“The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest”. –Matthew 9:37

Remembering the counsel of Jesus, we acknowledge the great need to pray for vocations to the priesthood and to the consecrated life. “It is not surprising that, where people pray fervently, vocations flourish. The holiness of the Church depends essentially on union with Christ and on being open to the mystery of grace that operates in the heart of the Christian”. -Benedict XVI, March5, 2006.

What an amazing statement! Have you ever contemplated that our prayers contribute to the holiness of the Church? God permits this; he wants this. Just as he gives parents a share in the gift of creation, he gives every Christian a share in the life of the Church. The holiness of the Church comes from Christ, but also depends on its’ members. Our faithfulness to prayer and union with Christ brings forth more vocations to the Church.

This union with Christ is exactly why Eucharistic adoration offered for vocations is so valuable. St. Alphonsus Ligouri wrote, “Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest after the sacraments, the one dearest to God and the one most helpful to us”. When we contemplate Christ before us, truly present, body, blood, soul, and divinity, he draws near to us. God looks upon our request made through Christ, with faith and in accordance with His will, and cannot refuse it.

Parishes that have adoration for vocations create within them an atmosphere of respect and appreciation for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. They build up support for priests and increasing openness in those discerning their vocation. Adoration for vocations gives hope and new life to parishes. When the faithful pray for vocations, especially for the youth of their own parishes, young people will come and it is before the Blessed Sacrament that they will receive the many graces necessary to discern and answer the call of their vocation.

Multiply yourself – always inviting others to join us in our work. The more promoters, the more souls we can touch.

As vocation promoters you are not only building up the Church by praying for vocations, you are also helping to organize opportunities for prayer and are thus encouraging others to pray as well. Start simple. In parishes with no adoration plan, organize a monthly or weekly holy hour for vocations in whatever format fits best. For parishes with an existing adoration program, invite adorers to offer their hours for vocations, which simply means they are including the intention for vocations and a prayer for vocations during their regular holy hour. For more details go to AFV Getting Started Tips.

Whatever your program may be, Vocation Action Network has resources available to help promote adoration for vocations in your parish. The Invocation for Priests and Consecrated Men and Women is a prayer that can be used individually or in a group, creating an increased awareness of the dignity and sacredness of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. It also serves to sustain, through prayer, all those called in a special way by God to serve the Church. This prayer can be downloaded or purchased in booklet form from VocationActionNetwork.com (AFV resources). Also available on the site are beautiful, full color posters and informative brochures introducing Adoration for Vocations to others. Using these resources will help to draw attention to the program and spark interest in finding out more. Your Vocation Action Network coordinator is there to help you with any questions you might have about the program and the new resources available.

Vocation Action Network also provides a unique opportunity to register either as an individual or parish and log in adoration hours prayed for vocations each month. These prayers are united together and sent to the Holy Father showing him we are responding to his request to - “Prayer to the Lord of the Harvest."

“It’s not a secret anymore. It’s been experienced too many times. It’s not my efforts that change the heart of a young person. I know it’s the Holy Spirit and it happens in Eucharistic adoration. The Holy Spirit is the agent of conversion. He is active because the people of God have called upon him and now we have young people that are responding to that call.”