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1011374152472


En el poder y la majestad de Dios recibimos cada bendici�n espiritual en Jesucristo, �ador�mosle! Al recibir estas bendiciones, las compartimos en generosidad unos con otros. �Que durante este nuevo a�o 2010, ustedes se regocijen y vivan los abundantes dones espirituales que recibieron en las Navidades!


El 24 de diciembre de 2004, unas 230,000 personas perecieron como resultado del tsunami que afect� a Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Tailandia y las Maldivas. El mundo se uni� en apoyo generoso. El 29 de agosto de 2005, el hurac�n Katrina azot� Louisiana y Mississipi, y nuestra naci�n se uni� en apoyo generoso. Cada a�o, durante Acci�n de Gracias y Navidad, damos con generosidad, especialmente a las personas necesitadas. Estos son s�lo algunos ejemplos de la generosidad que nosotros, los seres humanos, practicamos en los tiempos de necesidad. En tiempos como esos, ofrecemos nuestro apoyo f�sico, sicol�gico y espiritual. �Los seres humanos son generosos!


La Iglesia necesita mujeres y hombres para servir. Necesitamos monjas, monjes, hermanas, hermanos, sacerdotes, religiosos y religiosas. Oramos por las vocaciones. Hablamos sobre la falta de ministros en la Iglesia. En vez de concentrarnos en el descenso en las vocaciones, �podr�amos hacer algo para crear y fortalecer un aumento en el n�mero de mujeres y hombres que sirvan a la Iglesia de Cristo? Dios llama cada d�a; ayudemos a quienes �l llama para que reconozcan que Dios es quien llama.


Este a�o, la Semana de Conciencia sobre las Vocaciones da inicio en la fiesta del Bautismo de nuestro Se�or Jesucristo, el �ltimo d�a de la Navidad. Mientras seguimos el ejemplo del bautismo de Jes�s, y al unirnos a �l en este don y misterio sagrados, nos embarcamos en una jornada que conocemos como nuestra vocaci�n. Esta vocaci�n ser� descubierta al escuchar la voz de Dios. Dios nos invita a una generosidad de vida. La mayor�a procura escuchar la voz de Dios, pero no est� segura del momento, o de lo que es. �l les llama a rendir sus vidas.


Dios llama, aunque a veces no sabemos que es Dios quien llama. Mientras dorm�a en el santuario, Samuel escuch� una voz que llamaba su nombre. �l pens� que era El�; �entonces El� comprendi� que era el Se�or el que llamaba al joven, y dijo a Samuel: �Ve a acostarte, y si alguien te llama, t� dir�s: Habla, Se�or, porque tu siervo escucha�� (I Samuel 3:8-9). Dios nos llama, pero como nunca hemos escuchado su voz, no reconocemos que es �l quien nos llama.


Samuel necesit� la ayuda de El�, y nosotros tambi�n necesitamos ayuda para reconocer la voz de Dios. Hay muchos como Samuel en nuestra Iglesia, y hay muchos como El�. Seamos como El� y ayudemos a nuestros j�venes para que reconozcan que es Dios quien les llama. La Iglesia necesita su generosidad.


La Semana de Conciencia sobre las Vocaciones se trata de orar y educarnos a nosotros mismos sobre las vocaciones. Esta semana se trata de crear una cultura de vocaciones, de invitar a mujeres y hombres j�venes para que reconozcan que es Dios quien les llama a servir dentro de su respectiva vocaci�n en la Iglesia como monjas, monjes, hermanas, hermanos, o sacerdotes.


Les invito, esta semana y siempre, a promover las vocaciones, a invitar a hombres y mujeres j�venes a reconocer que Dios les llama al servicio. No teman hablarle a alguna persona sobre la vocaci�n religiosa. �Sean valientes! Preg�ntenle a una monja, monje, hermana, hermano, o sacerdotes, su historia vocacional. Motive a sus ni�os, sobrinos, sobrinas y nietos a abrirse a la posibilidad de servir a la Iglesia de Dios, nuestra Iglesia.


La Iglesia est� necesitada. �Seremos generosos?


Padre Roberto Garza


Director de Vocaciones














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Comments from readers

Orestes - 01/14/2010 10:09 PM
Quite frankly Fr. I don't have much faith in the so called efforts of the Archdiocese of Miami or the individual parishes to have any interest in promoting vocations.
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.
Fr. Roberto Garza - 01/13/2010 04:30 PM
Charles,
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
Fr. Roberto Garza - 01/13/2010 04:25 PM
Fr. Michael,
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!
Fr. Roberto Garza - 01/13/2010 04:21 PM
Brother Richard,
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!
Richard DeMaruia - 01/13/2010 10:02 AM
Father: Thank you for your invitation to us all to be the Eli's to the young who hear God calling them. It seems to me that we must also assure the young person that she or he does not have to make the decision as to wehther this is the vocation for himalone. The young person only has to decide to accept teh offer to "come and see." Then, during the years of formation, the formation team will help the person to discern whether she or he has a vocation to that form of Christian life.
Fr. Michael Carruthers - 01/12/2010 11:50 AM
Great article, Fr. Roberto. Thank you for your ministry of promoting vocations in the Archdiocese of Miami. I trust that there are many voices that support your hope and your efforts. The Program for Priestly Formation says that "the whole Churchb through prayer, active cooperation, and the witness of living full Christiam lives takes responsibility for vocation." God bless your eneavors.
Charles - 01/11/2010 06:35 PM
I wish to thank you Fr. Garza for bringing up this topic. I wish to say that in order for us to get more vocations in the Church, we need more of those who left the Catholic faith to come back. We also need more marriages to take place so that many of the babies born can be called to the celibate life; priest, missionary, nun, sister etc. The Catholic faith teaches us to be pro-life here.
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.

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