Quotations

"Today, because of their number, priests by themselves cannot fulfil this complete three-fold role of evangelising, sanctifying and shepherding, especially in big parishes where the needs are too great, too numerous and too various.   The decline in vocations to priesthood is therefore, not only a challenge to pray for more priests, but also a challenge to avail of the talents of many lay people...But just as the priest needs the cooperation of the laity to fulfill his role, the laity too, need the priest to fulfill theirs. First and foremost they need him for his proclamation of the Word and his celebration of the Eucharist."

(Saint Josephs Young Priests Society)


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New National Coordinator and Leadership Team

Fr. Willie Purcell (Ossory) heads up the new 'Leadership Team' for the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors.  He was formally appointed to the role on Monday 17th October, by Bishop Donal McKeown (Down & Conor), Chair of the Vocations Commission of the Irish Episcopal Conference.  The appointment took place at a media event to mark the end of the five year tenure of Fr. Patrick Rushe (Armagh), and the launch of a new 'Vocations App' for iPhone.  Fr. Purcell is joined by; Fr's Eamonn Bourke (Dublin), Ignatius McCormack (Killaloe), Muredach Tuffy (Killala), & Rory Brady (Raphoe).  Their appointments signify a major review of the role of National Coordinator taking into consideration the more excessive demands on priests in these times.

The new Leadership Team begins its work at a time which also sees the creation of a Vocations Commission, as part of the Irish Episcopal Conference (click here for a link)

The 'Team' certainly has work to do; As well as maintaining all the usual vocations initiatives there are some major events to focus on in the coming months, including the International Eucharistic Congress (10th - 17th June, 2012), at which there will be a 'Vocations presence', and the hosting of the European Vocations Service Annual Conference (June 28th - 1st July 2012), which will be held in Maynooth.

In his concluding address to Conference, Fr. Paddy Rushe said "As I come now to the end of my term as National Coordinator of Diocesan Vocation Directors, I look back at five years of enthusiastic and vibrant vocations promotion work undertaken in this country. I have been honoured to have played my part in carrying out what I believe to be the most important work of the Church (after the proclamation of the Gospel, of course), which is, to call men to consider a vocation to the priesthood.

Fr. Paddy highlighted that in these times of change in fundamental Church structures and realities (especially in Ireland), it remains essential that there are priests to lead our congregations in the eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass, and to administer the sacraments - our work has been, and will continue to be extremely important in this regard.   He commended the Vocation Directors "I have also been blessed to have worked with so many of you, and have always felt your support and enjoyed your friendship over the years. I will miss this most. You have been such an encouragement to me in my own priesthood, as well as within this work".

Fr. Rushe, who is now Administrator of a busy Urban Parish in Dundalk ended by commending the new 'Vocations iPhone App' to the Conference saying "I am confident hat this is a new and novel approach for the current and future generations of those seeking to find information, and investigate more about the subject of Vocations to Diocesan Priesthood in Ireland".

 

News

Vocations App Launched

Fr. Patrick Rushe, launched an iPhone App for Diocesan Vocations to Priesthood at the Nathional Conference for Diocesan Vocation Directors, in Naas, Co. Kildare.  The app was designed by Fr. Patrick, and developed by a company called Magic Time Apps, who are based in Dublin.

This is a new and novel approach for the current and future generations of those seeking to find information, and investigate more about the subject of Vocations to Diocesan Priesthood in Ireland.

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New Vocations App

“This App is an invitation to engage with a process of generating hope,
solidarity and healing in a society that is fractured and hurting in many ways.” – Bishop McKeown

Some will caricature this as just a churchy gimmick that will try to give the impression of modernity to something that is passé, a vain attempt to market something that belongs to yesterday. I know that, for very many young people in modern Ireland, the word ‘vocation’ is not a meaningful term and they have little idea what clergy do, other than for an hour or two on Sundays. But the social media is where young people are.

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Priesthood Sunday 2011


Today is an opportunity to highlight and promote particularly the vocation to the priesthood.


The number of priests per Catholic has declined over the past 40 years. This makes it more difficult for individual parishioners to establish a close relationship with any one particular priest. Also, priests are no longer the only ones who offer pastoral care to our people. Yet without a priest, no parish is able to be a Eucharistic community. It is important to reaffirm the importance of the priesthood of Jesus Christ and its central place in the life of our Church.

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