The Vocations Service of our diocese supports teens and youths along their path to discover their vocation in life. The Lord calls each and everyone of us to share in his work of creation and to contribute to the common good by using the gifts we have received. God loves us, and discovering His wonderful plan for us – our vocation – brings great joy.
To help in this journey of discovery regular group meetings are held both for teens between 14 and 16 years of age and for those over 16 years. Priests are also available to accompany young adults personally.
These meetings help foster a fulfilling relationship with God by getting to know Him better. Youths are invited and coached to cherish silence and prayer. Our life, inundated as it is with digital stimuli or otherwise, has little room for that interior silence in which we can perceive Jesus’ loving gaze on us and hear his call. Without the wisdom of discernment, we can easily become prey to every passing trend. So, our meetings try to cultivate an openness to listening; the Lord, others, and day to day reality which always challenges us in new ways. Young people are invited to look beyond superficial whims and worldly aspirations and reach into the deeper recesses of the heart, the place for a lasting encounter with the Lord and his plan for our life.
Every vocation is a call to love, a call to missionary service to others. It involves asking fundamental existential questions; ‘who am I?’, but above all, ‘for whom am I?’. Our qualities, inclinations and gifts achieve their full potential when they are shared with those around us. Accepting the Lord’s summons inspires us to bring out the best in ourselves for the glory of God and the good of others. For this reason youths are encouraged to dedicate some time for voluntary work with the poor, marginalised and vulnerable; both individually and as a group.
An important feature in this process of discernment is spiritual companionship during which the young person benefits from extended focused care. These personal meetings help youths discover their call to holiness within their specific vocation, be it to form a family, to the priesthood or religious life.
Undoubtedly recognizing and following a call from the Good Shepherd, is the unfailing recipe for life’s fulfilment.