Church is in need: Will we be generous?
Monday, January 11, 2010
*Father Roberto Garza
In the power and majesty of God we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Jesus Christ, let us adore him! As we receive these blessings we share them in generosity with one another. May you rejoice and live in the many spiritual gifts you received this Christmas during this New Year 2010!
On Dec. 24, 2004, 230,000 people died as a result of the tsunami that hit Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and the Maldives. The world came together in generous support. On Aug. 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana and Mississippi and our country united in generous support. At Thanksgiving and Christmas every year we give generously, especially to those in need. These are just some examples of the generosity that we human beings exercise in time of need. In time of need we support physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Human beings are generous!
The Church needs women and men to serve. We need nuns, monks, sisters, brothers, priests, religious women and men. We pray for vocations. We talk about the lack of ministers in the Church. Instead of focusing on the decline of vocations will we turn around and do something to create and strengthen an incline of women and men to serve Christ�s Church? God calls every day; let us help those he calls to recognize that
it is God calling.
Vocations Awareness Week begins this year on the feast of the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ, the last day of Christmas. As we follow Jesus� example of baptism and are bound to him in this sacred gift and mystery, we embark on a journey we know as our vocation. This vocation is to be discovered as we listen to God�s voice. God invites us to
a generosity of life. Most seek to listen to God�s voice, but then are not sure when and to what; he calls them to surrender their lives.
God calls though sometimes we don�t know that it is God calling. Samuel while sleeping in the sanctuary heard a voice calling his name. He thought it was Eli, �then Eli realized that it was the Lord who was calling the boy, so he said to him, �Go back to bed; and if he calls you again, say, �Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.�� (I Samuel 3:8-9) God calls us, but since we have never heard his voice, we don�t recognize that is he who is
calling us.
Samuel needed Eli�s assistance; we too need assistance in recognizing the voice of God. There are many Samuels in our Church, and there are also many Elis. Let us be like Eli and help our youth recognize that it is God calling them. The Church needs your generosity.
Vocation Awareness Week is about praying and educating ourselves about vocations. This week is about creating a culture of vocations; it is about inviting young women and men to recognize that it is God calling them to serve within their respective vocation in the Church as nuns, monks, sisters, brothers, or priests.
This week, and always, I invite you to promote vocations, to invite young women and men to recognize God calling them to service. Do not be afraid to talk to someone about a religious vocation, be courageous! Ask a nun, monk, sister, brother, or priest about their vocation story. Encourage your children, nephews, nieces, grandchildren to be open to the possibility of serving God�s Church, our Church.
The Church is in need, will we be generous?
Father Roberto Garza
Vocations Director
Comments from readers
Over 2007 and 2008 I immersed myself in the issue of vocations within the Church and visited various parishes inquiring as to whether they had vocation committees at the parish level. None did.
I asked for vocation information at the parish level and was told to contact the main office of the diocese.
I ordered Visions guides to leave at the parish level and was told that they could not be accepted.
I inquired at Serra International and was referred to the exactly 2 members who make up the membership of that organization in Miami.
In general I don't believe there is any problem with the lack of vocations. What there is is a lack of interest of anyone in this diocese to promote vocations or to offer honest information to anyone interested in inquiring about the religious life.
So my conclusion is that until every single parish pastor gets on the stick and actively promotes vocations and supports vocations programs at the parish level this is all a waste of time and a facade.
Sorry to be so blunt but I did not see even the slightest interest to promote anything.
Thank you for sharing you ideas, let us continue to pray for men and women that as God calls them they will courageously listen and recognize his voice.
Blessings,
Fr. Roberto
Thank you for the prayers and support! Be assured of my prayers for you, priests, faculty, staff, and seminarians at St. John Vianney College Seminary!
Yes, I believe that this would a next step to lead the young woman or man, within the respective vocation to enter the process of formation and discover the call of God in their life. Let us continue to pray and be those Eli's!
Being pro-life is also what draws converts to the church and gets attention from those who may not practice the faith.
I seriously say too, that it depends on what is being taught in our seminaries and monasteries. Traditions must be restored in our seminaries and monasteries for more vocations to flourish. For example, I think its vitally important that our future priests must be allowed and encouraged to learn the 'extraordinary' form of the Mass(Tridentine Mass) and that this Mass must be brought back to all of our parishes. Another item, is that our image of what a church inside must look like. It draws people to our faith, such as statues of our Blessed Mother, St. Joseph and other saints, candles, stations of the cross, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Gregorian Chant and traditional hymns. If St. Francis of Assisi was the one who had the idea of placing Christ in the tabernacle present on the center of the altar, then that's what needs to be done in all of our Catholic Churches also. And, that communion rails be brought back as well. That's what I suggest. That traditions that have been removed after the 1960s must be brought back to impress those who don't practice Catholicsm. That may be a key point in drawing those back in the faith. So again, to conclude, I suggest that us Catholics be pro-life, defend orthodox teachings and restore the traditions that draw many to vocations.