Vocations Awareness Week


National Vocation Awareness Week


On the Solemnity of All Saints, I asked this question in my homily: Which is easier to become a professional athlete or a saint? My answer may surprise some…I believe the answer is it is easier to become a saint.

Maybe the word “easier” makes the question misleading. Perhaps it would be better to reword the question: Which is more possible, that I could be a saint or a professional athlete? Nevertheless, the answer for all of us is the same. All of us have the ability with God’s grace to become saints. Only a few of us have the natural born talent to be a professional athlete. Even though we are all called to be saints and all have the ability to be saints, as long as we cooperate with God’s grace, I think many of us would hesitate to call it easy. But, friends in Christ, this is the life that we are all called to live. Each of us shares the universal vocation to holiness. That is to say we are called to be saints. For God has created all of us, and God loves everything that he has made (Wisdom 11:24). Therefore, it should not be surprising that God wishes to live in friendship with each of us for all eternity.

This week, Nov. 6-12, the Church in the United States celebrates National Vocation Awareness Week, which is an important time for us to remember that each of us is called to sainthood. More specifically, however, this week is a special time for parishes to foster a culture of vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life through prayer and education, and to renew our prayers and support for those considering one of these vocations. I especially encourage families from St. Pius X to pray for Casey Kreiner, who is a seminarian from our very own parish. Pope Francis, in his message for the 2018 World Day of Vocations, emphasized that it is at the loving initiative of God, and by his personal encounter with each of us, that one is called. And so, I pray that our parish is a loving community of believers that fosters this type of encounter, so our young people can hear God’s call and have the wisdom and courage to follow God’s call. God knows each of us better than we know ourselves and recognizes in each of us the sum of our talents and strengths. This means that the vocation to which God is calling each of us is the path that will not only bring us the most happiness, but also will enable us to achieve eternal friendship with Him.