As Catholics, we believe that God has a plan for our lives. He calls some to marriage, some to the priesthood, and others to consecrated life or to live as generous single people.

National Vocations Awareness Week is an annual celebration dedicated to promoting vocations to the priesthood, permanent diaconate and consecrated life through prayer and education, and to renewing our prayers and support for those who are considering one of these vocations.

During this week, you are invited to pray about how God is calling you to live your own vocation more deeply. We will also be visiting Sydney Catholic Schools in the Eastern, Western & Northern Regions for a Vocations Roadshow.
We also pray for more and generous vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life for the Church in Australia. We all have a vocation. The word vocation comes from the Latin vocare, which in English means to call. God calls each one of us to holiness. Being called to holiness means being called to love God and others.

In his message for the 2019 World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Pope Francis reminded the faithful that unlike a secular career, a vocation is a gift born from God’s own initiative: “The Lord’s call is not an intrusion of God into our freedom; it is not a ‘cage’ or burden to be borne. On the contrary, it is the loving initiative whereby God encounters us and invites us to be a part of a great undertaking.”

Someone’s specific vocation is the particular path or the unique specific way that he or she is called to follow Christ, to be more like him, but with their own personality, and characteristics, their gifts, talents, weaknesses and circumstances. Following God’s call is not about becoming someone that we are not, but about become more fully the ones He created us to be. How am I called to love others, making God’s love present in the world?