National Vocations Awareness Week begins in U.S.

On Monday, the Catholic Church in the United States begins its observance of National Vocation Awareness Week. The week is dedicated to promoting vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and consecrated life through prayer and education; and to renewing prayers and support for those who are considering one of those vocations. "The purpose [of National Vocation Awareness Week] is to highlight the various vocations in the Church, priests, different forms of consecrated life, and the permanent diaconate," said Father Shawn McKnight, executive director of the USCCB's Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. "So we provide materials that assist parents and parishioners and priests in parishes, as well as religious, the means to engage young people to think about discerning a vocation to religious life, to the priesthood or to the diaconate." Father McKnight said they have seen an increase in vocations. "We've seen an uptick in the number of both consecrated vocations as well as priesthood, and the same is true of the permanent diaconate. It's a growing pool of clergy within our Church, as their ministry is needed more and more, and recognised more and more throughout our country." Sr. Mary Joanna Ruhland is the associate director of the committee. She said vocations in consecrated life are also picking up, "particularly in those forms of consecrated life that are faithful to the teachings of the Church on their particular forms of consecrated life… When you see a particular fidelity, you see a flourishing within those forms." National Vocations Awareness Week begins on January 9, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and runs through January 14. Listen to the complete interview of Father Shawn McKnight and Sister Mary Joanna Ruhland with Christopher Wells: 00:07:03:86

Title	National Vocations Awareness Week begins in U.S.
Author	webteam@vaticanradio.org
Published	January 7, 2012 8:09 AM
Genre	Religion & Spirituality › Christianity
	News & Politics
	Society & Culture
Language	English
Copyright	2005 Vatican Radio. All rights reserved.
Owner	Vatican Radio
Duration	424 min
File	1.46 mb

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