Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Still Alive!

I'm finally back after a long absence from blogsphere with my last entry dating 25th of October '07. Since than, so many things have taken place that I don't know where to begin. To simplify things, here's a rough list of events that have poped up since my last entry; for those who care to know ;)

In no particular order:

Personal

In & Around Church

Social

Vocation

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Wednesday, December 12, 2007  4 Comments

Friday, August 17, 2007

Food for Thought: Where Lord?

In response to my queries, a certain Provincial Superior had this to say:

"I can full well understand that you feel attached to your diocese, especially if it identifies with your country. You may have to consider, though, that Christ invites us to leave all that is dear to us to follow Him with an uncompromising faith. If He has given you the sensibility for orthodoxy and liturgical depth, He has certainly an intent for you to fulfill."

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Friday, August 17, 2007  4 Comments

Monday, August 6, 2007

Traditional Carmelite Monks of Wyoming

A video on the life of the Traditional Carmelite Monks of Wyoming can be found here.

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Monday, August 06, 2007  0 Comments

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Consider Your Call

(By: Pope John Paul II)

Brothers, consider your call (1 Corinthians 1:26)

The Church must show its proper and authentic face in the daily striving for fidelity to God and to men. When it accomplishes such a mission with profound consistency, it becomes the favorable terrain for the birth of courageous choices of unreserved commitment for the Gospel and for the people of God.

By means of the special vocations the Lord assures the Church’s continuity and strength and, at the same time, he opens it to the old and the new needs of the world, so that the Church can be a sign of the living God and contribute to the building of the city of man as the civilization of love.

Every vocation is born, is nourished and develops in the Church and is linked to the Church in its origin, growth, purpose and mission. For this reason diocesan and parish communities are called to strengthen their commitment to vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life, especially with the proclamation of the Word, the celebration of the sacraments and the witness of charity. They should also keep in mind some of the necessary conditions for an authentic pastoral care of vocations.

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Tuesday, July 24, 2007  0 Comments

Monday, June 25, 2007

Meeting: Spiritual Director

Made a 1.5 hour bus ride from the East to one of the North District Parishes to meet with my Spiritual Director. Since it had been some time since our last meeting, we spent the entire time discussing a wide range of issues. He placed much emphasis on the essentiality of holiness/purity in the life of an aspirant and maintained the importance of entering Seminary early should the Lord not call me to further my studies (ie. College, etc...).

Fr. ended our conversation with a quote from Bl. Mother Theresa, "we are called to be faithful, not successful."

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Monday, June 25, 2007  0 Comments

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Vocation Testimony

Susan Bertola shares her love for Jesus Christ here.

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Wednesday, June 20, 2007  0 Comments

Monday, June 4, 2007

'15 Steps' to Becoming a Seminarian

As promised, here's a rough guide as to how a candidate is admitted into the Seminary.

You may like to read: SFX Academic Prospectus 2007-2008.

The information presented below reflects the admission process for St. Fancis Xavier Major Seminary, Diocese of Singapore.

DISCERNMENT

Months 1 to 6

Months 7 to 9

April

May

June

APPLICATION

July

August

September

October

November

December

Janaury


Prayer for Seminarians

O Jesus, Eternal High Priest,I offer You through Your Immaculate Mother Mary, Your Own Precious Blood, in all the Masses throughout the world, as petition for graces for all seminarians, Your future priests.

Give them humility, meekness, prudence, and a burning zeal for souls.

Fill their hearts with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to know and love the Church, that they may always and everywhere speak, act, and think with her, the glorious spouse of Christ.

Teach them generosity and detachment from worldly goods; but above all, teach them to know You and to love the One and Only Eternal Priest.

Good Shepherd of Souls, hear this my prayer for saintly priests.v Amen.

(Taken from "Prayers for Today," published by Leaflet Missal Co.)

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Monday, June 04, 2007  0 Comments

Thursday, May 31, 2007

SFX Seminary Academic Prospectus (2007-2008)

UPDATE: '15 STEPS' to Becoming a Seminarian

Here are some pieces of information I've extracted from the local seminary's- St. Francis Xavier Major Seminary- academic prospectus for the year 2007-2008.

Year 1: Initiation Year

A paranomic overview of the Church's teachings complemented with other courses such as language, human and growth development and communication skills.

Year 2-3: Philosophy Year

Understanding Man and the principles of living from a philosophical standpoint. Elementary biblical exegesis of Sacred Scriptures is initiated at this level, including books from the Old and New Testament

Year 3-7: Theology Cycle

Consists of Sacred Scripture and other essential theological subjects such as Dogmatic Theology, Moral Thoelogy, Sacraments, Spirituality and Pastoral Theology.

Admission Criteria

Examinations & Assessments

Courses for 2008

Initiation Year

Philosophy Cycle

Theology Cycle

Let us keep all our Seminarians in our prayers as they continue to discern the Lord's will in their lives. May they be holy and humble priests after the heart of Jesus Christ!

O Lord Jesus Christ, great High Priest, I pray that You call many worthy souls to Your holy priesthood. Enlighten the Bishop in the choice of candidates, the Spiritual Director in molding them, and the professors in instructing them. Lead the seminarians daily in Your unerring footsteps; so that they may become priests who are models of purity, possessors of wisdom and heroes of sacrifice; steeped in humility and aflame with love for God and man; apostles of Your glory and sanctifiers of souls. Amen.

Open to God's call for you? Pray for your own 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.

Coming up next: What it takes to admitted to the Seminary.

UPDATE: '15 STEPS' to Becoming a Seminarian

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Thursday, May 31, 2007  0 Comments

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

SFX Vocation Retreat: Testimonial & Thanksgiving


+ JMJ

It has been a while since I returned from the Major Seminary Vocation Retreat, here's a short testimonial and thanksgiving letter:

Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the beloved!

Father Rector, William Goh, mentioned in his first talk during the retreat that there must have been an impetus- divine or otherwise- that made all of us sign up for and attend the retreat. I think he is very right. Thorugh the illumination of the Holy Spirit, we have been blessed with the Lord's sanctifying grace; making us worthy spend an entire weekend basking in His presence.

Faithful readers of this blog, Deo Juvante, and Holy Vocations, would know my impetus for signing up for the retreat; so I shan't dwell on it here...

I've visited the Major Seminary, the Redemptorist Seminary, as well as the Carmelite Friar's Monestary on several occassions. Each time, it is a sense of peace and belonging. The fraternal warmth and charity displayed by both the brothers and formators have made my stays very pleasant. Time and time again as I vist the Seminary, I feel a sense of affirmation and belonging. How many people are likely to feel the same? I mean, being 'isolated' in the forests of Ponggol.

Before the retreat as I was discerning the chrisms, I didn't know if what appealed to me was due to my personal want(s) or desire(s), or if it was something that God wanted. It has been hard for me to discern between what God wants and what I am so attracted to personally. Therefore, it was by providence that Fr. William Goh shared some information that allayed some of my confusion(s) and mixed feelings.

After the retreat, I was affirmed that (those who read my post 'Fiat Volunta Tua' would have come across the following quote) "the priesthood is not for us or for our personal satisfaction and delight. Rather, it is for the service of the Church and souls: God calls men to be priests so that he will be able to make himself present "in the flesh" in the Eucharist for all who need him. He makes men priests so that all who need their sins forgiven can go to them and be cleansed of their sins. He makes men priests so that the sick can be strengthened with the Sacraments, so that his word will be preached, so that people will receive hope and be renewed through their work and service... He makes priests so that the poor and abandoned may be administered to.

Therefore, I shouln't let my own emotions get in the way of my discernment.

I would like to thank:

To quote Dominic Hutt (one of the retreatants) in his testimony, may we all someday "sing praises and walk through those seminary doors".

Amen. So I hope. So may it be.


Pro Eccelesia et Pontifice,
J-PDM
St. Rita of Cascia

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Tuesday, May 22, 2007  3 Comments

Monday, May 14, 2007

The Clergy Shortage and the Pastoral Care of Vocations

Taken from Sacramentum Caritas

In the light of the connection between the sacrament of Holy Orders and the Eucharist, the Synod considered the difficult situation that has arisen in various Dioceses which face a shortage of priests. This happens not only in some areas of first evangelization, but also in many countries of long-standing Christian tradition. Certainly a more equitable distribution of clergy would help to solve the problem. Efforts need to be made to encourage a greater awareness of this situation at every level. Bishops should involve Institutes of Consecrated Life and the new ecclesial groups in their pastoral needs, while respecting their particular charisms, and they should invite the clergy to become more open to serving the Church wherever there is need, even if this calls for sacrifice. (78) The Synod also discussed pastoral initiatives aimed at promoting, especially among the young, an attitude of interior openness to a priestly calling. The situation cannot be resolved by purely practical decisions. On no account should Bishops react to real and understandable concerns about the shortage of priests by failing to carry out adequate vocational discernment, or by admitting to seminary formation and ordination candidates who lack the necessary qualities for priestly ministry (79). An insufficiently formed clergy, admitted to ordination without the necessary discernment, will not easily be able to offer a witness capable of evoking in others the desire to respond generously to Christ's call. The pastoral care of vocations needs to involve the entire Christian community in every area of its life. (80) Obviously, this pastoral work on all levels also includes exploring the matter with families, which are often indifferent or even opposed to the idea of a priestly vocation. Families should generously embrace the gift of life and bring up their children to be open to doing God's will. In a word, they must have the courage to set before young people the radical decision to follow Christ, showing them how deeply rewarding it is.

Gratitude and hope

Finally, we need to have ever greater faith and hope in God's providence. Even if there is a shortage of priests in some areas, we must never lose confidence that Christ continues to inspire men to leave everything behind and to dedicate themselves totally to celebrating the sacred mysteries, preaching the Gospel and ministering to the flock. In this regard, I wish to express the gratitude of the whole Church for all those Bishops and priests who carry out their respective missions with fidelity, devotion and zeal. Naturally, the Church's gratitude also goes to deacons, who receive the laying on of hands "not for priesthood but for service." (81) As the Synod Assembly recommended, I offer a special word of thanks to those Fidei Donum priests who work faithfully and generously at building up the community by proclaiming the word of God and breaking the Bread of Life, devoting all their energy to serving the mission of the Church. (82) Let us thank God for all those priests who have suffered even to the sacrifice of their lives in order to serve Christ. The eloquence of their example shows what it means to be a priest to the end. Theirs is a moving witness that can inspire many young people to follow Christ and to expend their lives for others, and thus to discover true life.

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Monday, May 14, 2007  0 Comments

Monday, May 7, 2007

Annual Diocesan Vocation Retreat


Dear readers,

I'll be heading for the annual Diocesan vocation retreat this weekend after being invited by a Seminarian friend. It will be held at Saint Francis Xavier Major Seminary in Ponggol.

The retreat commences on Friday (11th May '07) at 1930hr and ends on Sunday (13th May '07) at approx. 1700hr with the celebration of the Sunday Eucharist and High Tea.

Do keep me in your prayers as I continue to discern the Lord's call.


A prayer for the retreatants:

Almighty God, Loving Father & Creator of all.
Your Son, Jesus, sufferred & died on the cross that we might live.
Help us use this Precious Gift of Life in ways
that would bring much honour & glory to you.
Give us the strength & the courage to rid
ourselves of all fears that we may may respond toYour CALL,
to love & serve Your people.
Bless & protect our Holy Father, our priests,
deacons, religious and lay ministers.
Bless us too & help us make the right choices in life,
and through the powerful intercession of
Our Blessed Mother & the Holy Spirit,
we may continue to participate in Your plan of Salvation.
We pray in the name of Jesus, Your Son. Amen!

St. John Vianney, St. Alphonsus, St. Ignatius, St. Francis of Assisi, St. John of the Cross, pray for us.


Note: Blogging resusmes after May 13.

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Monday, May 07, 2007  3 Comments

Message of the Holy Father for the 44th World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate,

Dear brothers and sisters!

The annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations is an appropriate occasion for highlighting the importance of vocations in the life and mission of the Church, as well as for intensifying our prayer that they may increase in number and quality. For the coming celebration, I would like to draw the attention of the whole people of God to the following theme, which is more topical than ever: the vocation to the service of the Church as communion.

Last year, in the Wednesday general audiences, I began a new series of catechesis dedicated to the relationship between Christ and the Church. I pointed out that the first Christian community was built, in its original core, when some fishermen of Galilee, having met Jesus, let themselves be conquered by his gaze and his voice, and accepted his pressing invitation: "Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men!" (Mk 1: 17; cf. Mt 4: 19). In fact, God has always chosen some individuals to work with him in a more direct way, in order to accomplish his plan of salvation. In the Old Testament, in the beginning, he called Abraham to form a "great nation" (Gn 12: 2); afterwards, he called Moses to free Israel from the slavery of Egypt (cf. Ex 3: 10). Subsequently, he designated other persons, especially the prophets, to defend and keep alive the covenant with his people. In the New Testament, Jesus, the promised Messiah, invited each of the Apostles to be with him (cf. Mk 3: 14) and to share his mission. At the Last Supper, while entrusting them with the duty of perpetuating the memorial of his death and resurrection until his glorious return at the end of time, he offered for them to his Father this heart-broken prayer: "I made known to them your name, and I will make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them" (Jn 17: 26). The mission of the Church, therefore, is founded on an intimate and faithful communion with God.

The Second Vatican Council's Constitution Lumen gentium describes the Church as "a people made one with the unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit" (n. 4), in which is reflected the very mystery of God. This means that the love of the Trinity is reflected in her. Moreover, thanks to the work of the Holy Spirit, all the members of the Church form "one body and one spirit" in Christ. This people, organically structured under the guidance of its Pastors, lives the mystery of communion with God and with the brethren, especially when it gathers for the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the source of that ecclesial unity for which Jesus prayed on the eve of his passion: "Fatherthat they also may be one in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (Jn 17: 21). This intense communion favours the growth of generous vocations at the service of the Church: the heart of the believer, filled with divine love, is moved to dedicate itself wholly to the cause of the Kingdom. In order to foster vocations, therefore, it is important that pastoral activity be attentive to the mystery of the Church as communion; because whoever lives in an ecclesial community that is harmonious, co-responsible and conscientious, certainly learns more easily to discern the call of the Lord. The care of vocations, therefore, demands a constant "education" for listening to the voice of God. This is what Eli did, when he helped the young Samuel to understand what God was asking of him and to put it immediately into action (cf. 1 Sam 3: 9). Now, docile and faithful listening can only take place in a climate of intimate communion with God which is realized principally in prayer. According to the explicit command of the Lord, we must implore the gift of vocations, in the first place by praying untiringly and together to the "Lord of the harvest". The invitation is in the plural: "Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest" (Mt 9: 38). This invitation of the Lord corresponds well with the style of the "Our Father" (Mt 6: 9), the prayer that he taught us and that constitutes a "synthesis of the whole Gospel" according to the well-known expression of Tertullian (cf. De Oratione, 1,6: CCL I, 258). In this perspective, yet another expression of Jesus is instructive: "If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven (Mt 18: 19). The Good Shepherd, therefore, invites us to pray to the heavenly Father, to pray unitedly and insistently, that he may send vocations for the service of the Church as communion.

Harvesting the pastoral experience of past centuries, the Second Vatican Council highlighted the importance of educating future priests to an authentic ecclesial communion. In this regard, we read in Presbyterorum ordinis: "Exercising the office of Christ, the shepherd and head, according to their share of his authority, the priests, in the name of the Bishop, gather the family of God together as a brotherhood enlivened by one spirit. Through Christ they lead them in the Holy Spirit to God the Father" (n. 6). The post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores dabo vobis echoes this statement of the Council, when it underlines that the priest is "the servant of the Church as communion because - in union with the Bishop and closely related to the presbyterate - he builds up the unity of the Church community in harmony of diverse vocations, charisms and services" (n. 16). It is indispensable that, within the Christian people, every ministry and charism be directed to full communion; and it is the duty of the Bishop and priests to promote this communion in harmony with every other Church vocation and service. The consecrated life, too, of its very nature, is at the service of this communion, as highlighted by my venerable predecessor John Paul II in the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Vita consecrata: "The consecrated life can certainly be credited with having effectively helped to keep alive in the Church the obligation of fraternity as a form of witness to the Trinity. By constantly promoting fraternal love, also in the form of common life, the consecrated life has shown that sharing in the Trinitarian communion can change human relationships and create a new type of solidarity" (n. 41).

At the centre of every Christian community is the Eucharist, the source and summit of the life of the Church. Whoever places himself at the service of the Gospel, if he lives the Eucharist, makes progress in love of God and neighbour and thus contributes to building the Church as communion. We can affirm that the "Eucharistic love" motivates and founds the vocational activity of the whole Church, because, as I wrote in the Encyclical Deus caritas est, vocations to the priesthood and to other ministries and services flourish within the people of God wherever there are those in whom Christ can be seen through his Word, in the sacraments and especially in the Eucharist. This is so because "in the Church's Liturgy, in her prayer, in the living community of believers, we experience the love of God, we perceive his presence and we thus learn to recognize that presence in our daily lives. He loved us first and he continues to do so; we too, then, can respond with love" (n. 17).

Lastly, we turn to Mary, who supported the first community where "all these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer" (Acts 1: 14), so that she may help the Church in today's world to be an icon of the Trinity, an eloquent sign of divine love for all people. May the Virgin, who promptly answered the call of the Father saying, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord" (Lc 1: 38), intercede so that the Christian people will not lack servants of divine joy: priests who, in communion with their Bishops, announce the Gospel faithfully and celebrate the sacraments, take care of the people of God, and are ready to evangelize all humanity. May she ensure, also in our times, an increase in the number of consecrated persons, who go against the current, living the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience, and give witness in a prophetic way to Christ and his liberating message of salvation. Dear brothers and sisters whom the Lord calls to particular vocations in the Church: I would like to entrust you in a special way to Mary, so that she, who more than anyone else understood the meaning of the words of Jesus, "My mother and my brethren are those who hear the word of God and do it" (Lk 8: 21), may teach you to listen to her divine Son. May she help you to say with your lives: "Lo, I have come to do thy will, O God" (cf. Heb 10: 7). With these wishes, I assure each one of you a special remembrance in prayer and from my heart I bless you all.

From the Vatican, 10 February 2007.

H.H. Benedict XVI

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Monday, May 07, 2007  0 Comments

Monday, April 23, 2007

Pius XII on Minor Seminaries

[Note: This address was given to three thousand minor seminarians gathered in Rome on September 5, 1957]

"Sound studies are not always the only benefit to be drawn from minor seminaries, nor is this the main reason for their existence. Sound Christian pedagogy confirmed by long centuries of experience teaches that true personality, strong virtue, and profound convictions are not formed in a haphazard manner.

"Life is too short, the years of adolescence and of youth are too delicate not to be in pressing need of guidance and protection. The young man who has at heart to become a priest, must ripen in the climate most favorable to a lucid choice. The education of his still fragile will requires prudence and respect.

"He will therefore find in the minor seminaries greatly experienced and solicitous counselors and teachers who will guide his step, stimulate his intelligence, develop his generosity and the feeling of his responsibility in the proper functioning of the seminary.

"If minor seminaries are so useful and beneficial, it is because their institution is based on a precise knowledge of the needs of the adolescent and Christian youth. Families can therefore rely on the wisdom of the Church to judge one's aptitude for the priesthood and the means best suited to prepare for it.

"The Catholic priesthood is truly one of the purest glories of the Church and one of the most striking marks of her holiness. She has therefore always given it her most solicitous care throughout the centuries.

"Despite the weaknesses of human nature, she has maintained at a very high level its ideal of life, without sparing any effort to make her priests men of God and men of the Church, truly capable of taking charge of a part of the flock of Christ and of giving an account of it to God on the day of judgment. She has arranged their intellectual, moral and pastoral formation in an always precise and demanding manner.

"After ordering the erection of major seminaries in dioceses, she has then created special institutions meant for candidates to the ecclesiastical life. Far from having to repent such an institution, she congratulates herself for it when she witnesses the happy fruits borne by minor seminaries in the field of studies as well as in the formation of character."

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Monday, April 23, 2007  0 Comments

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

1Life4Christ: April 2007 Issue

Dear "Friend of Serra Club",

Wishing You a Blessed Easter!

May the love and peace of Christ be with you and your loved ones.

I am pleased to attach a copy of Serra Club of Singapore's latest newsletter,
1Life4Christ
Here is the weblink:
http://www.serrasingapore.org/newsletter/1Life4Christ_2007_04.pdf

Once again, we at Serra Club would like to extend our gratitude for
your continued prayers before the Blessed Sacrament for more priestly
vocations, our seminarians and our priests. Our individual efforts
united with one another will surely bear much fruits for our universal
Church. Therefore, let us continue to do our part and not give up.

On 29 April (Good Shepherd Sunday), there will be a Day of Prayer for
Vocations which will be held at the Church of the Holy Family from 2pm
and end with the 6pm evening Mass which will be celebrated by His
Grace, Archbishop Nicholas Chia. Please do come and join us and the
seminarians to pray for more priestly vocations.

Also, if you know of any single Catholic young man who might be
interested to attend a Vocation Retreat which will be held at the St.
Francis Xavier Major Seminary from 11 - 13 May, please ask them to
register with the seminary (more details are in the enclosed
newsletter).

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very Blessed Easter!

Once again, thank you for being a Friend of Serra Club!

God Bless,

Sean Yeo
President of Serra Club of Singapore

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Wednesday, April 18, 2007  0 Comments

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Road to Life

(Extract: Peter on the Shore)

When choosing to take up our cross, it is not so much that we are choosing between a life without crosses and a life with crosses, as deciding which cross to choose, or what meaning to give to the crosses that are part and parcel of our very existence. Cross and suffering are inescapable realities. It is not only Christians who have to go to the hospital, and it is not only Christians who have to bear moral sufferings, or who have to pay a price to attain their ideals.

The mystery of suffering touches every human life. Every person born on this earth has to face his own mortality. And how he does so determines how he lives and his impositions on those around him.

Our consumer society today has set its parameters wholly within the material world, opting for its fleeting satisfactions and comforts, and the cult of the body. In the process it has bred a culture of death and egotism, a grinding and dehumanizing reduction of man to the material, where he has no greater value than a tree or snaildarter.

To save our society, to give it some hope, we are going to have to take Christ at his word, believe that his cross is the only road to life, and live and preach that, giving this same hope to everyone around us. As we search for our vocation, we should not make the mistake of looking for the wide and easy way. Even less should we commit the injustice of preaching the wide and easy way as the way of life - for it is precisely the way that has led to the despair and suicide into which our western civilization is falling.

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Tuesday, April 10, 2007  0 Comments

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Sacramentum Caritatis: Vocation and Seminary Formation

Apostolic Exhortation "Sacrament of Love" - Pope Benedict 2007

The clergy shortage and the pastoral care of vocations

25. In the light of the connection between the sacrament of Holy Orders and the Eucharist, the Synod considered the difficult situation that has arisen in various Dioceses which face a shortage of priests. This happens not only in some areas of first evangelization, but also in many countries of long-standing Christian tradition. Certainly a more equitable distribution of clergy would help to solve the problem. Efforts need to be made to encourage a greater awareness of this situation at every level. Bishops should involve Institutes of Consecrated Life and the new ecclesial groups in their pastoral needs, while respecting their particular charisms, and they should invite the clergy to become more open to serving the Church wherever there is need, even if this calls for sacrifice.(78)

The Synod also discussed pastoral initiatives aimed at promoting, especially among the young, an attitude of interior openness to a priestly calling. The situation cannot be resolved by purely practical decisions. On no account should Bishops react to real and understandable concerns about the shortage of priests by failing to carry out adequate vocational discernment, or by admitting to seminary formation and ordination candidates who lack the necessary qualities for priestly ministry (79).

An insufficiently formed clergy, admitted to ordination without the necessary discernment, will not easily be able to offer a witness capable of evoking in others the desire to respond generously to Christ's call. The pastoral care of vocations needs to involve the entire Christian community in every area of its life. (80)

Obviously, this pastoral work on all levels also includes exploring the matter with families, which are often indifferent or even opposed to the idea of a priestly vocation. Families should generously embrace the gift of life and bring up their children to be open to doing God's will. In a word, they must have the courage to set before young people the radical decision to follow Christ, showing them how deeply rewarding it is.

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Tuesday, March 27, 2007  0 Comments

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Personal call, Personal love, Personal mission

(By Fr. Anthony Bannon, from his book 'Peter On The Shore')

He said to him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep." (John 21:17)

Christ first verifies Peter's love for him, and then gives him his personal mission to preach and spread the kingdom. He said to him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep." (John 21:17) Christ first verifies Peter's love for him, and then gives him his personal mission to preach and spread the kingdom.

Christ himself in the hours of his agony in Gethsemane has words that allow us to see that he lives the same order in his own life and action: he is in prayer, his human nature is rebelling against the suffering and death he sees before him, but his love for his Father brings him to say not my will but thine be done. In his encounter with his Father in prayer he renews his love, and in that love his human will finds reason and strength to do what his Father wants, despite the personal revulsion he experiences.

Our encounter with Christ is an encounter which takes place through the exercise of the gift of faith we received in baptism, which allows us to discover him in the eucharist and in the gospel, principally, and converse with him there, nourishing our love.

It is in this encounter, as you grow in your love for him, that you will discover the concrete thing he wants you to do. By learning to love him you will learn what he would have you do. Not that he is suddenly going to map out for you in detail your whole life; that can only be discovered one step at a time, and by taking each step he prepares you for the next. But the more we love him, the more we will think like him, and the more we will want to do what he wants.

He said some words to Peter which tell us where our concerns should lie: not in figuring everything out, wanting to know what he is asking of everyone else, but in living our own personal mission. When Peter saw him (the disciple whom Jesus loved), he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!" (John 21:21-22)

We must seek Christ. Nothing else matters, and everything else falls into place when we have him. As the Holy Father repeats: Be not afraid! Open the doors of your heart to Christ. In prayer. In action. In charity.

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Thursday, March 15, 2007  0 Comments

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Fr. Anthony Bannon on High School (Minor) Seminaries:


When I was thinking of opening a high school seminary I asked an archbishop his opinion and he gave me this unexpected answer (everyone seemed to be closing their high school seminaries at the time). He said, "I went to a high school seminary myself and I don't regret it one bit, I may never have gotten to be a priest otherwise. High school seminaries when I was young were good things, today I think they are absolutely necessary!" He then went on to speak about his concern with the trend towards older vocations that was taking place at the time, "We don't get to know them well, there are things many don't seem to grasp, many come with baggage they could do without."

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Wednesday, March 07, 2007  0 Comments

Friday, March 2, 2007

I no longer had anything, except great joy and peace!

Vocation Testimony by Fr. Jason Jalbert

Fr. Jason Jalbert, was born in Berlin, NH, on the 9th of May 1971 as the first born of two children. After a short career in the funeral industry as a licensed funeral director, he discovered that he may have a vocation to the priesthood and began to discern it at St. John's Seminary in Brighton, MA. He received his degree in philosophy and theology at St. John's and was ordained a priest for the diocese of Manchester, NH at St. Joseph's Cathedral on June 7, 2003. Fr. Jason is currently the parochial vicar at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish in Rochester, NH and St. Leo the Great Parish in Gonic, NH. He also works with the youth at St. Elizabeth Seton School and has recently begun his own weekly radio program called "Rise-Up, It's Sunday Morning."

The Priesthood was definitely the last thing I would have ever thought of, but now I thank God that I eventually heard His call to an awesome way of life!

I praise the Lord every day for my priesthood which began a little late, during my 32nd year of life. How I wish I had discovered my vocation much sooner but there were certainly reasons why I hadn't. This is our story, (the Lord's and mine) which can be used to show other men that Our Lord can work in amazing ways to make the call to priesthood known.

I grew up in pretty tight-knit family, situated in a pretty tight-knit neighborhood. All the people in our neighborhood knew each other, just about all of my friends' parents grew up and went to school with my parents. Generations of French Catholics, as we were called, lived and worked near the parish church of Guardian Angel, it stood in the center of our part of the city. Although most of my friends attended weekend Masses with their parents, our family didn't go to Mass very regularly. For some reason it never took root in our family. Instead of going to Mass we spent most of our summer weekends at the beach and winter weekends on the ski slopes.

Although we didn't go to Mass as a family, there was one thing I knew that I wanted to do-it was to become an altar server. One day after religion classes, I remember seeing the priest, and along with my friends, asked when we could begin serving Mass, he told us that we could after our First Communion. I was so excited since First Communion was only a couple of months away. Not long after that event I joined the other boys from my First Communion class and began to train for my new role in the Mass. I was so proud to receive the black cassock and white surplus; I took it home and put it on immediately. My mom took a picture of me that day as I posed as a priest want-to-be. Unfortunately, my career as a server was short lived, after missing three masses I was asked to no longer continue serving. I guess priesthood wasn't in the plan, yet.

As I began high school my relationship with the Church grew very distant. Only a few of my new friends went to church and for those who did go, they attended nondenominational Christian churches. One particular friend of mine had a very devout Christian mother and father. They would pray before meals and would openly talk about Jesus and would also quote the Bible. I looked forward to their invitations to attend their Sunday services, at the same time I sensed that something was missing with the way they worshipped. Experiences in their home and other influences made me think about my own faith, about what I believed.

During my junior year of high school I decided that I was going to rediscover my Catholic Faith on my own. I thought the best way to do this was to begin attending Sunday Mass, which is what I did, but in another parish. I was uncomfortable going back to my home parish, so I attended a neighboring church. I felt like an observer at first but with time the Mass came to life. The best way I can describe the way I felt at the time was to say that I was falling in love with the Mass. Through the grace of God, this continued through my last year of high school.

At this point of my life all I wanted was to be happy, which I believed could only happen with having a good job, lots of money, marriage and children. Certainly anyone with any and all of these things would be happy, so I began to pursue these goals. My dream was simply to have a big family with a beautiful home and serve the community in some way. In 1992, after graduating from Mt. Ida College in Newton, MA with a degree in funeral service I returned to my home town to settle in for the long haul. I assumed my duties as a funeral director, working for a local family, where I was treated as their own son. I loved serving the people of my hometown in this capacity; I saw it as my vocation. After a couple of years I truly believed that life was just great, I could afford to do what I wanted, I could afford to buy the things I wanted, and I was building an exclusive relationship with this great girl I knew from high school. What more could I possibly want!

All I could say was that God was blessing my life with so many loving people and so many promising opportunities. I truly recognized Jesus working in my life. He kept drawing me closer to Him. I decided that it was time to return to my home parish and to become an active member. My pastor asked me to be a member of the parish council and to become a Lector. Receiving the Eucharist at daily Mass became the most important event in my day, I felt that this is where my relationship with Christ deepened and became more firm. At the same time a friendship developed with a very dedicated priest who was the pastor of a neighboring parish. I began to see little by little what priesthood was actually like and what a priest actually did with all their time! Although I was learning a lot about the faith and falling in love with Jesus, I still had no evident desire of becoming a priest. All I thought about was how great it would be to someday have a big Catholic family. In retrospect maybe I should have been a lot more specific in my prayers for a big Catholic family.

One day my priest friend asked me if I had ever thought of the priesthood, I immediately said "no way." We never spoke about the priesthood again until Good Friday 1996. After his direct question to me about the priesthood, the idea began to stir in my heart. This really wasn't something I wanted to be thinking about, I had already planned my life and this idea of the priesthood wasn't going to change my plans. As time went on the desire for priesthood grew stronger, but I couldn't understand why. I questioned whether or not God would actually be calling me to become a priest, it sounded absurd to me. I never told a soul about the feelings I had, I just continued living my life praying for strength and knowledge to do the will of God.

Then Holy Week of 1996 my whole life changed, as the idea of priesthood had finally taken hold of my life and now was the time to act. This is what took place, the bishop was going to be visiting our parish Tuesday of Holy Week and my pastor asked if I would read at the Mass. With all of the lectors in the parish he asked me; I was rather honored with the task. That night before Mass began I saw this young man dressed in a cassock walking around the Sanctuary, I had never seen him before. With great curiosity I asked the woman sitting next to me if she knew who he was, she said "yes, that's Fr. Anthony." I really didn't believe that he was a priest but she insisted that he was. She reiterated herself and said "Yes Jason, he's the bishop's master of ceremonies." I was so surprised because I had never seen a really young priest before, I was so impressed. After Mass we gathered in the Church hall, and Fr. Anthony approached me to tell me that he was the vocation director for our diocese and asked me if I had ever thought of the priesthood. My immediate response was "no," but in his gentle manner he gave me his card and invited me to call him if I ever wanted to talk about the priesthood. I thanked him and then I went home dumbfounded. As I lay in bed this encounter kept playing through my mind, and I kept asking God if this was a sign, was I supposed to go through with this.

Finally, on Good Friday, I called on my priest friend and told him what had taken place and that I had been thinking seriously about the priesthood. The next week I met with Fr. Anthony and application to the diocese and to the seminary began. It all happened rather quickly, by September I no longer had a job, I no longer had a girlfriend, I no longer had anything, except great joy and peace that came from leaving all behind to follow Christ.

After seven years of seminary formation, and two years of priesthood, I can say that priesthood is an awesome vocation. I would never have guessed in a million years that celebrating the Sacraments, especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, would be such an incredible part of my life. It's my prayer and hope that as I live out the gift of the priesthood with love and zeal, that the Lord will use me to help many young men discover their vocation to the priesthood.

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Friday, March 02, 2007  0 Comments

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

His Apostle

(By Rev. Fr. Marcial Maciel)

"It hurts me to see the suffering people undergo because of injustice, abuse and lack of love. It hurts me to see that Christ does not reign in the hearts of people, to see the obstinacy so many people mount against him, to see their indifference when faced with his call."

"For me, being a priest means being an apostle, working ceaselessly for him, and fighting so that everyone knows and accepts him. I don’t care whatever kind of cross comes my way, or isn’t the priest another Christ?"

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# posted by Vidimusdominum : Tuesday, February 13, 2007  3 Comments

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