Quotations

Yet above all, it falls to you, the Bishops, and to your clergy to offer young people an inspiring and attractive vision of the ordained priesthood. Our prayer for vocations "must lead to action so that from our praying heart a spark of our joy in God and in the Gospel may arise, enkindling in the hearts of others a readiness to say 'yes'".

Pope Benedict XVI speaking to Irish Bishops at the end of their 2006 'Ad Limina' visit


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Notices

dolls_yfp_bottom600EARLY VOCATIONS: CHRISTMAS TOY IDEAS

It's never too early to get your child thinking about a vocation to the priesthood or consecrated life. WeeBelievers.com has just the gift your little darling needs to shore up his/her commitment to the Catholic Church. Designed for ages 3-8 (according to the company Web site) are two huggable plush vocations dolls ($29.99 each). They come complete with booklets about their lives and must have been especially designed to encourage minority vocations. The priest doll is Fr. Juan Pablo and the nun is a morenita named Sr. Mary Clara.

The same company produces a "Mass kit" ($76.49 on sale) for little boys who want to play priest and next year they will be issuing the "My Quiet Church kit" which will eventually include "accessory kits for baptisms, weddings, first communions" and other sacraments.

From the company's press release: "'Our hope is that by playing with the Vocation Dolls, children will grow in virtue with a deeper understanding of their Catholic faith,' says Steve Abdalla, co-founder of Wee Believers. 'We pray that the Holy Spirit will use these dolls to call more men and women to the consecrated religious life.'...children who play with toy mass kits and dolls which represent the consecrated life may have their hearts opened to God’s call to become a priest or a Religious Sister.

Archbishop Raymond Burke, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, recently shared how a toy mass kit he was given as a young boy first inspired him to the priesthood..

Courtesy of this site (click for link)

 

News

Vocations Podcast Worth A Listen
podcast_logoThere are many methods of spreading the vocations message.   This young man from Nashville has chosen to desgin and record this podcast to highlight vocations.  While it is delivered in a casual and relaxed style, there are great insights from listening to the various contributors talk about how they discovered the Lord's call in their own life, but also what brought them to work in this ministry.
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Vocation Poster Designer Interviewed
matrix_vocations_posterOn November 17, Missy Scarlett, the designer of several "Year For Priests" posters will appear on the CatholicTV live talk show "This is the Day". One of Missy's best-known works is a vocations poster depicting a young, hip, priest in clerical robes which appears similar to the all-black outfit worn by "Neo" the character played by actor Keanu Reeves in the film "The Matrix".
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New Seminarians Begin Studies

god_or_the_girl_candidates

Largest intake since 1999 and 20% increase on 2008

36 new seminarians are to commence studies for the priesthood for Irish dioceses this week. This represents an increase of more than 20% on 2008 when 30 men entered the priesthood for Irish dioceses.
Read more
 

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