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"The indispensable role of the priest within the community must lead all the members of the Church in America to recognize the importance of promoting vocations. The entire People of God is responsible for promoting vocations, and does so chiefly by persistent and humble prayer for vocations."
(Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia in America, 40)
To serve the Church is indeed a humbling honor that no one merits but that Our Lord chooses for us. We must therefore pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send laborers into his vineyard, we should always pray for vocations to serve the Church in the priesthood and the religious life.
Prayers
Prayer for Priestly Vocations
Lord Jesus Christ, Shepherd of souls, who called the apostles to be fishers of men, raise up new apostles in your holy Church. Teach them that to serve you is to reign: to possess you is to possess all things. Kindle in the hearts of your people the fire of zeal for souls. Make them eager to spread your Kingdom upon earth. Grant them courage to follow you, who are the Way, the Truth, and the Life; who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
A Prayer for Vocations with an Intercession of St. John Vianney
O God our Father, You promised "I will appoint shepherds for My sheep who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear and tremble: an none shall be missing." (Jer. 23:4-5). Hear the prayers of Your flock. Through the intercession of Your beloved priest, Saint John Vianney, we beg You to call to the sacramental priesthood generous men who will desire nothing more than to serve You in imitation of Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, our High Priest.
And after You call them, we pray that You sustain the doubtful, console the discouraged, and strengthen the weak as they start the long and demanding preparation for the priesthood.
Mary, Mother of priests, and example of faithful, humble, and joyful acceptance of God's will, help all those who are called to the priesthood to open their ears and hearts to the gentle call of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
A Prayer for Vocations by Pope John Paul II
Compassionate heart of Jesus, graciously listen to our prayers. We ask you a great grace for the Church and the salvation of souls: send us holy priests! Looking at the tired and weary crowd, that were like sheep without a shepherd, you said: "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few! Pray to therefore the Lord of the harvest that he may send laborers to his harvest." You are the great harvest master, you are the mystical gardener who sanctifies the vineyard with your blood. You have formed the Church like a blooming field of good works. Gentle Jesus, you hunger and thirst for souls but your heart is saddened by the lack of good laborers. People remain in the darkness of sin, many are lost; children and the youngsters cry for need of Laborers who will save them and lead them to you. For this we pray: Send O Lord, holy priests to the Church and to the whole world. Amen
A Prayer for One's Vocation
God our Father, life is your gift to me. Through baptism, you invite me to share in the gift of my life in service to others. Be with me as I choose each day to show your presence in our world. Give me the courage and generosity to respond to your love, to your call. I pray especially for those who serve you as priests, brothers, sisters, deacons and lay ministers. Keep them close to you. Open the minds and hearts of many other men and women that they may accept your challenge to build the Kingdom. Amen.
Prayer for Vocations for Priesthood and Religious Life
God, our Father, we turn to you in this time of great need. We trust in your loving kindness and ask you to hear the prayers we offer for Your Church. Through your grace, we seek men and women willing to generously offer their lives to You in the priesthood and religious life. You inspire and bring to fulfillment every good intention. Bless and guide those who are discerning Your call to holiness and service. Give them courage, steadfast love and a spirit of charity as they seek to respond faithfully to you. We offer this prayer for the Diocese of Corpus Christi and for the whole Church in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ who is Lord for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer for Holy Church and for Priests
O my Jesus, I beg You on behalf of the whole Church: Grant it love and the light of Your Spirit and give power to the words of priests so that hardened hearts might be brought to repentance and return to You, O Lord.
Lord, give us holy priests; You Yourself maintain them in holiness. O Divine and Great High Priest, may the power of Your mercy accompany them everywhere and protect them from the devil's traps and snares which are continually being set for the souls of priests. May the power of Your mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might tarnish the sanctity of priests, for You can do all things. I ask You, Jesus, for a special blessing and for light for the priests before whom I will make my confessions throughout my lifetime. Amen.
A Prayer for Priests
Mother of our Redeemer, in this era dedicated to you, with great joy we call you blessed. You believed in the Word of God the Father and declared yourself His handmaid, and so, through you, the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. We salute you as Mother, our Mother, the Mother of the Church. With what great love you must have watched over the infant Church and what motherly solicitude encouraged the apostles as they committed themselves to carry on the work of Your Divine Son on earth. Make the Church ever to be the sign and instrument of intimate union with God.
To you, our Mother, we entrust in a special way our Bishop and priests of our diocese. To them has been given a special sharing in priesthood of Your Divine Son. He has chosen them to be ministers of His Word and Sacrament. Ask Him to fill them zeal, to keep them faithful and joyful in His service, conscious of the fact that they care and so bring glory to the Father and honor to the Church.
Holy Mother, increase the ranks of our priests by inspiring our young people to be more generous in their response to serve Jesus in the priesthood and in religious life.
Sustain all of us, O Virgin Mary, on our journey of faith and obtain for us the grace of eternal salvation.
Prayer for Vocations
Lord, You told us that "the harvest indeed is great but laborers are few. Pray, therefore, the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into His harvest." We ask You to strengthen us as we follow the vocation to which You have called us. We pray particularly for these called to serve as priests, sisters, brothers and deacons:
Those whom You have called,
Those You are calling now,
Those You will call in the future.
May they be open and responsive to the call of serving Your people. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Prayer of Pope Paul VI
Lord of the harvest, send holy priests who are zealous co-operators of the episcopal order, that they may sanctify and lead their brothers and sisters in the faith which they proclaim. Send, Lord, deacons to your Church who, as they teach, encourage and evangelize, in communion with bishops and priests, walk in your truth.
Call to religious life numerous generous souls to offer their life to the service of the Gospel and become living witnesses of holiness. Reawaken among lay people their commitment in life, that, collaborating with their pastors in service of the ecclesial community, they may share in the mission of evangelization.
We pray, Lord, that you continue to bless and enrich your Church with the gift of vocations. We pray that many may welcome your call and bring joy to your Church by their generous and faithful response. Amen.
Vocations Prayer (with the Imprimatur of Bishop Carmody)
Lord, you call each of us by name and ask us to follow you. Bless your church by raising up dedicated and generous leaders from our families and friends who will serve your people as Priests, Deacons, Sister and Brothers. Inspire us to follow you wholeheartedly. Amen.
Invocation to Our Lady of the Clergy
O Mary, Queen of the clergy, pray for us; obtain for us many and holy priests
Invocation for Priests and Religious
O Lord, grant unto Thy Church saintly priests and fervent religious.
Devotions
There are many devotions that can be made by the faithful for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Such pious devotions and practices include:
- Pray the Rosary and ask for the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- Make a Holy Hour in the presence of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament for Vocations.
- Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Stations of the Cross, or Novenas in Honor of Saints or Our Lady for vocations.
- Offer sacrifices (fasting, suffering, illnesses, etc...) to God for vocations.
- Offer special prayers for vocations such as those above.
- Pray a Hail Mary for vocations EVERY DAY (this could be added to your daily prayers or your prayers before meals).
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