Dear Parishioners,
Today we celebrate Vocations Sunday. The Bishop wrote recently to priests: “We have a very encouraging eight applicants for the selection conference this year, which is certainly an answer to prayer. If we have a good number of successful candidates, the Vocations Sunday second collection will be of all the greater importance this year and in coming years. Please do all you can to spread this good news and call on people’s generosity in helping to prepare our future priests.”
Two of ‘our’ past students, who you will well remember, are to be ordained this year: Mark Paver will be ordained to the priesthood on 22nd July in Salford Cathedral and Callum Brown to the diaconate at Oscott College with priesthood following next year.
Finally, you will be pleased to learn that Ratna Babu Pairdha, the seminarian we sponsored in India, was ordained to the priesthood on 27th of March. I offer my and his gratitude to all who contributed.
Fr John
Prayer for Vocations
Loving Father,
touch and transform us by the joy of your love.
Make us missionary disciples, empowered to carry the love of Christ to our neighbour.
May young people be inspired by our example to take up the path of Christian discipleship and dedicate their lives to the service of the Gospel.
Raise up new vocations by the power of your Holy Spirit to the priesthood and the consecrated life:
send us men and women, inspired to be living signs of your mercy.
Grant us all an openness of heart,
that we might readily respond to your call,
and proclaim with joy the Good News to the whole world.
Through Christ our Lord, Amen.